ITALIAN ARMY IN NORTH AFRICA, 19401943

Richard A. Rinaldi
Libya was an Italian colony. Militarily it was divided into two provinces: Tripolitania in the west
and Cyrenaica in the east. Although occupied by Italy since 1911-12, it was only under the
Fascists that the two parts were united as one area, Libya. The armed forces commander in chief
in North Africa also served as governor of the colony. The commander in chief was Air Marshal
[Marasciallo dell'Aerea] Italo Balbo. He was killed 28 Jun 1940 when his plane was accidentally
shot down by an Italian AA unit at Tobruk. His replacement was Marshal of Italy [Marsciallo
d'Italia] Rodolfo Graziani. Graziani was relieved 11 Feb 1941 following the disaster at Beda
Fromm. Next was Army General [Generale d'Armata] Italo Gariboldi, who had been commander
of Fifth Army. Gariboldi only lasted until 19 Jul 1941, when he was relieved over an alleged
inability to get along with Rommel. The last commander in chief was Army General Ettore
Bastico (promoted 12 Aug 1942 to Marshal of Italy). The chief of staff for North Africa was Gen.
Gastone Gambara. He was dismissed in Mar 1942 and replaced by Gen. Curio Barbasetti di
Prunn. The supreme command was abolished 5 Feb 1943 with the loss of Libya.
There was a locally-recruited force (the Royal Corps of Libyan Colonial Troops [Regio Corpo
Truppe Coloniali della Libia]) with officers seconded from the metropolitan army. A unified
Libyan colonial force had only been created in 1935, uniting the separate troops of Tripolitania
and Cyrenaica. However, the majority of the troops stationed in Libya were either regular Army
or Blackshirt units from Italy.1
Following the defeat of France in Jun 1940, Libyas western border (with Tunisia) was secure.
Egyptnominally independentwas to the east, with British forces stationed to defend the Suez
Canal. The Italian Army in Libya was a largely infantry force, with limited transport more suited
to its occupation role than for an offensive operations.
In Jun 1940, the Italian Army in Libya was organized as follows:
Fifth Army (Gen. Italo Gariboldi)
X Army Corps
25th Bologna Division
55th Savona Division
60th Sabratha Division
XX Army Corps
17th Pavia Division
27th Brescia Division
61st Sirte Division
XXIII Army Corps
1st CCNN Division 23 Marzo
2nd CCNN Division 28 Ottobre
2nd Pescatori Libyan Division

CCNN divisions are usually referred to as Blackshirt divisions in English language sources: they were
composed of Fascist militia: Camicie Nere (Black Shirt; sometimes shortened as CC.NN. instead of just
CCNN). These are sometimes (but rarely) shown as MVSN divisions, after the official name for the militia:
Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale [Voluntary Militia for National Security]. The four
Blackshirt divisions officially added Libyan to their titles by 1940. Since their divisional shields showed
them as CCNN, it appears that Blackshirt was the designation used officially.

Tenth Army (Gen. Mario Berti)

XXI Army Corps
62nd Marmarica Division
63rd Cirene Division
XXII Army Corps
64th Catanzaro Division
4th CCNN Division 3 Gennaio
1st Sibelle Libyan Division
The 1st and 2nd Libyan [Libice] Divisions were the major part of the Libyan colonial troops. There
were enough Libyan infantry battalions for another division, as well as a variety of auxiliary and
other types, including Saharan [Sahariano] units intended for patrol in desert areas2 and regular
and irregular horsed cavalry. As with mainland Italy itself, there were also units of Frontier Guard
[Guardia alla Frontiera, or GaF]. The GaF included artillery as well as infantry and service units.
Full details are not available, but in Dec 1940 Tobruk and Bardia alone had some 4800 Frontier
Guards in the 30th, 31st and 32nd Groups along with three Frontier Guard artillery battalions
(77mm) and a regiment with 17 batteries (65mm, 77mm, 120mm and 149mm weapons). As late
as the battle of El Alamein in Oct 1942 there were two Frontier Guard artillery battalions with the
field army.3
While there had been six or seven Blackshirt divisions at various times, four were mobilized in
1939 and sent to Libya. One of these, 3rd CCNN Division 21 April, was disbanded in May
1940; the Blackshirt personnel were absorbed by the other three and the Army troops went to 64th
Catanzaro Division.
The first Italian parachute units were formed in Libya. The 1st Battalion Infantry of the Air was
formed there in 1938 with Libyan volunteers and an Italian cadre. This was raised to a nominal
regiment but then reduced again to battalion size. The 1st National Parachute Battalion of Libya
was raised in early 1940 from Army volunteers (national in this sense meant Italian nationals).
The two had a strength of perhaps 850 men; they were deployed to Cyrenaica in Jan 1941 under a
Col. Tonini as the Tonini Mobile Group. Serving as part of Tenth Armys rear guard they were
destroyed Feb 1941 at Beda Fromm.
Italy had three small armored divisions in 1940: one in Albania and two in Italy. While all would
end up in North Africa, there does not appear to have been any plan to employ them there in
1940. There were a number of tank battalions, mainly equipped with light tanks. Several
battalions were placed under the 1st and 2nd Tank Groups [Ragruppamento Carristi]. The 1st Tank
Group (Col. Pitassi Aresca) began with one medium and three light tanks battalions and the 2nd
Tank Group (Col. Antonio Tivioli) one medium and one light. At that time (Oct 1940) another
medium tank battalion was landing in Libya, and some other light tank battalions appear to been
in the theater as well.4
2

