Italy Campaign History (1942)

ORDE OF THE

ITALIAN ARMY

SEPTEMBER 1942

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

WASHINGTON D.C.

PAGE NO. FOREWORD 1.

DISTRIBUTION OF FORCES BY AREAS (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H)

ITALy .....................................•............................... 1

NORTH AFRICA 3 EAST AFRICA 6 YUGOSLAVIA ~.... .......................•.... . 6 ALBANIA & MONTENEGRO 7 GREECE AND ISLANDS 8 RUSSIA : 10 DODECANESE 11

2. SUMMARIZED ORDER OF BATTLE

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

1

12

HIGH COMMAND Italy ~ '. _. . . . . . . . .. 1 North Africa : _ 3 Yugoslavia... .. . 6 Albania and Montenegro _..... ..•..... 7 Greece and Islands................................................. 8

Russia ...........................................................•...... 10

ARMY GROUPS Italy 1 North Africa...............................•...............•............. 3 Yugoslavia 6 Albania and Montenegro 7 Greece and Islands 8 Russia 10 ARMIES Italy ~ ~ 1 Nor th. Africa 3 yugoslavia 6 7 Albania and Montenegro Greece and Islands ~ 8 Russia 10 CORPS Italy 2 North Africa 4 yugoslavia .............................•.............................. 6

Albania and Montenegro ,............ 8 Greece and Islands _ 9 Russia 10 DIVISIONS Italy.;...................................... 2 North Africa. :J.~:l :-~.: ~ C~.. 5 yugoslavia I'l'\' :... 7 Albania and Mo4~3n~g~o.\:1,i~.. o'.~ •••• 8 Greece and Islands ~ .. ; ~~:.. ~ . > _." 9 i

3.

. . . .. . ... .. . .

.. . . . .. .. . . .

DETAILED ORDER OF BATTLE (A) (B)

4.

Russia Dodecanese. .

13

DIVISIONS REGIMENTS

;

AREAS IN ITALY -- HOME STATIONS (A) (B) (C) (D)

PAGE NO.

10

. .. . .. 11

13,14,15,16,17,18 13,14,15,16,17,18 17

ARMIES 19,20,21,22 CORPS '," 19,20,21,22 DIVISIONS 19,20,21,22 REGIMENTS .•..........................................•.... 19,20,21,22

ii

1. Order of Battle information is Vii a he ¥tlitary Intelligence Serree. This information received from many agencies scattered aU over the world,is carefully, pieced together in the Order of Battle section, Military Intelligence Ser­ vice, in order to present to the combat commands of the United Nations the best possible estimates of the enemy situation. The decisions which involve the lives of thousands of American soldiers are based at least partially on Order of Battle intelligence.

2. Order of Battle information. is classified under two headings: "Order of Battle - Strength." "Order of Battle - Location." 3. "Order of Battle - Strength" is 'a careful tabulation of all of the' units in the Axis Armies, and of those organizations of the other services, the Navy, and the Air Force, which operate with the field armies. An analysis of this in­ formation reveals:

Organization of enemy units.

Composition of enemyunits.

Detailed identification of enemy unit3.

Principles of employment (composition of sp~ial taskforres)

Total strength of Axis armies.

Strength of various arms of Axis armies.

Changes in tactical or strategical procedure as evidenced

by changes in organization. 4. From the Harder of Battle - Strength" records, the intelligence officer's handbook, "The Order of Battle oithe German (Italian, Japanese, Hun­ garian, Rumanian; etc.,) Army," is published. This text enables the unit intelli­ gence officers, in combat to identify the enemy forces with whom they are engag­ ed. Another text, "The German {Italian, etc.) Forces in the Field," also com­ piled from Order of Battle information, will provide all of the known organization history, the names' and qualifications of the commanders and staff officers, the composition, the insignia, and any known combat characteristics of the enemy units. 5. "Order of Battle - Location'" gives the disposition of Axis units, and includes all information as to actual unit locations, movements, concentration. areas, and changes in organization, equipment, and armament. A study of the dispositions, the terrain, and fortificatipn activity, combined with a knowledge of enemy tactical and strategical procedure, will enable intelligence officers to as­ sign priorities to enemy capabilities.

