ALR = Alpini Regiment
ALAR = Alpini Artillery Regiment
AR = Artillery Regiment
ARM = Armoured Regiment
BR = Bersaglieri Regiment
CCNN = "Blackshirts" Legion
CDR = Costal Defence Regiment
CDAR = Costal Defence Artillery "Raggruppamento" (roughly a Brigade)
CR = Cavalry Regiment
GR = Grenadier Regiment
IR = Infantry Regiment
PR = Parachutist Regiment
PAR = Parachutist Artillery Regiment
INFANTRY DIVISIONS:
1st SUPERGA: 91st and 92nd IR + 5th AR
2nd SFORZESCA: 53rd and 54th IR + 17th AR
3rd RAVENNA: 37th and 38th IR + 11th AR (later 121st AR)
4th LIVORNO: 33rd and 34th IR + 28th AR
5th COSSERIA: 89th and 90th IR + 37th AR (later 108th AR)
6th CUNEO: 7th and 8th IR + 27th AR + 24th CCNN
7th LUPI DI TOSCANA: 77th and 78th IR + 30th AR
9th PASUBIO: 79th and 80th IR + 8th AR + 1st CCNN
10th PIAVE: 57th and 58th IR + 20th AR
11th BRENNERO: 231st, 232nd and 331st IR + 9th AR + 35th CCNN
12th SASSARI: 151st and 152nd IR + 34th AR + 73rd CCNN
13th RE: 1st and 2nd IR + 23rd AR + 75th CCNN
14th ISONZO: 23rd and 24th IR + 6th AR + 98th CCNN
15th BERGAMO: 25th and 26th IR + 4th AR + 89th CCNN
16th PISTOIA: 35th and 36th IR + 3rd AR
17th PAVIA: 27th and 28th IR + 26th AR
18th MESSINA: 93rd and 94th IR + 2nd AR + 108th CCNN
19th VENEZIA: 83rd, 84th and 383rd IR + 19th AR + 72nd CCNN
20th FRIULI: 87th and 88th IR + 35th AR + 88th CCNN (later renamed
387th IR)
21st GRANATIERI DI SARDEGNA: 1st , 2nd and 3rd GR + 13th AR + 55th
CCNN
22nd CACCIATORI DELLE ALPI: 51st and 52nd IR + 1st AR + 105th CCNN
23rd FERRARA: 47th and 48th IR + 14th AR + 82nd CCNN
24th PINEROLO: 13th, 14th and 313th IR + 18th AR + 136th CCNN
25th BOLOGNA: 39th and 40th IR + 10th AR (later 205th AR)
26th ASSIETTA: 29th and 30th IR + 25th AR + 17th CCNN
27th BRESCIA: 19th ans 20th IR + 55th AR
28th AOSTA: 5th and 6th IR + 22nd AR + 171st CCNN
29th PIEMONTE: 3rd, 4th and 303rd IR + 24th AT + 166th AR
30th SABAUDA: 45th and 46th IR + 16th AR + 176th CCNN
31st CALABRIA: 59th and 60th IR + 40th AR + 177th CCNN (later renamed
359th IR)
32nd MARCHE: 55th and 56th IR + 32nd AR + 49th CCNN
33rd ACQUI: 17th, 18th and 317th IR + 33rd AR + 27th CCNN
36th FORLI': 43rd, 44th and 343rd IR + 36th AR
37th MODENA: 41st, 42nd and 341st IR + 29th AR + 36th CCNN
38th PUGLIE: 71st and 72nd IR + 15th AR + 115th CCNN
41st FIRENZE: 127th and 128th IR + 41st AR + 92nd CCNN
44th CREMONA: 21st and 22nd IR + 7th AR + 90th CCNN (later renamed
321st)
47th BARI: 139th and 140th IR + 47th AR + 152nd CCNN (later renamed
340th IR)
48th TARO: 207th and 208th IR + 48th AR + 164th CCNN
49th PARMA: 49th and 50th IR + 49th AR + 109th CCNN
50th REGINA: 9th, 10th and 309th IR + 50th AR + 201st CCNN
51st SIENA: 31st and 32nd IR + 51st AR + 141st CCNN
52nd TORINO: 81st and 82nd IR + 52nd AR
53rd AREZZO: 225th and 226th IR + 53rd AR + 80th CCNN
54th NAPOLI: 75th and 76th IR + 54th AR + 173rd CCNN
55th SAVONA: 15th and 16th IR + 12th AR (later 38th AR)
56th CASALE: 11th, 12th and 311th IR + 56th AR + 23rd CCNN
57th LOMBARDIA: 73rd and 74th IR + 57th AR + 137th CCNN
58th LEGNANO: 67th and 68th IR + 58th AR
59th CAGLIARI: 63rd, 64th and 363rd IR + 59th AR + 28th CCNN
60th SABRATHA: 85th and 86th IR + 42nd AR (later 3rd Articelere
AR)
61st SIRTE: 69th and 70th IR + 43rd AR
62nd MARMARICA: 115th and 116th IR + 44th AR
63rd CIRENE: 157th and 158th IR + 45th AR
64th CATANZARO: 141st and 142nd IR + 203rd AR
65th GRANATIERI DI SAVOIA: 10th and 11th GR + 60th AR
80th LA SPEZIA: 125th and 126th IR + 80th AR
101st TRIESTE: 65th and 66th IR + 9th BR + 21st AR
102nd TRENTO: 61st and 62nd IR + 7th BR + 46th AR
