37 Modena (Infantry)

Home Station: Savona (16A:4831) This division was mobilized 10/39, stationed on the Alpine Front 6/40, and transferred to Veneto after the French surrender. Sent to Albania 12/40 where it remained continuously in line until April. It occupied the Arta area in Greece until the surrender.

38 Puglia (Infantry)

Home Station: Conegliano (16A:4718) It was stationed on the Yugoslav frontier 6/40 and was in reserve until 2/41 when it was transferred to Albania. It was in line during March, but was sent to Northern Albania the following month. It occupied Montenegro until July when it moved to Kosovo where it remained until Italy surrendered.

41 Firenze (Infantry)

Home Station: Firenze (26:0525) It was on the Alpine Front when Italy entered the war as part of the reserve in the Piedmont. It was transferred to Northern Albania 3/41. It captured Bibar in Yugoslavia and occupied Montenegro. It conducted anti-partisan operations in Montenegro and northern Albania for the next two years. When Italy surrendered many soldiers joined partisan groups in Yugoslavia and Albania.

44 Cremona (Infantry)

Home Station: Pisa (26:0427) It was called up 10/39 and sent to the Alpine Front 6/40. It was sent to Sardinia 3/41. It participated in the invasion of Corsica as part of the occupation of Vichy France 11/42. It occupied the Caro area of Corsica until Italy's surrender after which it fought the Germans until destroyed.

47 Bari (Infantry)

Home Station: Bari (26:2613) Mobilized 6/40 and sent to Albania soon after. It was to assault the island of Corfu, but bad weather and disasters on other sectors of the front precluded this and it was sent to the main front. There it saw heavy fighting and took severe losses. It was in reserve by 3/41. It transferred to Puglia 6/41 where it performed security duties, then moved to Sardinia 4/43 and disbanded when Italy surrendered.

48 Taro (Infantry)

Home Station: Catanzaro (26:3718) This division was in reserve in central Italy until 11/40 when it was sent to Albania. It fought throughout the Italo-Greek War and occupied Montenegro briefly. It moved to Croatia where it garrisoned Kotor and conducted anti-partisan operations. It was sent to Albania for a short time before it was transferred to Italy to form part of the central reserve. It invaded Vichy France 11/42 and garrisoned Toulon until Italy's surrender.

49 Parma (Infantry)

Home Station: Macerata (26: 1120) Called up 6/40, but remained in reserve until 9/40 when it was sent to Albania. It fought the Greeks and garrisoned Valona until the surrender.

50 Regina (Infantry)

Home Station: Rhodes This unit was the permanent garrison of the 3-46 Dodecanese Islands. Only its 10th Infantry Regiment saw action against the Allies when it invaded Crete 5/41. It was pulled off Crete 11/41. Elements of the division fought the Germans until late October 1943.

51 Siena (Infantry)

Home Station: Napoli (26:2422) This division was in reserve in the Piedmont when Italy entered the war. It went to Albania 9/40 where it participated in the invasion of Greece, suffering severe losses in heavy fighting. It became part of the Peloponnese garrison 5/41 until transferred to Crete 9/41 where it surrendered to the Germans two years later.

52 Torino (Semi-Motorized)

Home Station: Cittavechia (26: 1727) In reserve until 4/41 when it invaded Yugoslavia, capturing Sibenich and Split. It returned to Italy 5/41 to reequip for the attack on the Soviet Union. It reached Russia in August where it was attached to 1st Panzer Group in the Ukraine. It helped to capture Stalino in the fall of 1941. It saw desultory action the following year until the Soviets launched the encirclement of Stalingrad. It was destroyed as part of 35 Corps on the Don River. The remnants of the division were repatriated to Italy 3/43 where they began reconstitution in the Udine area as a Type 1941 division. However this process was not yet complete when Italy switched sides.

53 Arezzo (Infantry)

Home Station: Macerata (26: 1120) Sent to Albania 6/39, where it was stationed in Scutari. It was transferred to the Greek front 11/40, after the offensive stalled. It took heavy losses and was placed in reserve by 2/41. After replacements were received it invaded Montenegro 4/41 and stayed in Yugoslavia as part of the garrison until the Italian surrender. Many of its troops then deserted to the partisans.

54 Napoli (Infantry)

Home Station: Caltinisetta (26:3929) It was part of the Sicilian garrison and was destroyed there by the Allied invasion.

55 Savona (Infantry)

Home Station: Salerno (26:2521) Sent to Libya in 9/39 where it watched the Tunisian border. Its artillery regiment was transferred to Cyrenaica where it was destroyed by the British counteroffensive 1/41. It was transferred to the Afrika Korps in April. It garrisoned Bardia and the coast during Operation CRUSADER and forced to surrender after it was cut off.

56 Casale (Infantry)

Home Station: Forli (26:0422) It was transferred to Albania in 3/41 where it was involved in heavy fighting. It later occupied Missoungi in Greece until the surrender.

57 Lombardla (Infantry)

Home Station: Pola (26:0515) In reserve 6/40 and transferred to the Yugoslav border 3/41. The next month it invaded Slovenia against minor resistance. It occupied Delnice and Karlovak until September 1943.

58 Legnano (Infantry)

Home Station: Villaretto In reserve on the Alpine front 6/40. It was transferred to Albania the following January where it remained for six months until it returned to Italy 6/41. It occupied Vichy when the Allies invaded North Africa where it guarded the beaches at Cannes and St. Tropez (now that's what I call hard duty!). It was recalled to Italy 6/43, initially stationed in Bologna and later in Puglia.

59 Cagliari (Infantry)

Home Station: Vercelli (16A:4330) It was mobilized in October 1939, but wasn't sent to the Alpine front until 6/40. It was sent to Albania 1/41 where it saw combat the following month. After the fall of Greece it occupied Tripolis in the Peloponnesian Peninsula until Italy surrendered.