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6. The mission of the,'i\""""",0~lf , :r,,d,' " _",_", e, ::,I«~ ," ""B,,I r\"~ ,I, \';~ ,I " ' i l ".'.' a. To provide a so;~¥"p,~;ts"~~ ~'~~~~¥ii'~ii~~if h~'gf~~\d~s may be mada To. make availa'P6~\ '~P;~Itt~H~8~,rr~l~::~l8:fff?~¢B~·Jin\tti~E£tE;;lda ll informa­ hon that WIll aSSIst them to perform thelr-dutles effIcIently. "I,o"""""_",f"'''''" •

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1 t l m.' of Battle information:

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b .. Names and qualifications of enemy commanders and staff offiCErs: Promotion lists published in papers "are a good source. c. Dispositions (locations of enemy units). d. Move"ments. -­ e. Concentration areas. f. Types of units: 'The location of panzer or tank units, mountain units, artillery concentrations, and other arms of offense is especially imporiant g. Insignia: This includes personal insignia, unit insignia, deco~a­ tions, and the like. Sketches showing dimensions and colorS are very helpful. h. Military symbols and abbreviations: These are necessary in or&r that captured maps and documents may be translated. ,1. Captured maps, documents and other written material. j. Maps of all kinds, especially new ones. k. Lines of communications (changes in railways, canal systems,Etc.) 1. All information on mObilization: Case history of individuals, es­ pecially when they are typical, is of great assistance. Observe the promotion rates for senior commanders for indications of an expansion. m. Armament: Watch for new weapons, or modificatiol13 of standard weapons. n. Organization of enemy unit~ (especially for particular operations). o. Casualties. p. Auxiliary units (labor units, truck-driver or labor-service forma­ tions, etc., which operate under military jurisdiction). q. Terrain.

r. Climate and weather.

s. Uniforms (particularly changes).

t. Types of personnel (with particular attention to specialists).

u. Special kinds of training.

Vi Changes in equipment:' For example, a new canister for gas maEks.

w. Boundaries of zones of action, or sectors.

x. Interest of Axis sources in special maps or special kinds of maps (indications of suchotnterest are likely to occur in neutral countries). y. Any special P,xis staff activity. S. The information outlined in paragraph 7 applies to air and naval units as well as to land organizations, especially those units which operate with the field armies. 9. Order of Battle information should be transmitted to the Military In­ telligence Service as quickly as possi , arrives too late, it belongs to still another classification, Historical." ~:.~'~"

10.~:~n:f'o~p±~ti~~\P ositions , identifications, move­ ments' ora:Bith~\' ';. ard a radical change in enemy procedure should inva;qi,~)~ . d. Detailed, information of ,all kinds, such as name s of staff officEjrs,;,in.'ew insignia, description of fortifications, and lists of military iv

abbreviations b portant,a summary of detaiie ing.

~~ld be$eiif1py.;al~ mail. ·~Ifsuffieiently im­ "0rmation··shoU1cib~cabledatt he t~me of ,m ail­

11. A suggested method for handling Order of Battle information follows:. ,

.

a. P"fter having received it,write it in a report as quickly as possitle . ar.d then study the informati·· 1 to see· whether a cable is required. b. After a cable is drafted,' have apother officer read it to see if it

accurately reports the important information covered in the report.

c. If time is available, a written report should be submitted. &eiches, maps, or overlays are very useful supplements to the written report.

