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131st "Centauro" Armoured Division

2022-08-04T20:58:19Z

Suolej: /* North Africa */

The ''131ª Divisione Corazzata "Centauro"'' or the 131st "Centauro" Armoured Division was an Italian armoured cavalry division which fought during World War II.

==Formation==

The 1st "Centauro" Armoured Brigade was raised in April 1937, and, along with the 132nd "Ariete" Armoured Division, formed part of the Italian Armoured Corps. The two units took part in the first corps-level exercises in the Po Valley in the late 1930s. In February 1939, the "Centauro" was re-designated a division.

==Invasion of Greece==

When Italy invaded Albania in April 1939, the ''Centauro'' was equipped with L3/33 and L3/35 tankettes. The division also participated in the [[Greco-Italian War]] in 1940, just before it received its first M13/40 tanks in December, and deployed with them at Këlcyrë in January 1941, losing many of them to the Greek artillery fire.

==Invasion of Yugoslavia==

The following year the ''Centauro'' was deployed in Yugoslavia, together with the 4th ''Littorio'' Division, where they performed well despite their outdated equipment. In June 1941 they were recalled to Italy to be re-equipped.

==North Africa==

The ''Centauro'' arrived in North Africa during the Axis retreat from El Alamein to Tripoli in late 1942. On 13 December 1942, during the [[Battle of El Agheila]], the ''Centauro'' along with a formation from the 132nd ''Ariete'' Armoured Division forced the British 7th Armoured Division to retreat. Rommel recorded the action in his diary:

''Late in the morning, a superior enemy force launched an attack on Combat Group Ariete, which was located south-west of El Agheila, with its right flank resting on the Sebcha Chebira and its left linking up with 90th Light Division. Bitter fighting ensued against 80 British tanks and lasted for nearly ten hours. The Italians put up a magnificent fight, for which they deserved the utmost credit. Finally, in the evening, the British were thrown back by a counter attack of the Centauro's armoured regiment, leaving 22 tanks and 2 amoured cars burnt out or damaged on the battlefield. The British intention of cutting off the 90th Light Division had been foiled.'' <ref>The Rommel Papers, US version, p. 373</ref>

The armoured division took part in several actions in the [[Tunisian Campaign]] and according to US historian Brian John Murphy (after leading the Axis armoured advance through Kasserine Pass), overran a good part of the US forces deployed along Highway 13 that were blocking the route to Tebessa during the [[Battle of Kasserine Pass]]:

''Axis forces also made a breakthrough on Highway 13, where the Italians of the Centauro Division spearheaded the attack. In the early morning hours, the Italians pressed their offensive, broke through the remains of the American line, and continued up Highway 13.''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090131023222/http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/facingthefox.htm Facing The Fox]</ref>

Tanks from the ''Centauro'' supported by the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment overran Colonel Anderson Moore's 19th Combat Engineers Regiment during this action. <ref>"The American collapse began in earnest by late morning. At 11:22 the 19th Engineers' commander, Colonel A.T.W. Moore, warned Stark by radio that enemy infantry and tanks were forcing the pass along Highway 13. An engineer major bellowed: "Forget about our equipment and just save your life." Artillery observers fled, explaining plausibly if ingloriously: "This place is too hot. "Companies disintegrated into platoons, platoons into squads, squads into solitary foot soldiers chased to the rear by screaming meemies. Half an hour later, Moore radioed, "Enemy overrunning our C.P.," and bolted for high ground. He soon arrived at Stark's tent to announce that the 19th Engineers no longer existed." An Army At Dawn: The War in North Africa, Rick Atkinson, Henry Holt and Company, 2007</ref>The American newspaper Victoria Advocate reported:

''Of the 1,200 men in the battalion on Feb. 18, 1943, only 125 remained the next day. The rest were killed, wounded, captured or scattered, as a battle-hardened war machine gave the untested U.S. Army a bloody baptism.''<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19930207&id=EDhSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZjYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1203,3678372&hl=en Kasserine Pass: A baptism of fire for U.S. Army in World War II, Victoria Advocate, February 7, 1993]</ref>

