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

20th Corps: (132nd Ariete armor and
101st Trieste mechanized divisions)

by Jeff Glasco

Corps Headquarters Troop Quality: Regular. Morale: 8

    1 command stand
    1 car
    1 staff radio stand

2nd Bersaglieri Motorcycle Company Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 9

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

34th Guastatori Engineer Battalion 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.

132nd Ariete Armored Division

Troop Quality: Experienced, Morale: 8 unless otherwise noted

    Divisional Headquarters
      1 command stand
      1 car
      1 staff radio truck

    132nd Tank Regiment

      Regimental Headquarters, with 1 command M14/41 tank

      8th Tank Battalion

        Battalion Headquarters, with 1 command M14/41 tank
        3 Tank Companies, each with 3 M14/41 tanks

      9th Tank Battalion, (as 8th Tank Battalion)

      10th Tank Battalion, (as 8th Tank Battalion)

      146th Antiaircraft Battery, with:

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

    8th Bersaglieri Infantry Regiment Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8

      Regimental Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 staff radio truck
        1 recon AB-41 armored car

      Motorcycle Company, with:

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

      5th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion, with:

        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

      12th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion, (as 5th Bersaglieri Infantry Battalion)

      3rd 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

      2nd Bersaglieri Antitank Battalion, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 car

        2 Antitank Companies, with:

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

    132nd Artillery Regiment

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

      I Battalion, 132nd 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 support stand
          1 medium truck

      II Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment)

      III Battalion, 132nd 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

      IV (AAA) Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment, with:

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

        2 Batteries, each with:

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

        2 Batteries, each with:

          1 90L53 truck gun
          1 support stand
          1 light truck with ammo trailer

      V Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with
          1 command Carro Commando
          1 medium ammo truck with trailer

        3 Batteries, each with 1 Semovente M-40

      VI Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment, (as V Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment)

    II Battalion, 24th Artillery Regiment

      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

    32nd Mixed Engineer Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car

      Engineer Company, with:

        2 engineer stands
        1 medium truck with supply trailer

      Signal Company, with: (provides staff signal vehicles for division)

    III Battalion/Lancieri Novara

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command L6/41 light tank
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand

      2 Tank Companies, each with:

        1 command L6/41 light tank
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand
        3 L6/41 light tanks

    III Battalion /Nizza Cavalleria Recon Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command AB-41 armored car
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand

      2 Recon Companies, each with:

        1 command AB-41 armored car
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand
        3 recon AB-41 armored car

    18th Heavy Antiaircraft Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car
        1 staff telephone truck
        2 medium ammo trucks with trailers

      2 Heavy Batteries, each with:

        1 command stand
        1 car
        2 88L56 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 heavy tractors

    Frank's Notes

    The III Lancieri di Novara should not be listed here (they are already listed with the Littorio division).

    I have some uncertainty about the Bersaglieri. The Ariete's 8th Bersaglieri originally went over with the 3rd Motorcycle (the same Fabris Battalion mentioned repeatedly in Rommel's memoirs) and the 5th and 12th Motorized. My stuff doesn't show a 2nd Antitank or a 3rd Heavy Weapons, but does show the 3rd Motorcycle as converting to an antitank battalion in July or August of 1942. However I'm not absolutely certain that I have caught all of the changes and reorganizations, so stop short of saying Jeff is wrong on this one. He may be right and I may be wrong.

    As mentioned in the notes to the Littorio Division, the 5th and 6th Battalions of the Ariete's artillery regiment were the 551st and 552nd Semovente Battalions, originally sent over with Littorio.

102nd Trieste Infantry Division

Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8

    Divisional Headquarters:
      1 command stand
      1 car
      1 staff radio truck

    65th Motorized Infantry Regiment

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

      I Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command infantry stand
          1 recon motorcycle infantry stand
          1 47L32 AT gun
          1 gun crew stand
          2 light trucks

        3 Infantry Companies, each with:

          3 infantry stands
          1 MMG stand
          2 medium trucks

      II Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment)

      III Weapons Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment

        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 medium trucks

        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

    66th Motorized Infantry Regiment

      Regimental Headquarters, (as Headquarters, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment)

      I Battalion, 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment)

      II Battalion, 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment, (as I Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment)

      III Weapons Battalion, 66th Motorized Infantry Regiment, (as in Weapons Battalion, 65th Motorized Infantry Regiment)

    21st Artillery Regiment

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

      I Battalion, 21st 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, 21st Artillery Regiment, (as I Battalion, 21st Artillery Regiment)

      III Battalion, 132nd Artillery Regiment:

        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 support stand
          1 medium truck

      IV Battalion, 21st Artillery Regiment, (as III Battalion, 21st Artillery Regiment)

      V (AAA) Battalion,21st Artillery Regiment, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 car
          1 staff telephone truck
          1 medium ammotruck with trailer

        2 Batteries, each with:

          1 75L46 AA gun
          1 gun crew stand (ds)
          1 tractor
          1 medium ammo truck

        146th Antiaircraft Battery

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

        411th Antiaircraft Battery, (as 146th Antiaircraft Battery)

    508th 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

      Machinegun Company, with:

        2 MMG stands
        1 medium truck

      Mortar Company

        1 81mm mortar stand (ds)
        1 medium truck

      Antitank Company

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

    52nd Mixed Engineer Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 car

      Engineer Company, with:

        2 engineer stands
        1 medium truck with supply trailer

      Signal Company, with (provides staff signal vehicles for division)

    51st Tank Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with 1 command M13/40 tank
      3 Tank Companies, each with 3 M13/40 tanks

    8th Bersaglieri Armored Car Battalion

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command AB-41 armored car
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand

      2 Recon Companies, each with:

        1 command AB-41 armored car
        1 recon motorcycle infantry stand
        3 recon AB-41 armored car

    131st Artillery Battalion

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

      3 Batteries, each with:

        1 149L35 field gun
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 tractor
        1 support stand
        1 medium truck with ammo trailer

    147th Artillery Battalion (as 131st Artillery Battalion)

    Frank's Notes

    Unlike the Trento Division, Trieste really was motorized, and served in that role with 20th Corps. Add two medium trucks to each infantry company. The correct medium tank battalion serving with the division was the 11th.

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

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