12. Where the means are available, the location of enemy units should be posted by means of pins on mounted maps. This procedure aSsists greatly in evaluating Order of Battle reports at the iriformation-collecting agency. 13.Well-kept records of the data submitted by the various sources of in­ formation will enable the intelligence agenc.ies to evaluate the reliability ·of the sources. This is iIIlportant be.cause sOTIie of the Axis powers. intentionally plant falseinformaUon (s9metimes mixed with known reliable information) for our in­ telligence agencies to report. ' 14. The minute details are important. Some Of these may have consider­ able significance when compared with information from other sources. 15. Officers and agencies sho~d evaluate the Order of Battle information they receive and indicate their opinion of its reliability. The Order of Battle Section may not have any other means of evaluating the report. 16. Where practical, the source of the ·Order of Battle information should be indicated. If it is not desirable to mention names or sources in cables or re­ ports,a list of code names to represent them can be transmUted to the Military Intelligence SerVice by secret letter. ' 17. As far as possible, exploit sources which are not available or known to represeIltatives and agencies of the other United Nations. 18. Personalities are important. For example, the appearance at Gibral­ tar of Oberst (Colonel) Mikosch, the German Commander who captured Fort Eben Emael and who later broke the Maginot Line near Saarbrucken, may be extremely significant.

. 19. All Order of Battle inforrnation is normally classified confidential, . unless for some special reason a particular message or report should be class­ ified secret.

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Order of Battle information, money is often Cultivate a banker friend and watch all ~rrrt'E~S'. _ requently bonds, stocks, and checks will not vary' in value, b.utcash or: currency wilL For example,during the first week lIl.Decembe:r 1941, in Berlin, the ~tandard rate of exchange was 2.49 RM per dollar. This held true for valu­ able paper, but the cashdollar dropped suddenly several days before Pearl Har­ bor to 1.90 RM per dollar. Unexplainable variations in the value of money should be cabled at once. 21. In exchanging Order of Battle information with sources,be careful not to receive the same information later from other parties and accept it as confirmation of your own information. 22. The following mistakes or inaccuracies have often nullified the value of Order of Battle information in the past: a. Use of foreign language initials or apbreviations which were not familiar to persormel in MIS. Give the equivalent in English, usingU.S. mili­ tary terminology wherever possible . . b. Th~ use of .oDsolete or improper geographical place names. Whm appropriate, identify the map used. Whe'n one place has a name in twolangua~~ give both. A small place may be located with reference tO'a larger well-known place. Many places have the same name. For example, there are several towns named Chalons, France, andtherc' are several Frankfurts in Germany. c. Information of movements has been sent by mail whenibshould have been cabled. Many European reports reach Washington a month after they are written. The concentration for the Balkan Campaign took place in about two or three weeks. d. Incorrect designations have been given to units. 119th Inf. means nothing. When in doubt~ send foreign language designation of unit with your own translation. Sometimes State Department personnel paraphrase the unit desig­ nation, and much time and effort is lost in rechecking. Send Order of Battle in­ formation by military codes as far as possible. e. Order of Battle information has bE::tn included in other reports. and incorrectly filed or lost ina a mass of other minutia. Order of Battle should be submitted in reports with that title and given appropI'iate.IG file num~ bers 6905 or 6910. Where information pertinent to Order of Battle is submitted in report form under other subjects anq. filed under other guide nurd:> ers, ref­ erence to it should be' made in the next .Order of Battle report. f. The meaning in cabled dispatches was not clear. g. The date of the Order of Battle information was not stated. Answer as much of the "Who, what, when, w " and "where" as possible. "What, 'when, " ~d "where" are e, h. Transpos· e 196th Division in Norway ,·si,on.Thiscaused some con­ has been reported cern since

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22. Inform~tig¥i tiM' dpnment of.:·oldunits, or the con­ version of one Unit into anothgf esign.atioIl,is important because it affects the strength estimates. For exam e: Recent information indicates that ,the German 1st Cavalry Division was converted into the German 24th Panzer Di/Vision. /

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This is the first edition of the Order of Battle of the Italian Army,

lssl;led by the Military Intelligence Se.rvice.

:pre~a.red and

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The volume is so boUIid as to facilitate placing in a loose-leaf binder. Revision· sheets will be prepared and issued as additional informatlon becomes availlable.

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(A) Italy­ (1) High Command:

Location

Date

Frascati (near Rome)

C. in Chief

July 2, 1942

Marshal Cavallero

Remarks Marshal Cavallero is also Chief of Supreme G.S.

(2) Army Groups: Name

Location

Composition Commander

Date

Central, Southern, and Islands of Sardinia, and Sicily. Group of the East.

Remarks

Prince of

Piedmont.

