Gazala Battles May 1942
TO&E Part 1:
Axis Formations

10th Corps (9th Bersaglieri inf regt,
27th Brescia and 17th Pavia inf. divisions
and 16th Artillery regt

by Jeff Glasco

Corps Headquarters, with: Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7

    1 command stand
    1 car
    1 staff radio stand

31st Guastatori Engineer Battalion, with: Troop Quality: Experienced, Morale: 9

    Battalion Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 car

    3 Engineer Companies, each with:

      1 command engineer stand
      2 engineer flamethrower stands
      2 medium trucks

Frank's Notes

I am of two minds concerning the Guastatori battalions. Each company had 18 flamethrowers, so making two stands flamethrower stands strikes me as right on. On the other hand, each company also had 18 light machineguns and 18 45mm mortars. In other words, these guys were armed to the teeth! I am inclined to make them two-dice weapons stands in addition to their flamethrower capability, and let them function in either mode, just as US armored infantry can function as either two-dice infantry or pure bazooka stands.

9th Bersaglieri Infantry Regiment

Troop Quality: Experienced, Morale: 9

    Regimental Headquarters
      1 command stand
      1 car
      1 staff radio truck

    Motorcycle Company

      1 command motorcycle infantry stand
      2 motorcycle infantry stands
      1 motorcycle MMG stand

    28th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand

      2 Infantry Companies, each with:

        1 command infantry stand
        2 infantry stands
        1 MMG stand
        2 medium trucks

      Antitank Company, with:

        1 command stand
        2 47L32 AT guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

    30th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion, (as 29th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion)

    40th Bersaglieri Weapons Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car

      Antiaircraft Battery, with:

        2 20L65 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

      Mortar Company, with:

        1 81mm mortar stand (ds)
        1 medium truck

      Machinegun Company, with:

        2 MMG stands
        1 medium truck

      Antitank Company, with:

        1 command stand
        2 47L32 AT guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

    Frank's Notes

    The 9th Bersaglieri had come over in late 1941 as the organic Bersaglieri regiment of the Trieste motorized division, but was stripped off in early '42 to serve as one of the new corps-level Bersaglieri. In addition to the battalions Jeff notes, the 32nd Motorcycle had also been a component, but I believe that it had been broken up to make a number of the independent regimental motorcycle companies.

16th Artillery Regiment

Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8

    Regimental Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 car
      1 staff telephone truck

    I Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 spotter stand
        2 cars
        1 staff telephone truck
        1 medium ammo truck with trailer

      3 Batteries, each with:

        1 100L16 howitzer
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 tractor
        1 support stand
        1 medium truck

    II Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

    III Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 spotter stand
        2 cars
        1 staff telephone truck
        1 medium ammo truck with trailer

      3 Batteries, each with:

        1 75L27 field gun
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 tractor
        1 medium ammo truck

    IV Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment, (as III Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

    Frank's Notes

    I'm not sure but I don't think that this is the correct organization of the 16th. This is the standard organization of an infantry divisional artillery regiment, but the 16th was a corps artillery regiment, originally the corps artillery regiment of the Celere Corps. In January and February of 1941 the Italians shipped about every motorized artillery unit they could find to Africa to make good the horrendous gun losses they suffered in O'Connor's offensive, and in the process stripped all of the motorized artillery out of the Celere Corps. The 16th was the Celere Corps' dedicated corps artillery regiment and came over in late February of 1941 with three battalions—-the 15th, 44th, and 49th—-each with three batteries of 105L28 guns.

27th Brescia Infantry Division

Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7 unless otherwise noted

    Divisional Headquarters
      1 command stand
      1 car
      1 staff radio truck

    19th Infantry Regiment, with:

      Regimental Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 staff telephone truck

      19th Mortar Battery, with:

        1 81mm mortar stand
        1 ammo porter stand

      19th Antitank Company, with:

        1 47L32 AT gun
        1 gun crew stand
        1 light truck

      I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 recon infantry stand

        3 Infantry Companies, each with 3 infantry stands

        Weapons Company, with:

          2 MMG stands
          2 45mm mortar stand
          1 20mm Solothuen ATR stand

      II Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment)