This Southern Military Command (headquarters at Hon) was responsible for 60% of the territory of
Libya. It had five autonomous Saharan companies in machine-gun armed patrol cars. It also had a variety
of other units, including garrison machine gun and Meharisti [camel corps] companies.
3
The Frontier Guard groups were properly titled as covering sectors [settori di copertura]. In Tripolitania,
the 28th Sector was at Zuara, 29th at Nalut, 32nd at Zanzur and 34th at Suani Ben Adem; overall headquarters
was at Tripoli. In Cyrenaica (headquarters at Tobruk) there were the 31st and 32nd Sectors in that city, the
30th at Bardia, and the 38th at Fort Capuzzo.
4
I have seen references to 12 different tank battalions among the various sources, but they are not always
consistent as to assignments. See below, page 12, for a discussion of the various sources and my judgment
that there were 10 tank battalions.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

This is a good place to address the quality of Italian armored vehicles. The majority of those
produced were two variants of the L3 light tank (or tankette):
L3/33: 2.7 tons, crew 2, 1 6.5mm MG (max. armor: 12mm)
L3/35: 3.3 tons, crew 2, 2 6.5mm MG (max. armor: 13mm)
The light tank battalions in Libya in 1940 (probably seven) had L3 tankettes. Beginning in 1940
another light tank entered production, the L6, although none arrived in time for the 1940
campaign:
L6/40: 6.8 tons, crew 2, 1x20mm gun and 1x8mm MG
The first medium tank was developed as an infantry support vehicle:
M11/39:11 tons, crew 3, 1x37mm gun and 2x8mm MG5
Only 92 of these were produced; the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions were equipped with these. Two
more mediums were developed,
M13/40: 14 tons, crew 4, 1x47mm gun and 4x8mm MG (max. armor: 40mm)
M14/41: 14 tons, crew 4, 1x47mm gun and 4x8mm MG (max. armor: 40mm)
The 3rd Tank Battalion had the M13/40 in 1940, and about 2000 of the similar M13/40 and
M14/41 mediums were produced. They would eventually form the main equipment of the Italian
armored divisions.
Now, in terms of what was available in other armies in 1940 the Italian tanks werent all that bad.
The Germans, after all, still had large numbers of the PzKpfw I (two machineguns) and PzKpfw
II (20mm gun) in service, and even their main battle tank (PzKpfw III) had only a 37mm gun.
British tanks had either machine guns or 2-pounder guns (equivalent to the 37mm). However,
while the other armies replaced these vehicles during 1941 and 1942 with improved tanks with
larger guns, the Italian armored formations did not. As a result, no matter how brave the troops or
adept their leadership, Italian armored units were simply outclassed as the war went on.
The original recce vehicle was the Autoblinda (AB) 40 armored car, a 4x4 vehicle with two
machine guns. It was replaced from Sep 1941 by the larger AB41, which mounted the turret of
the L6 light tank, giving it a 20mm gun along with hull machine guns in the front and rear. The
L6 light tank could also be used in recce units in lieu of the armored cars.
Details on corps and army troops is scanty and incomplete. GHQ artillery seems to have been a
mixture of separate units, Frontier Guard artillery, and battalions (or even an entire regiment)
drawn from divisional artillery. Especially in the 1940 campaign, the two Libyan divisions were
reinforced with artillery battalions drawn from Blackshirt divisions. The Italians had quite a
variety of calibers in their artillery arm: 65mm, 75mm (two versions) and 100mm light and field
guns, a 105mm howitzer classified as medium artillery, and 149mm (three different versions) and
210mm heavy artillery weapons. There were also some odd equipments in other calibers. The
65mm was an infantry gun, towed or carried in a truck. The main antitank weapon was a 47mm
gun.
The French surrender allowed some divisions to shift from the Fifth to the Tenth Army, which
had achieved a strength of around 250,000.6 Ultimately all of the corps and divisions would move
to the east, although Fifth Army headquarters remained in Libya until 1942 when it moved to

The main weapon was mounted on a sponson in the hull, not unlike the US M3 medium. The turret had a
machine gun.
6
On 9 Dec 1940, when the British counteroffensive began, the Italians under Tenth Army also had 400
guns, 240 tankettes, and 60 medium tanks. Their opponents had 36,000 men, 150 guns, 200 light tanks, 75
medium tanks, and 45 heavy tanks.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

Florence. As far as can be determined, Fifth Army never played any operational role in the North
African campaigns.
While there was some skirmishing along the frontier, the war in North Africa effectively began
13 Sep 1940 when the Italians launched an attack into Egypt. The initial force was the 63rd Cirene
Division (with two other divisions, forming the XXIII Corps), the Libyan Division Group (1st and
2nd Libyan Divisions and the provisional Maletti Libyan Group [Raggruppamento Libico
Maletti]7). The advance ended by early the next month some 10 miles beyond Sidi Barrani. The
Italians then began to construct a series of fortified camps reaching back into Libya.8
The Italian forces in Libya in Oct 1940 were organized and deployed as follows:
North African High Command (now under Marshal Graziani) at Cirene
Fifth Army (Gen. Italo Gariboldi), Tripoli
X Army Corps (Gen. Alberto Barbieri), Garian; divisions south-west of Tripoli
25th Bologna Division (Gen. Mario Marghinotti)
55th Savonna Division (Gen. Pietro Maggiani)
XX Army Corps (Gen. Ferdinando Cona), Tagiura, divisions south-west of
Tripoli at the coast
17th Pavia Division (Gen.Pietro Zaglio)
17th Brescia Division (Gen. Giuseppe Cremascoli)
60th Sabratha Division (Gen. Guido della Bona)
XXI Army Corps (Gen. Lorenzo Dalmazzo), Beda Littoria
61st Sirte Division (Gen. Vincenzo della Mura), Beda Littoria
2nd CCN Division 28 Ottobre (Gen. Francesco Argentino), Barta
Tenth Army (Gen. Mario Berti), Bardia
1st Tank Group, Buq Buq
2nd Tank Group, Bardia
XXII Army Corps (Gen. Pitassi Mannella), Tobruk
4th CCNN Division 3 Gennaio (Gen. Fabio Mersari), El Adem
64th Cantanzaro Division (Gen. Lorenzo Mugnai), Gambut
XXIII Army Corps (Gen. Annibale Bergonzoli), Sollum
62nd Marmarica Division (Gen. Ruggero Tracchia), Sidi Omar-Halfaya
Pass-Sollum
63rd Cirene Division (Gen. Allesandro de Guidi), Rabit and Sofafi
1st CCNN Division (Gen. Francesco Antonelli), Buq Buq to Sidi el
Barrani