Group of the West. (3) Superior Commands:

Name

Location

Date

Superior

Alpine

'T'rento

Aug1Jst 7, 1942.

~omposition

Commander

Remarks The divisions are tactically under other corps.

7 divisions, only one in Italy at pres­ ent.

(4) Armies:

No.

Home Station

I

Verona

ill

N

Rome or

Naples~ll.J~ . ,~.J.l

\i"\ t Turinr~;;\ (

vn

Naples

Date

Composition

Commander

Remarks II Corps in' Yugoslavia.

. Scala All corps abroad. Aug. 8, 1942.,

XII Corps ­ Sicily 1

Gen. (Duke of Bergamo).'

~marks

XIII CorpsSardinia.

XV Corps ­ Genoa. TOTAL -- 4 Armies (5) Corps No.

Location

Date

Composition

I

Turin

XII

Sicily, Palermo.

May 7, 1940. July 15, 54 - Napoli, 1941. May 4, 1942.

XLII

Sardinia, Cagliari.

July 15, 30 ... Sabauda, 1941. 31 - Calabria.

XV

Genoa

May 7, 1940.

XXXI

Catanzara

April 28, 211 and 212 1942.

Commander

Remarks

All divisions abroad.

All divisio~ abroad.

TOTAL -- 5 Corps. (6) Divisions:

No. and Name AH.MORED

134 Freccia 131 Centauro ALPINE 4 Cuneense

MO'l'ORIZED

10 Piave PARACHUTE 45 Spezia INFANTRY 7 Lupi di Toscana 12 Sassari . 25 Volturna

Location

Date

Commander

Rome Udine

April 17.1 1942.

Oct., 1941.

Cuneo

Aug. 7, 1942,.

Genoa

Aug. 7, 1942.

Pisa·

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Sicily;~'

(Calabria Italy Italy

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-"A:ugf'-7} Nov. 12, 1941.

2

Remarks

Bis - ,It is believed that two of these exist.

(Continued) No. and Name

Remarks

28 Aosta 30 Sabauda 31 Calabria 32 Marche 44 Cremona 46 Udine A7 Bari 54 Napoli 57 Lombardia 58 Legnano 104 Mantova 105 Rovigo 151 Perugia 154 Murge 156 Vicenza Piaceriza 157 Novaro 159 Veneto

Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Sicily Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy Fossano Fossano Fossano

Dec. 20, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. Nov. 12, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. Nov. 12, 1941. Nov. 12, 1941. May 4, 1942. Nov. 1, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. Aug. 7, 1942. June 10, 1942. Dec. 20, 1941. April 11, 1942._ June 10, 1942. Aug. 1, 1942. June 10, 1942. June 10, 1942.

COASTAL 211 212

CataI!Zara Catanzara

April 28, 1942. April 28, 1942.

On French -frontier

TOTAL -- 28,Divisions. (B) North Africa ­ (1) High Command: Location Toera -­ North of Bengazi

Date April 27, 1942.

C.. in· Chief

Remarks

Gen. Bastico Gen. Barbasetti Chief of Staff.

Gen. Maceratina and Cerutti also ill Libyan Theater.

(2) Army Groups - Unknown: (3) Armies: No.

Location

Date

Composition

V

Commander

,r> •~i~\acciolo

'i~di9f Gen. S.

rileiso

3

Remarks Apr. 23/42

Remarks

Commander

x

Apr. 27, 1942.

Gen. Guido (Aug. 22, 1940}.

(1) XX Corps was at El Adem. April. 27, 1942.

TOTAL - - 2 Armies. (4)- Corps: No. X

Location Gadd e1

Date

Composition

April 27, 1942.

Almur

Commander

25 Bo16gna ­ 27 Brescia ­ 55 Savona ­ Aug., 1942. 17 Pavia ­ 60 Sabrata ­ 61 Sirte (1)

Gen. Nicco1osi, Aug. 22, 1940.

xx

E1 Adem

April 27, 1942.

XXI

North Africa

Aug. 22, 1940.

62 Marmarica(l) 63 Cirene (1)

XXII

North Africa

Aug. 22, 1940.