103rd PIACENZA: 111th and 112th IR + 37th AR
104th MANTOVA: 113th and 114th IR + 11th AR
105th ROVIGO: 227th and 228th IR + 117th AR
151st PERUGIA: 129th and 130th IR + 151st AR + 29th CCNN
152nd PICENO: 235th, 236th and 336th IR + 152nd AR
153rd MACERATA: 121st and 122nd IR + 153rd AR
154th MURGE: 259th and 260th IR + 154th AR
155th EMILIA: 119th and 120th IR + 155th AR
156th VICENZA: 277th and 278th IR + 156th AR
157th NOVARA: 153rd and 154th IR + 157th AR
158th ZARA: 291st and 292nd IR + 158th AR + 107th CCNN
159th VENETO: 255th and 256th IR + 159th AR
CACCIATORI D'AFRICA (un-numbered): 210th and 211th IR + 10th CCNN
The Infantry Divisions were named after towns, with the following
exceptions: Superga (1st) = A small mountain near Torino. Sforzesca (2nd) = "Of the
Sforza family" (the ancient warlords of Milano). Lupi di Toscana (7th) =
Tuscany Wolves, the Tuscan volunteers of the Italian Independence Wars.
Paubio (9th), Piave(10th), Isonzo (14th) = WWI battlefields. Brenero
(11th) = Northernmost Alpine pass toward Austria. Re (13th) = King.
Friuli (20th), Piemonte (29th), Calabria (31st), Marche (32nd), Puglie
(38th), Lombaria (57th), Piceno (152nd), Murge (154th), Emilia (155th) and
Veneto (159th) = Regions of Italy. Granatieri di Sardegna (21st) =
Sardinia Grenadiers, the Royal Guards. Cacciatori delle Alpi (22nd) =
Alps' Light Infantry, Garibaldi's Volunteers during the Italian
Independence Wars. Assietta (26th) = War of the Austrian Succession (1741)
battle against the French. Sabauda (30th) = "Of the House of Savoy". Taro
(48th) = a river. Regina (50th) = Queen. Sabratha (60th), Sirte (61st)
and Cirene (63rd) = Lybian towns. Marmarica (62nd) = Lybian region.
Granatieri di Savoia (65th) = Grenadiers of Savoy. Cacciatori d'Africa =
Africa's Light Infantry.
The Infantry Regiments were named after their Division, with the
following exceptions:
23rd and 24th COMO (14th Div)
29th and 30th PISA (26th Div)
45th and 46th REGGIO (30th Div)
51st and 52n ALPI (22nd Div)
53rd and 54th UMBRIA (2nd Div)
57th and 58th ABRUZZI (10th Div)
61st and 62nd SICILIA (102nd Div)
65th and 66th VALTELLINA (101st Div)
67th and 68th PALERMO (58th Div)
69th and 70th ANCONA (61st Div)
77th and 78th TOSCANA (7th Div)
79th and 80th ROMA (9th Div)
85th and 86th VERONA (60th Div)
89th and 90th SALERNO (5th Div)
91st and 92nd BASILICATA (1st Div)
115th and 116th TREVISO (62nd Div)
157th and 158th LIGURIA (63rd Div)
231st, 232nd and 331st AVELLINO (11th Div)
Alpi is the Italian name of the Alps mountains. Umbria, Abruzzi, Sicilia,
Toscana, Valtellina, Basilicata and Liguria are named after Italian
Regions. The others are named after Italian towns.
The Artillery Regiments were named after their Division, with the
following exceptions:
2nd METAURO (18th Div)
3rd FOSSALTA (16th Div)
4th CARNARO (15th Div)
7th CURTATONE E MONTANARA (44th Div)
10th VOLTURNO (25th Div)
12th SILA (55th Div)
14th MURGE (23rd Div)
15th MONTENERO (38th Div)
18th GRAN SASSO (24th Div)
19th GAVINANA (19th Div)
21st PO (101st Div)
22nd VESPRI (28th Div)
23rd TIMAVO (13th Div)
24th PELORITANA (29th Div)
26th RUBICONE (17th Div)
27th LEGNANO (6th Div)
28th MONVISO (4th Div)
29th COSSERIA (37th Div)
30th LEONESSA (7th Div)
40th CAPRERA (31st Div)
Metauro, Volturno, Rubicone, Po and Timavo are named after rivers. Monviso,
Montenero, Gran Sasso, Peloritana, Sila and Murge are named after mountains
(actually, the Murge are a plateau). Legnano, Fossalta, Cosseria,
Gavinana, Curtatone and Monatanara are all towns, and locations of battles.