While sometimes referred to as brigade strength, the Maletti Group was about the same strength as an
Italian division. Two different sources offer different designations, but both show it with six battalions, and
the more detailed source also shows two artillery battalions and some other artillery and AT units. The
Maletti Group is also sometimes referred to as a motorized unit, so perhaps it had sufficient trucks to
transport all of its personnel.
8
I have been unable to find a good map of the North African campaign in the public domain for use in this
article. However, a number are available online from the West Point Department of Historys map
collection; those for North Africa are numbers 33 to 42 at
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/WWIIPages/WWIIEurope/WWIIEToC.htm. Oct 1940
also marked the Italian invasion of Greece, another ill-fated venture.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

Libyan Divisional Group (Gen. Sebastiano Gallina), Sidi el Barrani

1st Sibelle Libyan Division (Gen. Giovanni Serio)
2nd Pescatori Libyan Division (Gen. Armando Pescatori)
Maletti Libyan Group (Gen. Peitro Maletti)
Disaster (Dec 1940-Feb 1941)
In early Dec 1940, Tenth Army headquarters was still at Bardia. Army troops included the 10th
Bersaglieri Regiment [motorcyclists] and three divisional artillery regiments (12th, 26th, and 55th
of the 55th Savona, 17th Pavia and 27th Brescia Divisions, respectively). Other Army artillery
included the 10th Artillery Regiment (formerly of the 25th Bologna Division, and replaced then or
later by the 205th) and the GHQ 20th Artillery Regiment. Tenth Army also had the two colonial
parachute battalions (at Barce) and a few other non-divisional units.
A new unit in the order of battle was the Special Armored Brigade [Brigata Corazzato Speciale]
under Brig. Gen. Valentino Babini. Located at Mechili, this had the 1st and 3rd Tank Battalions
(medium M11/39 and M13/40, respectively) and the 21st and 60th Tank Battalions (L3 light
tanks). It also included a battalion from 10th Bersaglieri Regiment, a recce group (10 armored
cars), two battalions (100mm and 75mm) from 12th Artillery Regiment (60th Sabratha Division)
and a 105mm battery from the 20th Artillery Regiment. This appears in part to been built around
the former 1st Tank Group.9
The three forward corps were deployed as follows:10
XXIII Army Corps (General of Army Corps Annibale Bergonzoli), at Bardia
1st CCNN Division 23 Marza, also at Bardia
2nd CCNN Division 28 Ottobre, between Sollum and Halfaya
62nd Marmarica Division, between Sidi-Omar and Gabr-du-Fares
Group of Libyan Divisions (General of Army Corps Sebastiano Gallina), at Sidi Barrani
4th CCNN Division 3 Gennaio, also at Sidi el Barrani
1st Libyan Division, at Uadi el Maktila
2nd Libyan Division, further inland at Ras-el-Dai and Alam-el-Tummar
Maletti Libyan Group, on the right flank at at Alam-el-Nibeua and Alam-elIktufa
2nd Tank Group (battalions with divisions and possibly some with XXI Army
Corps)
XXI Army Corps (General of Army Corps Lorenzo Dalmazzo), away from the coast at
Sofafi
63rd Cirene Division, between Alam-el-Rabia and Bir-Bofafi
64th Catanzaro Division, at Aam Samalus
Away from the frontier, but still under Tenth Army, were
XX Army Corps (General of Army Corps Ferdinando Cona) at Berta
60th Sabratha Division, also at Berta
9

One source shows 1st Tank Group still in existence, with XXII Army Corps at Tobruk. However, as
already noted there are inconsistencies among the sources on designations and assignments of tank
battalions. Trye shows the Babini Brigade with 57 M13/40 and 22 M11/39 medium and 27 L3 light tanks.
10
There is some disagreement in the sources, especially with the Maletti Libyan Group, which has also
been shown with XXI Army Corps.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