3 B.S. Div (1) 4 B.S. Div. (1)

xxm

North Africa

(1) Destroyed ­ Gen. Cone, Aug. 22, 1940. being recon­ structed, Apr. 1, 1942. (1) Destroyed ­ being recon­ stituted April 1. 1942. . (1) Destroyed. (1) Destroyed.

1st B.S. Di1J. (1) 2nd B.S. Div. (1)

Motor- North ized ,Africa. Corps

Aug. 31, 1942.

101 Trento 102 Trieste

Armored North Corps Africa

Aug. 31, 1942. Aug. '22, 1940.

132 Ariete 133 Littorio

Remarks

\

Libyan Corps

North Africa

1st Libyan Div. Gen. Spattaco 2nd Libyan Div.

Status unknown.

TOTAL -- 5 Corps n~r;;\~~i~t~~g~"

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Note: In .,'•.' o.,•.: ;n'.' '. • ;.0. .• :', ·,•. :•. _:., a ,t. J iV ·,j.p,.iy.·:.'. •.·.•,)iS.,. e.,'. ;. '.; a. . ,:l. J.o'. :v,.,.,:e.",-.'•.:'C orps there are 9 more achver::.~B~?:Sl~ssl~mne,nt~ovm.J; f.' . !GI d.,

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Commander

Remarks

ARMORED

132 Ariete··, Cyrenaica. 133 Littorio' Cyrenaica

August 30, 1942~

August 30, 1942.

MOTORIZED

101 Trieste· 102 Trento 17 Pavia· 25 Bologna­ 16Pistoia

Cyrenaica Cyrenaica Cyrenaica Cyrenaica Cyrenaica

August 30, 1942.

August 30,·1942.

August 30, J 942.

August 30, 1942.

August 24, 1942.

PARACfIUTE Folgore Cyrenaica

August 31, 1942.

4

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INFANTJtY-f

1 Superga 4Llvorna llBrennero _20 Friuli 26 Assieta 27 Brescia. 55 Savona·

Cyrenaica North Africa North Afrlca North Africa North Africa North Africa North Africa

60 Sabrata.

North Africa

61 Sirte (1)

North Africa

August 7, 1942.

August 7,1942.

August 26, 1942.

August 7, 1942.

August 7, 1942.

May 30, 1942.

June 4,·1942. Gen. Levi

Aug 22/40 Aug. 25, 1942. Gen. Zaglio Aug22/40 Nov. 12, 1941. °

•

62 Marmarica ~North Africa

o.

Nov. 12, 1941.

(1)

63 Cirene "'--

North Africa

Nov. 12, 1941.

64 Catanzata ,North Africa

Nov. 12, 1941.

(1) Being recon­

stituted.

(1) Being recon­

stituted.

(1) Being recon­ stituted. (2) Reconstituted.

(2)

NATIVE 1 Libyan (3)

~

North Africa

Nov. 12, 1941.

2 Libyan (3) ~ North Africa

5

Gen. Spattoco Aug. 22/40. n. Spattoco ug. 22/40.

(3) status unknown. (3) Status unknown.

in 1941. (D) .Yugoslavia. (1) High Command:

Location Susak, Croatia.

Remarks

C. in Chief

Date April 22, 1942.

General Roatta

(2) Army Groups:

Name

Date

Composition

April 22, 1942.

TIArmy VI Army

Location

Group of the East.

Commander

Remarks

Gener~ Roatta

(3) Armies: No.

Date

Location

Composition

April 22, Dalmatian Corps 1942. XXI Croatia­ Lubiana

Commander Gen. Delmazzo April 22, 1942.

TI

Susak

VI

Dubrovnik April 12, 1942.

Gen. Rosi, May 21, 1942.

IX

Serbia

Gen. Pirzio ­ Biroli.

Aug. 27, 1942.

Remarks

Part of this is

Montenegro.

TOTAL -- 3 Armies. (4) Corns:

No.

Location

TI

Composition

Date April 22, 1942.

{:M ~).i :~;.; Dalm~tia

Dalmatian XI Croatia­ Lubiana TOTAL -- 3 Corps.