Leonessa ("the Lioness") is the nickname of the town of Brescia, earned
during the 1848 independentist revolt. Vespri (vespers) is a reference to
the 1282 Vespri Siciliani revolt against the french Anjou royal house.
Caprera is an island, the retirement home of the famous patriot Giuseppe
Garibaldi.
The Infantry Divisions were divided in several different types, as
follows (the ones not listed were standard "leg" Infantry Divs):
MOUNTAIN DIVISIONS: Mountain Divisions are not to be confused with
the "Alpini" highly specialized mountain troops! These divisions had
pack-horse artillery instead of the usual towed type, and some other small
differences in TO&E from the "standard" Infantry Divs). Italian Mountain
Divisions were as follows:
1st Superga
2nd Sforzesca
3rd Ravenna
4th Livorno
26th Assietta
33rd Acqui
36th Forli'
37th Modena
59th Cagliari
SEMI-MOTORIZED DIVISIONS: These division had enough motor
transport for the artillery and support elements only). Italian
Semi-Motorized Divisions were as follows:
9th Pasubio
10th Piave
52nd Torino
103rd Piacenza
104th Mantova
105th Rovigo
MOTORIZED DIVISIONS: Italian Motorized Divisions were as
follows:
101st Trieste
102nd Trento
During the war the 10th Piave and 16th Pistoia were transformed to
Motorized Divsions also.
NORTH AFRICA MODEL DIVISION: (Semi-motorized, with
special TO&E).
Italian NA Model Divisions were as follows:
17th Pavia
25th Bologna
27th Brescia
55th Savona
60th Sabratha
61st Sirte
62nd Marmarica
63rd Cirene
64th Catanzaro
GARRISION DIVISIONS: Garrision Divisions often had a reduced
Artillery strength. Italian Garrision Division were as follows:
151st
152nd
153rd
154th
155th
156th
157th
158th
159th
The 64th Catanzaro Division was the former 3rd CCNN Division "April
21st". The 80th La Spezia Division was an Air-Transportable division
formed for the planned invasion of Malta (Not parachutists!) All the
Infantry divisions numbered from 80th up (including 80), except
the 101st and 102nd, were formed during the war. Several divisions had a
3rd Inf.Rgt. of the so-called "300" series. This regiment were usualy
formed during the war to give more manpower to some division garrisoning
the Balkans, but in a few cases it was just a renumbering of their own
Blackshirts (CCNN) Legions after the fall of the Fascism 1943.
ALPINI (high-mountain) DIVISIONS:
1st TAURINEENSE: 3rd and 4th ALR + 1st ALAR
2nd TRIDENTINA: 5th and 6th ALR + 2nd ALAR
3rd JULIA: 8th and 9th ALR + 3rd ALAR
4th CUNEENSE: 1st and 2nd ALR + 4th ALAR
5th PUSTERIA: 7th and 11th ALR + 5th ALAR
6th ALPI GRAJE: 10th and 12th ALR + 6th ALAR
The 10th and 12th Rgt were wartime conversions of the 3rd and 4th "Valleys"
battalions-groups. The "Valleys" Alpini battalions (all named after Alpine
or Appennine valleys) were the second-line (reserve) Alpini units.
CELERI DIVISIONS: (Celeri means "Fast"). They were mixed
Cavalry-Motor units. All were named after famous generals of the House of
Savoy:
1st EUGENIO DI SAVOIA: 12th CAVALLEGGERI DI SALUZZO and 14th
CAVALLEGGERI DI ALESSANDRIA CR + 11th BR + 1st Articlere AR
2nd EMANUELE FILIBERTO TESTA DI FERRO: 9th LANCIERI DI FIRENZE and
10th LANCIERI DI VITTORIO EMENUELE II CR + 6th BR + 2nd Articelere AR
3rd PRINCIPE AMEDEO DUCA D'AOSTA : 3rd SAVOIA CAVALLERIA and 5th
LANCIERI DI NOVARA CR + 3rd BR + 3rd Articelere AR
The 2nd E.F.T.F. was shortly converted to the 134th Armoured
Division "Freccia". The 3rd P.A.D.A. was later converted in a Motorized
division, with the 5th and 6th BR and the 120th AR.