XXII Army Corps (General of Army Corps Enrico P. Manella), at Tobruk

61st Sirte Division, also at Tobruk
Special Armored Brigade Babini, at Mechili
The British offensive (little more than two divisions) beginning the night of 8/9 Dec 1940 was
one of the more successful of the war. By 11 Dec 1940 the Libyan Division Group had been
encircled and destroyed. 63rd Cirene Division left its positions that night and linked up with 62nd
Marmarica Division, the two leaving Egypt and crossing back into Libya. On the coast, 64th
Catanzaro Division left Buq Buq and was moving back towards Sollum. The British offensive
resumed 12 Dec 1940, aiming now for Bardia. By mid month Gen Bergonzoli (XXIII Corps) had
40,000 men there: survivors of the 62nd Marmarica, 63rd Cirene and 64th Catanzaro Divisions
along with the 1st and 2nd CCNN Divisions. The British (actually, Australian) attack began 3 Jan
1941 and Bardia fell two days later. Gen. Bergonzoli was among those who managed to escape.
Then next target was Tobruk, which had headquarters XXII Corps (General Pitessi Mannella) and
25,000 troops (fortress units and 61st Sirte Division). The only other Italian troops nearbysome
90 mileswere the 60th Sabratha Division and the armored brigade under General Babini. The
British and Australian attack began 21 Jan 1941 and Tobruk (the major port of the area) fell the
next day. The offensive westwards resumed 22 Jan 1941, aiming now for Mechili (Babina
Armored Brigade) and Derna (60th Sabratha Division, both under XX Army Corps. After heavy
fighting, especially in the Mechili area, the British continued their advance and the Italians fell
back. By this point Tenth Army headquarters (under Gen. Tellera since Dec 1940) had moved its
headquarters back to Benghazi. On 2 Feb 1941 Marshal Graziani left Cyrenaica and put Tellera in
command of all Italian forces there.
Instead of just following the long arc along the coast, the British cut westwards from Mechili
towards the sea near Beda Fromm. Retreating Italians ran into this unexpected block on 5 Feb
1941. Italian attacks were unable to clear the road, and other Commonwealth forces were
following along the coastal road behind them. The end of Italian Tenth Army came on 7 Feb
1941, and this time General Bergonzoli did not escape captivity. (Gen. Tellera of Tenth Army
was mortally wounded.) During the campaign, the Italians lost 130,000 men taken prisoner and
ten divisions were destroyed.11 While there were still some divisions in Libya that had remained
out of the campaign, the only immediate Italian reinforcement was the 132nd Arieta Armored
Division, which landed in late Jan 1941.
Desert War (1941-1942)
Italian debacles in North Africa and Greece brought their German ally into active participation in
the Balkans and Mediterranean. German troops began to land in Libya in Feb 1941, and from that
point on their Africa Corps and General (later Field Marshal) Erwin Rommel eclipsed the
Italians, even though the latter still provided the most troops. For many today, Rommel and the
DAK12 were the war in North Africa. However, the Italians were at least nominally still in overall
11

The 61st Sirte, 62nd Marmarica, 63rd Cirene, 64th Catanzaro, 1st Libyan, 2nd Libyan, 1st CCNN, 2nd
CNNNt, and 4th CCNN Divisions all disappeared from the Italian order of battle. 60th Sabratha had largely
been destroyed, but would be reformed and return to combat. Tenth Army, XXII and XXIII Corps and the
Libyan Division Group disappeared as well.
12
Deutsches Afrika Korps, or German Africa Corps. This title was given to the initial force of two divisions
under Rommel on 19 Feb 1941. On 15 Aug 1941 the Germans established Panzer Group Africa to control
the DAK and associated Italian troops. This was upgraded 30 Jan 1942 as Panzer Army Africa. Unlike the
DAK itself, the panzer group and panzer army were always German-Italian formations.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

command in the theater.13 In addition to the new German formations, Italy sent the 102nd Trento
Division in spring 1941 and the 101st Trieste Division that summer.14
Rommel began offensive operations 24 Mar 1941. In addition to the new DAK he had the Italian
X Corps (Gen. Federico Ferri?) with 17th Pavia and 25th Bologna Divisions, the XXI Corps (Gen.
Enea Navarini) with 27th Brescia and 55th Savona Divisions, and the 132nd Arieta Armored
Division. In a sense this was a replay of the earlier British offensive, but in reverse, as the Axis
cleared much of Cyrenaica. On 10 Apr 1941 the German-Italian force was halted short of Tobruk.
Assaults on the fortress by German and Italian troops were unsuccessful. Some forces also
pushed east, towards the Egyptian frontier. Fighting along the frontier gradually stabilized. By
Nov 1941, Rommel had troops deployed in a siege of Tobruk and along the line of BardiaSollum-Halfaya Pass and Sidi Omar.
With the 132nd Arieta Armored and 101st Trieste [motorized] Divisions, XX Army Corps was
reformed as a maneuver corps [Corpo di Manovra]. At least initially it also had a recce group,
with the 1st Young Fascists Group (two motorized battalions),15 two tank battalions (one medium
M13/40 and one L3) and a mixed armored car/L3 tankette company. From Sep 1941 the Italians
began to receive the new Autoblinda AB41 armored car for divisional and other recce units.
The Sep 1941 deployment for the Axis was
XXI Army Corps (General of Army Corps Enea Navarrini) besieging Tobruk
17th Pavia Division
25th Bologna Division
27th Brescia Division
102nd Trento Division
The mobile forces under Panzer Group Africa
DAK (15th and 21st Panzer Divisions and a provisional Africa Division)
XX Army Corps (General of Army Corps Gastone Gambara)
132nd Ariete Armored Division
101st Trieste [motorized] Division
th
55 Savona Division
This organization was unchanged in Nov 1941, when the British Operation CRUSADER began.
CRUSADER ended 2 Dec 1941 after heavy fighting, including a sortie from Tobruk that extended
the garrisons perimeter. 55th Savona Division was destroyed during these operations and not
reformed. The British began new attacks on 8 Dec 1941, and the Axis were forced to withdraw,
essentially to their starting positions of Mar 1941. However, Rommel launched a counteroffensive 19 Jan 1942, and the campaign eventually stabilized at the Gazala lines west of Tobruk.
The British Eighth Army were in a series of defended boxes running from the coast to a point
45 miles inland.
Some additional Italian formations were sent to North Africa in 1942. These included the 133rd
Littorio Armored Division the end of 1941, the 16th Pistoia [motorized] Division in Aug 1942,

13

General Gariboldi was replaced Jun 1941 by General (later Marshal) Ettore Bastico.
Officially both of these were motorized divisions, although it appears that the 102nd arrived or was soon
converted to semi-motorized, operating as a conventional infantry division,.
15
The Young Fascists [Giovani Fascisti] would later be the 136th Infantry Regiment, and then a nominal
division with the same number.

