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25th "Bologna" Infantry Division (view source)
Revision as of 21:50, December 6, 2018
, 21:50, December 6, 2018no edit summary
On November 23rd, the ''Bologna'' Division again withstood another strong British attack from Tobruk aimed at penetrating into the area of Sidi Rezegh, and the defenders bought sufficient time to allow the [[17th ''Pavia'' Infantry Division]] to mount an effective counter-attack and derail the British advance, as a German narrative later recorded:{{cquote|After a sudden artillery concentration the garrison of Fortress Tobruk, supported by sixty tanks, made an attack on the direction of Bel Hamid at noon, intending at long last unite with the main offence group. The Italian siege front around the fortress tried to offer a defence in the confusion but was forced to relinquish numerous strong points in the encirclement front about Bir Bu Assaten to superior enemy forces. The Italian "Pavia" Division was committed for a counterattack and managed to seal off the enemy breakthrough. <ref>German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>}}
On November 23rd, the ''Bologna'' Division again withstood another strong British attack from Tobruk aimed at penetrating into the area of Sidi Rezegh, and the defenders bought sufficient time to allow the [[17th ''Pavia'' Infantry Division]] to mount an effective counter-attack and derail the British advance, as a German narrative later recorded:{{cquote|After a sudden artillery concentration the garrison of Fortress Tobruk, supported by sixty tanks, made an attack on the direction of Bel Hamid at noon, intending at long last unite with the main offence group. The Italian siege front around the fortress tried to offer a defence in the confusion but was forced to relinquish numerous strong points in the encirclement front about Bir Bu Assaten to superior enemy forces. The Italian "Pavia" Division was committed for a counterattack and managed to seal off the enemy breakthrough. <ref>German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>}}
During Operation Crusader, 24 year-old Corporal Reginaldo Rossi of the 39th Bologna Infantry Regiment, won posthumously the ''Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Militare'', Italy’s second-highest military decoration. His Silver Medal for Valour citation reads:{{cquote|As an anti-tank gunner, he was an example to all for his discipline and the care and maintenance he took of the units weapons. In the bloody and arduous combat that took place against numerous armoured vehicles, he showed complete and total disregard to the danger present and with absolute calmness, he stuck to his gun that he refused to abandon, even when he found himself surrounded by the enemy.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110815092044/www.comandosupremo.com/bologna-division.html Hit by German and Italian anti-tank guns]</ref>
The ''Bologna'' defences now extended some 8 miles, and on November 25th, the thinly spread-out division was assaulted by 50 British tanks and forced to withdraw some distance, although not before the German ''Böttcher'' Group had inflicted severe losses on the British tanks. The British advance had been derailed by the timely arrival of Italian reinforcements in the form of a Bersaglieri battalion of the ''Trieste'' Division.<ref>"When the New Zealanders attacked again after the onset of darkness, they were able to take Balhamed in the course of the night. Early in the morning of 26 November, a portion of the Tobruk garrison, supported by 50 tanks, broke out once again. A crisis arose when El Duda fell. It was only through a bitter and bravely conducted immediate counterattack by the Bersaglieri of the Trieste Division that the positions in the north could be held." Das Afrika Korps: Erwin Rommel and the Germans in Africa, 1941-43, By Franz Kurowski, pg. 117, Stackpole Books, 2010</ref>
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The ''Bologna''defenders were gradually pushed back to the ''Leopard'' strongpoint, covering their retreat with mines and machine-gun nests, but by the end of the month the Tobruk breakout was judged a success among the British commanders.
Despite the Elite German 90th Light Division withdrawing early from the Tobruk sector on December 4th, the ''Bologna'' Division held out until December 8th when trucks were finally assigned to give them some support under the cover of darkness.
A further assault by the Polish Carpathian Brigade (SBSK), supported by tanks and artillery, was required against the forward defences of the ''Brescia'' Division on the White-Knoll stronghold, before the siege of Tobruk was finally lifted on December 10th.