6

Commander

Remarks

(5)

No. and Name

WiLA IFiED Location

ALPINE 1 Taurineense CELERE 1 Eugenio di Savoia INFANTRY 13 Re 14Isonzo 15 Bergamo 19 Venezia 21 Granatieri di Sardegna 23 Ferraro 153 Macerata 155 Imilia

Date

Yugoslavia

April 28, 1942.

Yugoslavia

May 17, 1942.

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Dec. 20, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. June 4, 1942. May 4,1942. Dec. 12, 1941.

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Aug. 7, 1942. Aug. 7, 1942. June 10, 1942.

Commanrl.er

Remarks

TOTAL -- 10 Divisions. Note: In addition there are 2 Black Shirt Bns. and 1 Carabinieri Bn. -­ April 22, 1942. (E) Albania & Montenegro

(1) High Command: Location Montenegro

Date

C. in Chief

Remarks

August 27, 1941. Gen. Pirzio-Biroli (2) Army Groups:

Name

Location

Group of East

Date Augusl. 27, 1941.

Composition IX Army

Commander

Remarks

Gen. Pirzio­ Biroli.

(3) Armies: Commander

No. IX

Remarks

Gen. Pirzio-Biro li (Aug. 27, 1941)

Monten

7

No.

sition

IV

Albania

XVII

Albania

Command

Remarks

Gen. Mercalli

(5) Divisions: No. and Name

Location

Date

Commander

ALPINE 5 Pusteria 6 Reserve

Montenegro Montenegro

July 15, 1941­ May 16, 1942.

INFANTRY 18 Messina 38 Puglie 41 Firenze 4-9 Parma

Albania Albania Montenegro Albania

May 16, 1942. Dec. 20, 1941­ Dec. 20, 1941. Dec. 20, 1941. Gen. Grattarolo . (Aug. 22,1940). May 4, 1942.

53 Arezzo

Koritza, Albania.

Remarks

TOTAL ..- 7 Divisions. (F) Greece and Islands ­ (1) High Command:

Location Larissa

Date

C. in Chief

July 27, 1942.

Remarks

Gen. Geloso (Aug. 3/41).

Gen. Bocai, C. of Carabinieri Athens, March 30, 1942.

(2) Army Groups: Name

Location

Date

Composition

Commander Remarks

!;¥f~i

Peloponnesus M#qh 30, (Kiato) Ui9:42i ~4¢X~t: (3) Armies: Location Date ComRosition

Group of the East. No. XI

Larissa

July 27, 1942.

vm Corps XIV Corps 8

Commander Gen. Geloso (July 15, 1941)

Remarks

No.

Location

Composition

Date

ill

Athens

July 10/42.

V

Peloponnesus Greece Cyclades Volos Jamna Janina Corfu

July 10/42.

July 10/42.

July 10/42.

July 29/42.

July 19/42.

VI VII

vm IX

XIV XXVI

­

July 10/42

Commander

Remarks

Gen. Gianini

(Oct. 20/41)

Acqui

Gen. Vecchi

'-

TOTAL -- 8 Corps. (5) Divisions:

No. and Name

Location

pate

Commander

ALPINE

3.Julia

Livadia

July10, 1942.

INFANTRY

5 Cosseria Samos 6 Cuneo Samos 24 Pinerolo Macedonia 29 Piemonte Patras 33 Acqui Corfu 36 Forli Larissa 37 Modena Janitza , Greece 48 Taro 51 Siena Naupli

Aug. 9, 1942. July 10, 1942. July 10, 1942. July 10, 1942.. July 10, 1942. July 10, 1942. July 10, 1942. Dec. 20, 1941­ July 10, 1942.

56 Casale 58 Cagliari

July 10, 1942. July 10, 1942. May 4, 1942. Nov. 19, 1941­ June 4, 1942. June 4, .1942. June 4, 1942.

162 164 230 231

-

232

~

Agrinon Tripolis Greece Salonika Crete Crete Crete

TOTAL -- 17 Divisions.

9

Gen. Caliglion, (Aug. 22/40)

Gen. Zanini Gen. Zanini Gen.. Zanini

Remarks

(G) Russia­ (1) High Command: Location

Date

Remarks

C. in Chief

June 4, 1942

General Gariboldi (June 4, 1942.)