14

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

and the 185th Folgore Parachute Division. 60th Sabratha Division had been reformed and was
again available for operations.
The Italian forces at Gazala in May 1942 were organized as follows:
X Army Corps (Gen. Benvenuto Gioda)
17th Pavia Division
27th Brescia Division
XX Army Corps (Gen. Ettore Baldassarre)
132nd Ariete Armored Division
133rd Littoria Armored Division
101st Trieste [motorized] Division
XXI Army Corps (Gen. Enea Navarini)
60th Sabratha Division
102nd Trento Division
Some GHQ artillery came from the 8th Artillery Regiment (possibly more accurately designated
as the 8th Army Artillery Group). By this point the three battalions of assault engineers
(Guastatori) were present: 31st with X Army Corps, 33rd with XXI Army Corps and 34th with XX
Army Corps.
Infantry divisions in the X and XXI Army Corps faced the Gazala line in the north and were to
launch a diversion, while a mobile group (DAK and the XX Army Corps) would attack at the
south end. The diversion began 26 May 1942, and was largely ineffectual; fighting in the south
began the next day. XX Army Corps exerted most of its efforts trying to capture the Bir Hacheim
box from a French brigade group while a war of attrition went on elsewhere during the fighting.
Bir Hacheim finally fell 10/11 Jun 1942 under German attack. The British began to withdraw
from the Gazala line on 13 Jun 1942. XX Army Corps was supposed to force its way into Tobruk
along with the DAK on 20 Jun 1942. While the former were held up on the perimeter, the latter
forced their way in and the town fell the next day. 60th Sabratha Division suffered heavy losses
during Jul 1942 and was broken up the 25th of that month.
In Aug 1942, the Italians were grouped as follows:
X Army Corps with 17th Pavia and 27th Brescia Divisions
XXI Army Corps with 102nd Trento and 25th Bologna Divisions
XX Army Corps with 132nd Ariete and 133rd Littorio Armored Divisions, 101st Trieste
Division, and 185th Folgore Parachute Division.
The Axis followed the Eighth Army until the lines stabilized again after the Alam Halfa and 1st
Alamein battles of Aug and Sep 1942. When the front finally stabilized, the Axis fortified their
positions. Losses and supply problems made any further offensive operations impossible.
Accordingly, the Panzer Army dug in and rested.
XXI Army Corps held the north of the line. 7th Bersaglieri Regiment (from 102nd Trento Divisin)
was dug in on the coastal road. 102nd Trento Division and 25th Bologna Division were in line,
intermingled (mainly in Trentos sector) with the German 164th Light Africa Division [infantry].
The corps had three battalions of artillery, with two more and an extra anti-tank battalion attached
to 102nd Trento Division. The corps also had the 33rd Guastatori Battalion.16

16

In Sep 1942, XXI Army Corps had 3700 men in corps troops, 5200 men in 102nd Trento Division, 4800
men in 25th Bologna Division, and 10,600 men in the German 164th Division.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

X Army Corps held the south, with, the German Ramcke Parachute Brigade, 27th Bresica
Division, 185th Folgore Parachute Division and 17th Pavia Division in line north to south. The
corps had the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment, detached from 101st Trieste Division, an assault engineer
battalion (31st Guastatori), two other engineer battalions, and two artillery battalions.17
XX Army Corps and the DAK were intermixed behind the front. 133rd Littorio Armored and the
German 15th Panzer Divisions were in the second line in the north, behind XXI Army Corps, with
the German 90th Light Africa Division [motorized] and the 101st Trieste Division [motorized]
further back. In the south, 21st Panzer Division and 132nd Ariete Armored Division were the
reserves. XX Army Corps also had Guastatori (34th Battalion) but no attached artillery.18
The total Axis forces were only about 93,000 men. Given a force of 4 1/3 German and eight
Italian divisions, that works out to barely 7500 men per division, counting all support troops. It is
unlikely the Italians were any stronger than the Sep 1942 figures given, which means their
divisions were generally around 5000 men or less. They had about 300 tanks.
The British attack began the night of 23 Oct 1942. The Axis were slowly overwhelmed, and by
the time Rommel finally gained Hitlers grudging acquiescence to withdrawal it was too late for
the Italians. The infantry divisions were simply overrun at Alamein or in the desert, and XX
Army Corps was reduced to a single battalion. While elements of the mobile divisions in DAK
withdrew westward, all but one of the Italian divisions present at El Alamein disappeared.
Remnants of the Ariete, Littorio and Trieste Divisions were merged into a tactical group which
continued in action on the retreat through Libya.19
End Game in Tunisia
The Allied landings in French North Africa in Nov 1942 led to the landing of additional German
and Italian troops in Tunisia. Overall command was initially under a scratch headquarters, XC
Panzer Corps, which was redesignated Dec 1942 as Fifth Panzer Army. Early operations in
Tunisia largely involved forces of Germans small numbers of Allied units. However, by Dec
1942 two German divisions (one panzer) along with the 1st Superga Division were in action.
The Italians sent their last armored division, 131st Centauro, along with 1st Superga and 80th La
Spezia Divisions to North Africa. 16th Pistoia [motorized] Division was also available, since it
had not gone to Alamein in the 1942 campaign. A XXX Army Corps (Gen. Vittorio Sogno) was
established in Tunisia, in the Fifth Panzer Army sector. The 1st Superga Division (Gen F. Gellich)
and 50th Special Brigade (Gen. G. Imperiali)20 served in the north under Fifth Panzer Army.
The retreating Panzer Army Africa crossed the border between Libya and Tunisia late Jan 1943
and was redesignated 23 Feb 1943 as First Italian Army, and placed under Marshal Giovanni
Messe. Rommel was elevated to head the new Army Group Africa: Fifth Panzer Army and First
Italian Army.
17