The remaining units of the ''Centauro'' fought in Tunisia as part of the Italian 1st Army until the end of the campaign, surrendering on May 13 1943, five days after the collapse of the 5th Panzer Armee. The German collapse started on May 5, although Italian resistance stiffened around the defensive line north of Takrouna, with the Italians overrunning a French division in the last hours of the fighting. <ref>"On May 12th this Italian force was still resisting from positions just north of Enfidaville. A French division attacking their right was repulsed and then counterattacked. The Air Force, being called upon for aid, made a strong bombing attack at 1530, supported by all the artillery whose fire could be brought to bear.“ "Finale in Tunisia", Colonel Conrad H. Lanza, Page. 488, The Field Artillery, July 1943</ref>In all, 80,000 Italians under Marshal Giovanni Messe laid down their arms on 13 May 1943, only when authorized to do so by Mussolini who promoted Messe to marshal the night before.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

[[Category:War]] [[Category:World War II]]

7th Bersaglieri Regiment

2022-08-04T14:22:05Z

Suolej: /* Second World War */

The '''7th Bersaglieri Regiment''' form part of the [[Bersaglieri Corps]] of the [[Italian Army]], originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836.

They compiled an excellent combat record, and can still be recognized by the distinctive helmets, decorated with black plumes.

==Second World War==

With Italy's entry in the Second World War on June 10th 1940, the 102nd ''Trento'' Motorized Division initially forms part of the general reserve but by 20 June, the Armored Corps has moved westward to support the [[Italian invasion of France]]. On June 21, the ''Trento'' takes up new positions near Cuneo in the 1st Army sector. The Regiment does not take part in the fighting for the Franco-Italian Armistice is signed on June 24. The Regiment remains part of the reserve in Verona and Trento for the remainder of 1940.

The ''Trento'' arrives in North Africa in March 1941 and takes part in the [[Siege of Tobruk]]. On August 3rd, reinfocements from the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment help the German 104th and 115th Regiments defeat the 2/43rd and 2/28th Battalions, in a final Australian attempt to recover the lost strongpoints outside Tobruk that had fallen into Italian hands in May 1941. As a result of heavy casualties, the 8th Bersaglieri Motorcycle Battalion is disbanded in September 1941.

The 7th Bersaglieri Regiment's successful defence of the Gazala Line on December 15th 1941, was absolutely vital in defeating the British 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'') and other units from the British-officered 5th Indian Brigade, with over 1,000 British Commonwealth soldiers killed, wounded or captured during the Italo-German counterattack.<ref>"So, on the afternoon of 15 December, the Ariete with some 30 M13’s and with Bersaglieri motorcycle troops in close support, counterattacked along with the remaining 23 tanks of the 15th Panzer Division, and the attack was successful as the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and other troops of the 5th Indian Brigade lost over 1,000 men killed, wounded or taken prisoners." [https://web.archive.org/web/20201119170024/http://www.comandosupremo.com/siege-of-tobruk/ The Bologna Division: 19 November – 10 December, 1941]</ref>

The capture of Mersa Matruh and Fuka by the 10th and 11th Battalions from the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment and German 90th Light Division followed, and some 10,000 British Commonwealth prisoners were taken in late June 1942.

During the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]], the 10th Battalion from the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment, although outnumbered and surrounded, played an important part in containing for several days the advance of the Australian 9th Division. The fighting lasted several days, until with the arrival of German reinforcements, the attacking Australians withdrew.<ref>"These costly German attacks did succeed in restoring contact with the beleaguered 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment. 90th Light Division later praised the regiment and the Italian X Bersaglieri who clung to their posts even when 'surrounded on all sides, short of ammunition, food and water, unable to evacuate their many wounded; while withstanding 'attacks by an enemy superior in numbers and equipment'. During the morning, many of the German and Italian wounded were evacuated and more supplies brought into the salient." Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein, Niall Barr, p. 380, Random House, 2010</ref>

The Regiment is largely destroyed during the final battle of El Alamein but rebuilt during the retreat to Tunisia. Attached to the newly arrived [[131st "Centauro" Armoured Division]], the units sees action again during the [[Battle of Kasserine Pass]] and [[Battle of El Guettar]]. The remaining units of the Regiment finally surrender in May 1943.