During Operation Crusader, 24 year-old Corporal Reginaldo Rossi of the 39th Bologna Infantry Regiment, won posthumously the ''Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Militare'', Italy’s second-highest military decoration. His Silver Medal for Valour citation reads:{{cquote|As an anti-tank gunner, he was an example to all for his discipline and the care and maintenance he took of the units weapons. In the bloody and arduous combat that took place against numerous armoured vehicles, he showed complete and total disregard to the danger present and with absolute calmness, he stuck to his gun that he refused to abandon, even when he found himself surrounded by the enemy.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110815092044/www.comandosupremo.com/bologna-division.html Hit by German and Italian anti-tank guns]</ref>}}
An Australian historian, when writing about the Italian role during Operation Crusader, concluded that:{{cquote|The Axis units fought well, including the Italian Disivioni 'Ariete' and 'Bologna' - a 'semi-motorized' formation.<ref>El Alamein: The Battle That Turned the Tide of the Second World War, Bryn Hammond, p. 27, Osprey Publishing, 2012</ref>}}
==El Alamein==
==El Alamein==
In July 1942, the ''Bologna'' Division recovering at El Gazala was ordered forward to reinforce the El Alamein front. Lacking transports, the Italian infantry duly marched some 400 miles, being congratulated in person by Benito Mussolini in their long trek to the new Axis frontlines. On the night of August 25th, the ''Bologna'' suffered a defeat when its forward posts were overrun in a night attack from tough Maori troops from the New Zealand 28th Battalion, with the New Zealanders admitting losing 25 killed, wounded or captured in their surprise attack.
In July 1942, the ''Bologna'' Division recovering at El Gazala was ordered forward to reinforce the El Alamein front. Lacking transports, the Italian infantry duly marched some 400 miles, being congratulated in person by Benito Mussolini in their long trek to the new Axis frontlines. On the night of August 25th, the ''Bologna'' suffered a defeat when its forward posts were overrun in a night attack involving Maori troops from the New Zealand 28th Battalion, with the New Zealanders admitting losing 25 killed, wounded or captured in their surprise attack.
During the Battle of Alam el Halfa, the Bologna and supporting German 433rd Infantry Regiment stuck back, overrunning several Indian, South African and New Zealand units defending Ruweisat Ridge, capturing Point 211 with 70 British soldiers falling into Italian hands.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19420901&id=dbpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5917,6800448&hl=en ROMMEL OPENS DRIVE IN EGYPT]</ref>
During the Battle of Alam el Halfa, the ''Bologna'' and supporting German 433rd Infantry Regiment struck back, overrunning several Indian, South African and New Zealand units defending Ruweisat Ridge, capturing Point 211 with 70 British soldiers falling into Italian hands.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19420901&id=dbpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5917,6800448&hl=en ROMMEL OPENS DRIVE IN EGYPT]</ref>
Cyril Falls, a noted British military historian, later confirmed the Italian success:{{cquote|In the centre of the British front a good Italian division, the Bologna, delivered a strong attack on the Ruweisat Ridge, and a considerable counter-attack was required to expel it from the footing it gained.<ref>AFTERMATH OF WAR: THE EIGHT ARMY FROM ALAMEIN TO THE SANGRO. The Illustrated London news, Volume 212, Issues 5672-5684, p. 262, The Illustrated London News & Sketch Ltd., 1948</ref>}}
Cyril Falls, a noted British military historian, later confirmed the Italian success:{{cquote|In the centre of the British front a good Italian division, the Bologna, delivered a strong attack on the Ruweisat Ridge, and a considerable counter-attack was required to expel it from the footing it gained.<ref>AFTERMATH OF WAR: THE EIGHT ARMY FROM ALAMEIN TO THE SANGRO. The Illustrated London news, Volume 212, Issues 5672-5684, p. 262, The Illustrated London News & Sketch Ltd., 1948</ref>}}
On October 23rd, General Georg Stumme, acting commander of the Afrika Korps, personally presented German decorations to a number of officers and NCOS of the ''Bologna'' Division and attached combat sappers.<ref>"General Stumme spent the morning presentinng German decorations to some Italians of the Bologna infantry division and an engineering battalion." Alamein, Stephen Bungay, p. ? Aurum Press, 2013</ref>
During the Second Battle of El Alamein, the ''Bologna'' Division and two supporting battalions from the German ''Ramcke'' Parachute Brigade held firm in the initial Allied advance, capturing 40 British soldiers attacking Ruweisat Ridge.
During the Second Battle of El Alamein, the ''Bologna'' Division and two supporting battalions from the German ''Ramcke'' Parachute Brigade held firm in the initial Allied advance, capturing 40 British soldiers attacking Ruweisat Ridge.