In Sep 1942, X Army Corps had 2300 men in corps troops, 4300 in 27th Brescia Division, 5200 in the
185th Folgore Parachute Division and 4000 men in the German Ramcke Parachute Brigade.
18
In Sep 1942, XX Army Corps had 1500 men in corps troops, 7200 men in 132nd Ariete Armored
Division, 4600 men in 133rd Littorio Armored Division, and 5300 men in Trieste Motorized Division.
19
Although Paesani indicates that this Ariete Tactical Group remained in service during the Tunisian
campaign, it appears more likely that it was the basis of a reformed Trieste Division.
20
The brigade was sometimes known as the Imperiali Brigade, after its commanders name, It had the 6th
Infantry Regiment (from the 28th Aosta Division), 15th Tank Battalion, an artillery group and a SP gun
group.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

Still fighting against the Eighth Army, the XX Army Corps (Gen. Taddeo Orlando) was on the
coast (with the German 90th Light Africa Division under command, along with 101st Trieste
Divisionthe only Alamein survivor[Gen. F. LaFerla] and the 136th Giovani Fascisti Division
[Gen. N. Sozzani]21) and XXI Army Corps (Gen. Paolo Berardi) on the right (with German 164th
Light Africa Division under command, along with 16th Pistoia [motorized] Division [Gen. G.
Falugi] and 80th La Spezia Division [Gen. G. Pizzolato]). The three German panzer divisions in
the theater were shuffled between the northern and southern fronts. This also appears true of the
131st Centauro Armored Division (Gen. C. G. Calvi di Bergolo).
Other Italian units sent to Tunisia included the newly-raised 285th Independent Parachute
Battalion (which contained some survivors of the Folgore Division) and a battalion of the San
Marco Marine Regiment. There was a Saharian Grouping under Gen. A. Mannerini, perhaps
built around the last of the old colonial troops.22 The recce battalion of 132nd Ariete Armored
Division (from the Nizza Cavalry Regiment) appears to have been reformed, and there were a few
artillery battalions (seven) along with two machine gun battalions and some miscellaneous other
units.
Ultimately, of course, there was no doubt how the campaign in Tunisia would end. The Axis
forces were gradually forced back and Tunis fell 7 May 1943. Army Group Africa surrendered 12
May.

21

This appears to have been more of a reinforced regiment than a full division. Before it was lost in 1943
the name was changed to Cacciatori dAfrica according to the US handbook. The reformed 8th Bersaglieri
Regiment was added to it.
22
It had the 290th and 350th Infantry Regiments, along the a recce battalion from the Novara Cavalry
Regiment (from the old 133rd Littorio Armored Division).

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

10

ORGANIZATION OF ITALIAN DIVISIONS IN NORTH AFRICA

Armored Divisions
131st Centauro
132nd Ariete
133rd Littorio

Tank Regt
31
132
133

Bersaglieri Regt
5
8
12

Artillery Regt
131
132
13323

Lost at El Alamein
Lost at El Alamein

Armored divisions (divisione corazzata) had a tank regiment (three battalions), motorized
Bersaglieri regiment [trucks and motorcycles], cavalry group [armored cars and tankettes],
artillery regiment, support and antitank battalion, and mixed engineer battalion. The armored
regiment was to have 161 M13/40 or M13/41 medium tanks and 16 L3 or L6 tankettes. The
artillery regiment had two battalions of 75mm guns (12 each), a battalion of 105mm howitzers
(8), two SP battalions of 75mm guns (Semovente) on an M13/40 tank chassis (12 each), and a
battalion with German 88mm or Italian 90mm AA/AT guns (8) and 20mm AA/AT guns (8).
Total strength of the division was only about 7,400 personnel.
The establishment has also been shown as 8,600 men with 189 medium tanks, but this might have
been more theoretical than actual, especially in North Africa.
The recce unit in 132nd Ariete was 3rd Group of the 1st Nizza Cavalry Regiment. The unit in 133rd
Littorio was 3rd Group of the Lancieri de Novara Cavalry Regiment. The unit in 131st Centauro
was probably a group from the 13th Monferrato Cavalry Regiment.
Motorized Infantry Divisions
Infantry
Infantry
Regt
Regt
16th Pistoia
35
36
st
24
101 Trieste
65
66
61
62
102nd Trento25

Bersaglieri
Regt
--9
7

Artillery
Regt
3
9
46

Lost at El Alamein

A motorized infantry division (divsione fanterie motorizzata) had two motorized infantry
regiments, a Bersaglieri regiment [although 16th Pistoia Division lacked this], artillery regiment,
and engineer battalion. The regiment in a motorized division was much smaller than in the
standard infantry division, having only two battalions, plus a support battalion (companies of
20mm AA guns, 47mm AT guns, 81mm mortars, and MGs). The Bersaglieri regiment (three
battalions) was a motorcycle unit. The artillery regiment was similar to that in a semi-motorized
division: towed battalions of 75mm guns and 100mm howitzers (12 each) and a battery of 20mm
AA guns (8). The division also had a mortar battalion (18x81mm) and an AA/AT battalion (8
20mm AA and 12 47mm AT guns). The divisions personnel strength was around 9,500.