During the Allied landings in Sicily as part of [[Operation Husky]], the Regiment is still in the process of reforming, but orders are soon issued for the unit to be disbanded with the Italian Armistice signed on September 3 1943.

In 1944, a 7th Bersaglieri Regiment is reformed in Germany as part of RSI ''Italia'' Division. The regiment is deployed on Apuane Alps in the winter of 1944-45, surrendering to US troops in April 1945.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Italian Military]]

7th Bersaglieri Regiment

2022-08-04T14:12:19Z

Suolej: /* Second World War */ Working page

The '''7th Bersaglieri Regiment''' form part of the [[Bersaglieri Corps]] of the [[Italian Army]], originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836.

They compiled an excellent combat record, and can still be recognized by the distinctive helmets, decorated with black plumes.

==Second World War==

With Italy's entry in the Second World War on June 10th 1940, the 102nd ''Trento'' Motorized Division initially forms part of the general reserve but by 20 June, the Armored Corps has moved westward to support the [[Italian invasion of France]]. On June 21, the ''Trento'' takes up new positions near Cuneo in the 1st Army sector. The Regiment does not take part in the fighting for the Franco-Italian Armistice is signed on June 24. The Regiment remains part of the reserve in Verona and Trento for the remainder of 1940.

The ''Trento'' arrives in North Africa in March 1941 and takes part in the [[Siege of Tobruk]]. On August 3rd, reinfocements from the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment help the German 104th and 115th Regiments defeat the 2/43rd and 2/28th Battalions, in a final Australian attempt to recover the lost strongpoints outside Tobruk that had fallen into Italian hands in May 1941. As a result of heavy casualties, the 8th Bersaglieri Motorcycle Battalion is disbanded in September 1941.

The 7th Bersaglieri Regiment's successful defence of the Gazala Line on December 15th 1941, was absolutely vital in defeating the British 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'') and other units from the British-officered 5th Indian Brigade, with over 1,000 British Commonwealth soldiers killed, wounded or captured during the Italo-German counterattack.<ref>"So, on the afternoon of 15 December, the Ariete with some 30 M13’s and with Bersaglieri motorcycle troops in close support, counterattacked along with the remaining 23 tanks of the 15th Panzer Division, and the attack was successful as the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and other troops of the 5th Indian Brigade lost over 1,000 men killed, wounded or taken prisoners." [https://web.archive.org/web/20201119170024/http://www.comandosupremo.com/siege-of-tobruk/ The Bologna Division: 19 November – 10 December, 1941]</ref>

The capture of Mersa Matruh and Fuka by the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment and German 90th Light Division followed, and some 10,000 British Commonwealth prisoners were taken in late June 1942.

During the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]], the 10th Bersaglieri Battalion, although outnumbered and surrounded, played an important part in containing for several days the advance of the Australian 9th Division. The fighting lasted several days, until with the arrival of German reinforcements, the attacking Australians withdrew.<ref>"These costly German attacks did succeed in restoring contact with the beleaguered 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment. 90th Light Division later praised the regiment and the Italian X Bersaglieri who clung to their posts even when 'surrounded on all sides, short of ammunition, food and water, unable to evacuate their many wounded; while withstanding 'attacks by an enemy superior in numbers and equipment'. During the morning, many of the German and Italian wounded were evacuated and more supplies brought into the salient." Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein, Niall Barr, p. 380, Random House, 2010</ref>

The Regiment is largely destroyed during the final battle of El Alamein but rebuilt during the retreat to Tunisia. Attached to the newly arrived [[131st "Centauro" Armoured Division]], the units sees action again during the [[Battle of Kasserine Pass]] and [[Battle of El Guettar]]. The remaining units of the Regiment finally surrender in May 1943.

During the Allied landings in Sicily as part of [[Operation Husky]], the Regiment is still in the process of reforming, but orders are soon issued for the unit to be disbanded with the Italian Armistice signed on 3 September 1943.

In 1944, a 7th Bersaglieri Regiment is reformed in Germany as part of RSI ''Italia'' Division. The regiment is deployed on Apuane Alps in the winter of 1944-45, surrendering to US troops in April 1945.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Italian Military]]