▁Tra ver set te ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁re - built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁by ▁France ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁L igne ▁Al pine . ▁It ▁def ended ▁the ▁Little ▁Saint ▁Bernard ▁Pass . ▁During ▁the ▁Italian ▁invasion ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁fort ▁had ▁been ▁captured ▁by ▁Italy . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁it ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Social ▁Republic ▁and ▁came ▁under ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁French . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁early ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Al p ini ▁Regiment ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁L itt orio ▁held ▁a ▁long ▁front ▁running ▁from ▁R if ug io ▁B ene vol o ▁near ▁Rh ê mes ▁to ▁La ▁For cla z , ▁passing ▁through ▁several ▁pe aks ▁including ▁the ▁Roc ▁de ▁Belle face ▁and ▁Tra ver set te . ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁April , ▁the ▁French ▁captured ▁the ▁Roc ▁de ▁Belle face , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁re occup ied ▁by ▁the ▁Al p ini ▁and ▁some ▁German ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁Geb ir gs j äger ▁Regiment ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 5 , ▁the ▁French ▁ 2 7 th ▁Al pine ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁under ▁General ▁Eug ène ▁Mol le ▁was ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁enter ▁Italian ▁territory ▁( Val ▁d ' A osta ) ▁across ▁the ▁Little ▁Saint ▁Bernard . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 2 3 ▁and ▁ 2 5