III ASSAULT and LANDING REGIMENT

RTG HDQ 270 MEN
BATTALION (THREE)

BTN HDQ 160 MEN
Rifle CO (THREE 217 MEN 9 LMG 4 HMG, 3-45 MM MTP
Support CO 232 MEN, 6 81mm MTR, 4 FLAMETHROWERS, 4 47 MM A/T GUNS

IV BLACKSHIRT LEGION

HDQ 102 MEN, 1 TRUCK, 1 CAR BATTALION (THREE)

RTM HDQ 110 MEN 2 TRUCKS
COMPANY (THREE) 137 MEN, 8 LMG, 3 45 MM MTR
MACHINEGUN CO 212 MEN, 12 HMG

V. ALPINE BATTALION

HDQ 241 MEN 4 81 MTR 5 TRUCKS
COMPANY (THREE) 362 MEN, 9 LMG, 3 HMG, 3-4 MTR

VI. MOTORIZED BERSACLIERE REGIMENT

REG HDQ 180 MEN
BATTALION (TWO)
BTN HDQ 131 MEN
COMPANIES (TWO) 174 MEN, 3 HMG PLUS ONE CO OF 24 TRUCKS

VII. ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT

24 75MM AA GUNS

VIII. ARMY CORPS ARTILLERY RGT.

32-100 MM GUNS
12-75 MM AA GUNS

IX. ARMY CORPS MOTOR TRANSPORT CENTERE
TWO MOTORIZED GROUPS, EACH OF TWO COMPANIES (4 SECTIONS OF 24 TRUCKS PER SECTION)

X. ARMY CORPS HDQ

1 MOTORIZED BERSACLIERE RGT
1 CORPS ARTILLERY REGIMENT
1 MOTORIZED TRANSPORT CENTER

XI. ARMORED DIVISION

DIV HDQ 178 MEN
BERSACLIERE REGIMENT

(ONE) ANTI-TANK CO
(ONE) ARTILLERY REGIMENT 24 75MM, 8 105MM GUNS, 8-90 MM S/P GUNS (SEMOVEMTE 90/53 1942), 20 75MM S/P GUNS, 8 47MM A/T GUNS, 32 20MM AA/AT GUNS
TANK REGIMENT:
REG HDQ 5 TANKS
BATTALION (THREE)
BTN HDQ 5 TANKS
COMPANY THREE
THREE PLATOONS OF 5 TANKS & 2 CO HDQ TANKS (M13/140)

NOTE THE 4TH COMPANY WAS ADDED (M14/41) LATE in 1943 & EARLY 1944 THE REGIMENT ALSO INCLUDED 16 LIGHT TANKS

COLOR SCHEMES AND MARKINGS

1940-41 GREY GREEN: Desert Sand Yellow (Afrika KORPS paint when possible)
* The s/p guns were of sand yellow and Brown irregular patches

BTN/CO/PLT/MARKINGS FOR THE DESERT CAMPAIGN

1st CO RED
2nd CO BLUE
3RD CO YELLOW

White stripes Indicate the Platoon numbers
1 stripe = 1st PLT
2 stripes = 2nd PLT
3 stripes 3rd plt

Note: These markings were placed on both sides of the turret and the rear of the top turret from February 1941 on a white circle which was their air identification disc. REAR THE TOP OF THE TURRET FROM FEBRUARY 1941 ON A WHITE CIRCLE WHICH WAS THeir AIR IDENTIFICATION DISC.

* IF ANYONE HAS ANY PICTURES OF HIS TABLE TOP ITALIAN ARMY, WE WOULD APPRECIATE AN ARTICLE (WITH PICTURES OF WHAT FIGURES USED AND CONVERSIONS.

Editors Note

Recalling illustrations of the Italian uniform in the last issue, the European uniform, with steel helmet of the Italian army, must bear a vary strong resemblance to a Russian infantryman in gray-green, or in effect, something like an Airfix Russian infantryman wearing the German colors. For the field cap, I would suggest the Airfix Japanese with the soft cap trimmed to slope backwards like the Afrika Korps soft cap. The units serving in Africa are usually shown in a rather light khaki type garb. it has been suggested by some enthusiasts of the period that Bersaglieri of the African forces an be coverted from WWI American infantry by banding the hat up on one side and adding a plume from glue or glue soaked tissue paper. Bethe Boyd and AHM have motorcycles, but as I found when trying to raise motorcycle companies, a great deal of artistic licence is required to bridge the gap between a cycle helmet and a bersaglieri bonnet.

Although the sun helmet became less and less common after WWII broke out, I have seen 8th Army figures with the green white red Italian colors on the side of the helmet used to represent Italian troops.

John Munnecke, whose studies of the uniforms of the war are rather extensive(and whose tank plans for the Italian models should appear here soon) mentioned that some Italian anti-aircraft battalions, especially of the heavier batteries, were the steal helmet in Afrika. He also suggests that some Italian units sent to Africa work faded green uniforms when supplies of khaki either had not arrived or ran short.

As for the tank colors, illustrated histories, and the paint job on Italian desert vehicles at Aberdeen Proving Grounds indicated that Italian tanks actually appeared in a distinctly whiter sand color than German or British vehicles.

More The Italian Army in World War II

Italian Army in WWII: Part I.
Italian Army in WWII: Part II.