23

At least by the time of El Alamein, 133rd Littorio Armored Division had only two battalions of the 133rd
Artillery Regiment, but also included the bulk of the 3rd Celere Artillery Regiment (which would have
originally been in the 3rd Celere [Cvalry] Division).
24
101st Trieste Division also included 9th Bersaglieri Regiment.
25
Also included 7th Bersaglieri Regiment. Officially motorized, the division seems to have operated as
semi-motorized.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

11

102nd Trento Division, although officially motorized, actually operated as a semi-motorized

infantry division, and the Bersaglieri regiment may have been detached as a GHQ unit. 101st
Trieste Division also had the 11th Tank Battalion (M13/40) and an armored car battalion from the
18th Bersaglieri Regiment.
Infantry Divisions
1st Superga
17th Pavia
25th Bologna
27th Brescia
55th Savona
60th Sabrata
61st Sirte
62nd Marmarica
63rd Cirene
64th Catanzaro
80th La Spezia
136th Giovani Fascisti

Infantry
Regt
91
27
39
19
15
85
69
115
157
141
125
136

Infantry Regt

Artillery Regt

92
28
40
20
16
86
70
116
158
142
126
---29

5
26
20526
5527
12
42
43
44
45
20328
80
136

Lost at El Alamein
Lost at El Alamein
Lost at El Alamein
Destroyed Nov 1941
Destroyed 1942?
Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41

At least nominally, the Italian Army had a variety of infantry divisions. The basic infantry
divisions (divisione fanterie) were also known as binary divisions (divisione binaria) because
of their two infantry regiments. They also had an artillery regiment, antitank company, mortar
battalion, and engineer company. Normal strength was around 12,600. 55th Savona, 60th Sabrata,
61st Sirte, 62nd Marmarica, 63rd Cirene, and 64th Catanzaro Divisions were all standard infantry.
The standard infantry regiment had three battalions, along with an 81mm mortar battalion (27
tubes) and a 47mm antitank company (8 guns). The artillery regiment had two horse-drawn
battalions (75mm guns [12 each] and 100mm howitzers [12]), along with a 20mm AA battery. In
theory there was a Blackshirt legion of two battalions attached to these divisions, although this
appears not to have been the case in Libya.
Some divisions were semi-motorized (divisione fanterie auto trasportabile). These could have
motorized artillery and two mortar battalions. The artillery regiment had two battalions of 75mm
guns, one of 100mm howitzers, and a 20mm AA battery. 17th Pavia, 25th Bologna, and 27th
Brescia were originally of this type. Although officially motorized, 102nd Trento seems to have
actually been semi-motorized during the campaign. This type of division never had a Blackshirt
legion attached. Divisions included a mixed engineer battalion (one or two pioneer companies
and a signal company) and some had a machine gun battalion assigned as well.
The divisions in North Africa, regardless of their original type, were standardized as divisione
fanteria autotrasportabile tipo Africa Settentrionale. The semi-motorized division was thus the
26

Officially, Bologna Division had the 10th Artillery Regiment; however, this seems to have been detached
as a GHQ unit as early as the 1940 campaign and replaced with the 205th.
27
Replaced by May 1942 by the 1st Celere Artillery Regiment (from the 1st Celere Division).
28
203rd Artillery Regiment came from the disbanded 3rd CCNN Division. The US Army Handbook shows
the division with 64th Artillery Regiment, which would have been unlikely in any event since artillery
regiments almost never matched the division number.
29
For the fighting in Tunisia the division was joined by a reformed 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (a survivor
from 132nd Ariete Armored Division).

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

12

standard, without horse-drawn artillery or services. An attempt was made (1941 or later) to
reorganize all of the artillery regiments in North Africa with four battalions: two of 75mm guns
and two of 100mm howitzers, along with the AA battery. By the time of El Alamein in Oct 1942
the infantry divisions all appear to have had two 20mm AA batteries, and 27th Brescia Division
even had a battalion with the German 88mm AA/AT guns.
In 1941, some Italian infantry divisions were organized as assault and landing divisions (divisione
da sbarco e dassalto). They received combined operations and mountain training, and supporting
weapons within the division were decentralized from regiment to battalion control. In North
Africa, only 1st Superga Division was of this type. The artillery regiment had a motorized 75mm
battalion, a SP 75mm battalion, and a 20mm AA battery.
80th La Spezia Division was designated as an airborne division, although it is unclear exactly
what was intended by this or how equipment was changed. It seems to have been intended as an
air-transportable unit. It did include a battalion of assault engineers (Guastatori) in lieu of the
normal engineers.
Parachute Divisions
185th Folgore

Para Infantry
Regt
186

Para Infantry
Regt
187

Para Artillery
Regt
185

Lost at El Alamein

One of only two parachute divisions, with two parachute infantry regiments, a parachute
artillery regiment, parachute motorcycle company, and parachute mixed engineer company. The
187th Parachute Regiment had four battalions at El Alamein (two from the 185th and two of its
own). The artillery regiment was actually a unit with two battalions of 47mm AT guns. The
division had a parachutist Guastatori battalion (8th) attached.
Blackshirt Divisions30

1st 23 Marzo
2nd 28 Ottobre
4th 3 Gennaio

Blackshirt
Leg
219
231
250

Blackshirt Leg

Artillery Regt

233
238
270

201
202
204

Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41

The infantry regiments (blackshirt legions) were militia, while much of the rest of the
division was formed by Italian Army personnel. These were much like a normal Italian infantry
division. The artillery regiments had two 75mm gun and one 100mm howitzer battalions.
Libyan Divisions
1st Sibelle
2nd Pescatori
Maletti Group

Libyan Inf Bns

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15
1, 4, 5, 18, 1931

Libyan Art Gp
1
2
---32

Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41
Destroyed 1940-41

30

Different sources differ on the legion designations in the three CCNN divisions, especially for 2nd, where
all sources agree that one is the 231st but others have shown 202nd, 203rd, and 238th. Either of the last two is
possible; 202nd seems more likely to be a typographical error.

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

13

These were theoretically similar to the normal Italian infantry division but weaker. The 1st
Division had the 1st and 2nd Libyan Infantry Groups and 2nd Division the 3rd and 4th, but I have not
seen any source showing which battalions were in which group. The artillery groups had two
battalions with 77mm weapons. Each division also had a mixed engineer battalion. The Maletti
Group was a provisional formation established in 1940.