      III Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment)

    20th Infantry Regiment

      Regimental Headquarters, (as Headquarters, 19th Infantry Regiment)

      20th Mortar Battery, (as Mortar Battery, 19th Infantry Regiment)

      20th Antitank Company, (as Antitank Company, 20th Infantry Regiment)

      I Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment)

      II Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment)

      III Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment)

    1st Celere Artillery Regiment Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8

      Regimental Headquarters, (as 16th Artillery Regiment)

      I Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

      II Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

      III Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment, (as III Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

      IV Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment, (as III Battalion, 16th Artillery Regiment)

      401st Antiaircraft Battery, with:

        1 command stand
        1 car
        2 20L65 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

      404th Antiaircraft Battery, (as 401st Antiaircraft Battery)

    27th Mixed Engineer Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with 1 command stand
      Engineer Company, with 2 engineer stands
      Signal Company, with (provides staff signal vehicles for division)

    Frank's Notes

    I am uncertain of the organization listed for the 1st Celere Artillery Regiment. The Brescia's organic artillery regiment was the 55th, which was destroyed in 0'Connor's offensive but rebuilt in January 1941 and then wrecked again in the Crusader battles. The 1st Celere was originally the organic divisional artillery regiment of the 1st Celere Division, but had been sent across to Africa in February '41. (See the notes to the 16th Artillery Regiment above.) However, each Celere division's artillery regiment consisted of one horse and two motorized battalions, each with only two batteries of 75L27 guns. Since only the motorized elements were sent over, the 1st Celere arrived and served with a total of only four batteries of 75L27 guns organized in two battalions.

    That at least was true up through the Crusader battles. It may be that the 1st Celere was used to replace the shattered 55th Artillery, and that its organization was augmented to match a standard divisional regiment. Jeff has good enough information on other units that I am reluctant to go too far out on a limb on this one, but it seems unlikely.

    Perhaps Jeff can add some comments of his own later.

17th Pavia Infantry Division

Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7 unless otherwise noted

    Divisional Headquarters (as 27th Infantry Division)

    27th Infantry Regiment, with:

      Regimental Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 staff telephone truck

      I Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 recon infantry stand

        3 Infantry Companies, each with 3 infantry stands

        Weapons Company, with:

          2 MMG stands
          1 45L32 AT gun
          1 light truck

      II Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment)

      III (Weapons) Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment,

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 car
          1 medium ammo truck with trailer

        Antiaircraft Battery, with:

          2 20L65 AA guns
          2 gun crew stands
          2 light trucks

        Mortar Company, with:

          2 81mm mortar stands (ds)
          2 ammo porter stands

        Machinegun Company, with 3 MMG stands

        Antitank Company, with:

          1 command stand
          2 47L32 AT guns
          2 gun crew stands
          2 light trucks

    28th Infantry Regiment

      Regimental Headquarters, (as Headquarters, 27th Infantry Regiment)

      I Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment)

      II Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment)

      III (Weapons) Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, (as III Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment)

    26th Artillery Regiment Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8

      Regimental Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 staff telephone truck

      I Battalion, 26th Artillery Regiment, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 spotter stand
          2 cars
          1 staff telephone truck
          1 medium ammo truck with trailer

        3 Batteries, each with:

          1 105L28 howitzer
          1 gun crew stand (ds)
          1 tractor
          1 support stand
          1 medium truck

      II Battalion, 26th Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 26th Artillery Regiment)

      77th Antiaircraft Battery, with:

        1 command stand
        1 car
        2 20L65 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

      432nd Antiaircraft Battery, (as 77th Antiaircraft Battery)

    17th Divisional Weapons Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car

      Antiaircraft Battery, with:

        2 20L65 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 light trucks

      Mortar Company, with:

        2 81mm mortar stands (ds)
        2 ammo porter stands

      Antitank Company, with:

        1 command stand
        2 47L32 AT guns
        2 gun crew stand

    17th Mixed Engineer Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with 1 command stand
      Engineer Company, with 2 engineer stands
      Signal Company, with (provides staff signal vehicles for division)

Gazala Battles May 1942 TO&E Part 1: Axis Formations TO&E

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