ARMORED DIVISIONS:
131st CENTAURO: 31st and 131st ARM + 5th BR + 131st AR
132nd ARIETE: 32nd and 132nd ARM + 8th BR + 132nd AR
133rd LITTORIO: 33rd and 133rd ARM + 12th BR + 133rd AR
134th FRECCIA: 10th LANCIERI DI VITTORIO EMANUELE II ARM + 1st BR +
134th AR
135th ARIETE II: 10th LANCIERI DI VITTORIO EMANUELE II ARM + 16th
CAVALLEGGERI DI LUCCA Motorized Cav Rgt + 8th LANCIERI DI MONTEBELLO Recon
Rgt + 135th AR + 235th AR
136th GIOVANI FASCISTI: GIOVANI FASCISTI IR + 136th AR
The first three Armored Divisons never had more than one Armor Regiment
each on the field at any time. The 134th FRECCIA Division existed for just
a couple of months, and never was anything more than a "paper" unit. Its
number was then re-used for the renamed "M" CCNN Armored Division (see
below). The 135th Ariete II Division was still forming at the moment of
the Sept 8th 1943 Armistice with the Allies. The 136th Giovani Fascisti
was an Armoured Div in name only (it never had a single AFV!), and in
Tunisia was finally renamed a Motor Inf.Div. In the same period it was
decided to convert the Giovani Fascisti to the 45th BERSAGLIERI D'AFRICA
Division (formed by the 5th and 8th BR + 136th AR), but the conversion was
not implemented (even if the 8th BR was attacched to Giovani
Fascisti).
BLACKSHIRTS DIVISIONS:
1st XXII MARZO: 219th and 233rd CCNN + 201st AR
2nd XXVIII OTTOBRE: 231st and 238th CCNN + 202nd AR
3rd XXI APRILE: 181st and 203rd CCNN + 203rd AR
4th III GENNAIO: 27th and 250th CCNN + 204th AR
Divisione Corazzata Legionaria "M": LEONESSA ARM + MONTEBELLO and
TAGLIAMENTO CCNN + VALLE SCRIVIA AR
The XXI APRILE (3rd) was converted at the very beginning of the war in
the 64th Catanzaro Inf.Div of the regular army. The "M" Armored Division
was still forming at the moment of the fall of Fascism (July 25th 1943).
Thereafter it was converted to a regular army unit and renamed 134th
Armored Division CENTAURO II. Two further Blackshirts divisions (the 5th I
FEBBRAIO and the 6th TEVERE) were inactive during WW2.
PARACHUTIST DIVISIONS:
184th NEMBO: 183rd, 184th and 185th PR + 184th PAR
185th FOLGORE: 186th and 187th PR + 185th PAR
A third parachutist division (183rd CICLONE) had just started forming
before the Sept 8th, 1943 Armistice.
COASTAL DEFENCE DIVISIONS:
201st: 55th and 131st CDR + 201st CDAR
202nd: 120th, 124th and 142nd CDR + 43rd CDAR
203rd: 126th and 174th CDR + 203rd CDAR
204th: 19th, 130th and 149th CDR + 204th CDAR
205th: 1257th, 128th and 129th CDR
206th: 122nd, 123rd and 146th CDR + 44th CDAR
207th: 138th and 139th CDR + 12th CDAR
208th: 133rd and 147th CDR + 28th CDAR
209th: 15th and 112th CDR + 41st CDAR
210th: 113th, 114th and 164th CDR
211th: 53rd, 118th and 143rd CDR + 49th CDAR
212th: 115th and 144th CDR + 45th CDAR
213th: 139th and 140th CDR + 22st CDAR
214th: 103rd and 148th CDR
215th: 6th, 14th and 108th CDR + 27th CDAR
216th: 12th and 13th CDR
220th: 111th and 152nd CDR
221st: 4th and 8th CDR
222nd: 74th, 89th, 151st and 163rd CDR
223rd: 82nd and 512th CDR
224th: 82nd and 81st CDR
225th: 172nd and 173rd CDR + 52nd CDAR
226th: 170th, 171st and 181st CDR + 53rd CDAR
227th: 141st and 145th CDR
A 230th Costal Division was formed the very day of the Allies landing in
Sicily, with elements from the 202nd Costal division and a few extra
reinforceents.
COLONIAL DIVISIONS:
1st Lybian Inf. Division: 1st and 2nd Lybian IR + 1st Lybian AR
2nd Lybian Inf. Division: 3rd and 4th Lybian IR + 2nd Lybian AR
The colonial troops in Italian East Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia)
were at times briefly formed in provisional divisions, but usually acted
as independent brigades. The Eritherean Divisions were numbered from 1st
to 4th, while the Somalian Divisions were the 101st and 102nd.
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