(2) Army Groups - Not Known: (3) Armies:

No.

Location

Composition

Date May 29, 1942.

VIII

Command

Remarks

One Corps. Gen. Gariboldi One Corps. 1 light Corps. 1 Inf Corps.

(4) Corps:

No.

Location

Composition

Date

Remarks

Command

Alpine

May 29/42. May 29/42. May 29/42.

(2 Tridentina (3 Julia (4 Cuneense

Gen. Macarlo

Motorized

May 29/42. May 29/42. -April 3/42.

(9 Pasubio (52 Torino (101 Trieste

Gen. Messe

Celere

April 3/42. April 3/42. April 3/42.

(1 Celere (2 Celere (3 Celere

Not Known

Aug. 7/42. Aug. 7/42.

(2 Sforzeca Gen. Gambara It is believed that an In­ (3 Ravenna fantry Corps (22 Caeciatore must exist Delle Alpi for these Divisions.

May 30/42. TOTAL -- 4 Corps. (5) Division..­ No. and Locati0n Name MOTORIZED 101 Trieste

Date

Commander

Remarks

IfIED:

(Continued) No. and Name

Location

Date

9 Pasubio 52 Torino

April 3, 1942. August 30, 1942.

ALPINE 2 Tridentina 3 Julia 4 Cuneense

August 7, 1942. August 7, 1942. August 7, 1942.

CELERE 1 Eugenio di Savoia 2 :Emanuel . Filiberto 3 Duca di Aosta

Commander

Remarks

April 3, 1942. IvIay 30, 1942.

April 28, 1942.

illFANTRY 2 Sforzesca 3· Ravenno 22 Cacciatore Delle Alpi

August 7, 1942. August 7, 1942. May 30, 1942.

TOTAL -- 12 Divisions. Note: In addition to the above there are a number of Black Shirt and Carabinieri Bns. I (H) Dodecanese Islands ­ (5) Divisions: No. and Name

Location

Date

50 Regina

Rhodes

April 28, 1942.

TOTAL -- 1 Division -.-.Other smaller units.

11

Commander

Remarks

2.

(1) Armies, Corps, and Divisions: Theater

Armies'

Italy North Africa Yugoslavia Albania and Montenegro Greece and Islands Russia Dodecanese TOTAL

4 2 2 1 1 1

Corps 5 5 3 2 (1) 8 (2) 4

Divisions 28 17 10 7 17 12 1

-­

11

27

92

Notes: (1) The only elements of the IV Corps in Albania at present are the 4th Auto Center, 4th Engineers Regiment, Part of 91st Regiment of Black Shirts. (2)

The only elements remaining are 1 Bn., 9th Auto Center, 1 De­ tachment Engineers. (of the 9th Corps). ARMY: An Italian Army is not necessarily very formidable. A captured docu­ ment shows that the composition of the VI Arrny early in 1941 consisted of but 1 Corps with 2 Divisions. At the present time, Corps from the Army are scattered in various theaters of war. The Army of the Po is an illustration. Units' of this Army are in Russia, Yugoslavia, North Africa, and Italy. This was first stationed at Verona, Italy and was com­ posed of: 1 Meet, -Lized Corps of 3 Divisions. 1 Celere Corps of 3 Divisions. 1 Motorized Corps of 2 Motorized Divisions. . CORPS: The Corps is elastic, and like the Army it may be assigned to different theaters accordiIlg to existing conditions. It may have ? or 3 Divisir' or more. Present indications in Africa are that more than 3 Divisi exist in some areas. DIVISIONS: The composition of the Italian Division has been subject to seve. changes since World War 1. The older fo:r:m of the Ternary Division replaced by the modern Binary Division with 3 regiments, 2 Infantry, 1 Artillery. This was organized to meet requirements of modern wear­ as welf as mobility and fire power. There is no Cavalry Division; Cav­ alryRegiments are assignedto the Cel~re:X:)iyi~iop.§~rr.heTrento and Trieste are the old o/P6