31

Another sources shows 1st, 5th, 17th and 19th Libyans Battalions and the 1st Sahariano Battalion.
While designations are not given, one source shows it with 65mm and 75mm[77mm?] battalions and a
105mm battery. It also shows a company of 81mm mortars and two 47mm AT batteries.
32

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

14

ITALIAN TANK BATTALIONS, 1940 CAMPAIGN

The various sources are in conflict on battalion designations and assignments.
Lorioli indicates that in Oct 1940 the 3rd Tank Battalion (M13/39 tanks) was arriving, that the 1st
Tank Group had one medium and three light tank battalions, and that the 2nd Tank Group had one
medium and one light tank battalions. He does not give the battalion designations in the groups.
For Dec 1940, he shows the following units [10 battalions]:
Special Armored Brigade Babini
1st Tank Bn (M13/39)
3rd Tank Bn (M13/40)
21st Tank Bn (L3)
60th Tank Bn (L3)
th
9 Tank Bn (L3) with 2nd Libyan Division
XXI Army Corps troops
20th Tank Bn (light)
63rd Tank Bn (light)
nd
2 Tank Bn (M11/39) with Libyan Group Maletti
41st Tank Bn (light) with 1st CCNN Division 23 Marzo
62nd Tank Bn (light) with 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica
The Dec 1940 orbat credited to Stefan Schlemmer gives the following [theoretically 10
battalions]:
Babini Group
II Tank Bn <a typo for III Tank Bn?>
V Tank Bn
1st Ragruppamento Carristi
I Tank Bn
XXI Tank Bn
LXII Tank Bn
LXIII Tank Bn
2nd Ragruppamento Carristi
II Tank Bn <note this same unit is listed with Babini>
IX Tank Bn
XX Tank Bn
LXI Tank Bn
Trye does not list all of the battalions in North Africa, but places the 1st, 3rd, XXI and LX under
the Babini Special Armored Brigade.
Battalions listed (1st to 3rd have medium tanks and the rest light tanks):
1st Tank Bn
1st Tank Gp and then to Babini Brigade
nd
2 Tank Bn
2nd Tank Gp; detailed to Maletti Group?
rd
3 Tank Bn
arrives Oct 1940 and with Babini Brigade Dec 1940
5th Tank Bn
only given by Schlemmer (Babini Brigade); doubtful designation
9th Tank Bn
2nd Tank Gp; detailed to 2nd Libyan Division?
th
20 Tank Bn 2nd Tank Gp; detailed to XXI Corps troops?
21st Tank Bn 1st Tank Gp and then to Babini Brigade
41st Tank Bn only listed by Lorioli, with 1st CCNN Division <typo for 61st Tank Bn?>
60th Tank Bn assigned to Babini Brigade without prior known service
61st Tank Bn 2nd Tank Gp; detailed to 1st CCNN Division if 41st was a typo?

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

15

62nd Tank Bn
63rd Tank Bn

1st Tank Gp; detailed to 62nd Division?

1st Tank Gp; detailed to XXI Corps troops?

Most likely, then, there were three medium tank battalions (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and seven light tank
battalions (9th, 20th, 21st, 60th, 61st, 62nd and 63rd).

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

16

SOURCES
Commando Supremo web site, for the following orbats,
Invasion of Egypt, 9 Dec 1940 (credited to Stefan Schlemmer),
http://www.comandosupremo.com/Egypt.html
Axis Forces in Libya, Sep 1941 (by Paolo Marcenaro),
http://www.comandosupremo.com/Libya1941.html
Italian Forces at Gazala, May 1942 (by Paolo Marcenaro),
http://www.comandosupremo.com/Gazala.html
Tunisia 1943 (by Paolo Marcenaro), http://www.comandosupremo.com/Tunisia.html
Gen. Sir Martin Farndale, The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa 1939-1941 (History of
the Royal Regiment of Artillery) (London: Brasseys, 1996)
Arturo Lorioli, several orbats at the Armies: European Armed Forces From 1920 to 1950 site,
Libya October 1940, http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/itroyobarmylibyax1940.html
Libya 8 December 1940,
http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/itroyobarmylibya8xii1940.html
Italian OB at El Alamein October 1942,
http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/itroyobarmyalameinx1942.html
James Lucas, Panzer Army Africa (San Rafael, CA: Presidio Press, 1977)
James Lucas, War in the Desert: The Eighth Army at El Alamein (New York: Beaufort Books,
Inc., 1982)
Arturo Lorioli, Italian Order of Battle June 1940, on the site Armies: European Armed Forces
from 1920 to 1950 http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/index.html
Kenneth Macksey, Beda Fromm: The Classic Victory [Ballantines Battle Book No. 22] (New
York: Ballantine Books, 1971).
W. Victor Madej (editor), Italian Army Order of Battle 1939-1943 (Allentown, PA: Game
Marketing Co., 1981) [an editedlargely unchangedversion of the wartime US Army Military
Intelligence document, Order of Battle of the Italian Army].
David Myers, Unit Organizations of World War II (Milwaukee, WI: Z&M Enterprises, 1977)
Mario Paesani, two online articles,
History of the Italian Tank Corps (19161945),
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/1975/g_tnkita.htm
The Italian Armored Divisions,
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/1975/g_itardi.htm
Guido Rosignoli, Army Badges and Insignia of World War 2, Book One (Poole, Dorset:
Blandford Press Ltd, 1972)/
Lupo Solitario (amended with information by Arturo Lorioli), Italian Army and Colonial
Airborne Units 1938-1943, http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/itroyparas.html

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

17

Tex Trye, Mussolinis Afrika Korps: The Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943 (Bayside, NY:
Axis Europa Books, 1999)

Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

18