60 Sabratha (Infantry)

Home Station: Caserta (26:2322) Sent to Libya 10/39 where it participated in the invasion of Egypt. It was mauled at Derna 1/41 and was pulled out of the line for rebuilding. It wasn't recommitted to combat until 1/42 and was destroyed during the retreat from El Alamein.

61 Sirte (Infantry)

Home Station: Misourata (18A: 1022) This division was sent to Libya as part of 10th Army 10/39. Destroyed at Tobruk 1/41 during Operation COMPASS.

62 Mannanca (Infantry)

Home Station: Aquila Activated 10/39 in Libya. Assigned to 10th Army and destroyed at Bardia 1/41.

63 Cirene (Infantry)

Home Station: Barce (18A:3418) Part of 10th Army. It was destroyed during the retreat from Egypt 1/41.

64 Catanzaro (Infantry)

Home Station: N/A Activated 6/40, partially from assets of 3rd CCNN Division. It was the first unit into Sidi Barrani, 9/40. Destroyed at Buq-Buq during opening phases of Operation COMPASS, 12/40.

65 Grenatiere di Savoia (Infantry)

Home Station: Potenza (26:2718) Stationed in Italian East Aśrica. Destroyed by Allied forces 4/41 after bitter fighting.

103 Piacenza (Semi-Motorized Infantry)

Home Station: Bolzano (16A:4319) Formed 3/42 as part of the general reserve. It transferred to Rome in 8/43 and was destroyed by the Germans after weak resistance.

104 Mantova (Semi-Motorized Infantry)

Home Station: Verona (26:4722) Formed simultaneously with Piacenza (3/42), but was transferred to Sicily 2/43 and to Puglia 5/43. Overrun by Allied forces 9/43.

105 Rovigo (Semi-Motorized Infantry)

Home Station: Padova (26:4920) Also formed at the same time as Mantova and Piacenza (3/42); moved to Liguria 11/42. Destroyed 9/43.

151 Perugia (Infantry)

Home Station: Perugia (26:1023) This division was formed 8/41 and was sent to Yugoslavia for occupation duty the following December. Transferred to Albania 8/43. After the Italian surrender it fought the Germans until destroyed 10/43.

152 Piceno (Infantry)

Home Station: Chieti (26: 1720) Formed 2/42 from depot troops. It remained in reserve in the Puglia area until dissolved 8/43.

153 Macerata (Infantry)

Home Station: Forli (26:0422) Formed 11/41, it remained in reserve until transferred to Slovenia 6/42. It was sent to Delnice, Croatia 5/43 where it stayed until Italy's surrender.

154 Murge (Infantry)

Home Station: Saluzzo (17A:4502) Formed 12/41, it was transferred to Herzegovina 6/42. One of its infantry battalions was destroyed by partisans at the Battle of Neretva 3/43. It transferred to Ragusa for rebuilding 5/43 which was still in progress when Italy surrendered.

155 Emilia (Infantry)

Home Station: Ancona (26:1019) Formed 12/41 for occupation duties which it began 3/42 in Kotor. It was destroyed 9/43 by the Germans, but some elements escaped to fight with the partisans.

156 Vicenza (Infantry)

Home Station: Brescia (16A:4624) Formed 3/42 and sent to the Soviet Union as part of 8th Army to provide rear-area security. It was in the front line by July and was destroyed by the Soviet winter offensive 1/43.

157 Novara (Infantry)

Home Station: Trieste (16A:5114) Also formed 3/42, but remained in Italy until it was disbanded mid-'43 to rebuild the 2nd Infantry Division Sforzesca, returned from the Russian Front.

158 Zara (Infantry)

Home Station: Zara (26: 1113) Created by the expansion of the Zara Brigade 9/42. Occupied Split, Sibenich, and the Dalmatian coast until dissolved 9/43.

159 Veneto (Infantry)

Home Station: Udine (16A:4815) Formed 3/42 and on frontier duties in Slovenia until 3/42. It was then used to reform the remnants of the 52nd Division Torino.

1st CCNN 23 Mano

This division was named after the date of the formation of the first Fasci di Combattieri unit. See the article in TEM 35.

2nd CCNN 28 Ottobre

Named after the date of the March on Rome. Sent to Libya 10/39 where it invaded Egypt as part of 10th Army 9/40. It was destroyed at Bardia during Operation COMPASS 1/41.

3rd CCNN 21 Aprile

Named after the Fascist holiday which was in lieu of 1 May, "claimed" by the Communists. Sent to Libya with most of the other CCNN divisions 10/39. Understrength, it was broken up before the outbreak of war to reinforce the other CCNN divisions as well as the 64th Infantry Division.

4th'CCNN 3 Gennaio

So-called after the formation date of the Fascist party. Sent to Libya with most of the other CCNN divisions 10/39. It invaded Egypt with the 10th Army and was destroyed covering the retreat 1/41.

1st Libyan Sibelle

Part of 10th Anny, it was destroyed around Sidi Barani in Operation COMPASS in December 1940. See the article in TEM 35.

2nd Libyan Pescatori

Part of the 10th Army, it was destroyed in its "fortified camps" during the British counterattack of 12/40.

3rd Libyan Gruppo Maletti

The division was only partially formed during the desert campaign and was based on two Libyan motorized regiments with odds and sods. Most of the troops were wiped out during the opening stages of COMPASS, but the Babini Brigade survived until it was annihilated during the battle of Beda Fomm in February 1941.

Africa Division (Infantry)

This was a scratch formation formed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from miscellaneous metropolitan Italian troops 7/40. It was destroyed 8/41.