WW2 Italian Units
The least well prepared of the major powers in Europe, the Italians have unfairly become the butt of many jokes. Much of the equipment was elderly, particularly the artillery, whilst the tanks tended to be a generation behind those of their enemies. The individual soldier was highly trained in battle craft but morale suffered because of the lack shared danger between officer and men. The bulk of the army fought in North Africa and was effectively destroyed by May 1943. The Army supplied to the Eastern Front ceased to exist in the counterattack following Stalingrad. Only 2 armored divisions were committed to action, in North Africa, there were some 6 more held back in Italy. Fascists units retained the organizations shown after 1943; those fighting on the Allied side used American organization, with mostly American equipment, although some British weapons were supplied.
Italian Infantry Regiment Headquarters 1938 to 1943 (Commands 2 or 3 Battalions)
HQ 1 HQ
1 Mortar Company 2 81M
1 Cannon Company 2 65IG, 2 Limber
Italian Parachute Infantry Regiment Headquarters 1938 to 1943 (Commands 2 or 3 Battalions)
HQ 1 HQ
1 Anti Tank Company 2 47ATG, 2 Light Trucks
Italian Fascist “Black Shirt” Infantry Legion Headquarters 1938 to 1943 (Commands 2 Cohorts)
HQ 1 HQ
Italian Bersiglerli Regiment Headquarters 1938 to 1943 (Commands 2 Battalions + Close Support Battalion)
HQ 1 HQ
1 Motorcycle Company 3 Rifle, 3 Motorcycle
1 Close Support Battalion
3 Anti Tank Companies each 2 47ATG, 2 Light Trucks
1 Anti Aircraft Company 2 20AAG, 2 Light Trucks
Italian Infantry Battalion 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
3 Infantry Companies each 3 Rifle
1 Machinegun Company 2 MMG, 2 45M
Italian Parachute Infantry Battalion 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
3 Infantry Companies each 3 SMG
1 Machinegun Company 2 MMG
Italian Bersiglerli Battalion 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
3 Infantry Companies each 3 Rifle, 1 45M, 4 Light Truck
1 Machinegun Company 3 MMG, 3 Light Truck
Italian Fascist “Black Shirt” Infantry Cohort
HQ 1 HQ
3 Infantry Companies each 3 Rifle, 1 45M, 2 Medium Truck
1 Machinegun Company 2 MMG, 2 Light Trucks
1 Mortar Battery 2 81M, 2 Light Trucks
1 Anti Tank Company 1 47ATG, 1 Light Truck
Italian North African Police Battalion 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
2 Infantry Companies each 3 Rifle, 3 Motorcycles
1 Armored Car Company 3 AB40
Italian Tank Regiment 1938 to 1943 (Initially 1 Medium Battalion, up to 4 Light Battalions, later 3 Medium Battalions under command)
HQ 1 HQ
1 Anti Aircraft Company 2 20AAG, 2 Light Trucks
Italian Medium Tank Battalion 1939 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
3 Tank Companies each 3 M11/39 or M13/40 or M15/42
Note M11/39 was used until December 1940, M13/40 from December 1940 to 1943, and M15/42 in 1943, on Sicily only.
Italian Light Tank Battalion 1938 to 1942
HQ 1 HQ
3 Tank Companies each 3 L3/33
Note Infantry Divisions in Russia had one of these attached
Italian Armored Division Close Support Battalion 1941 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
1 Recce Company 3 AB 40
2 Anti Tank Companies each 2 47ATG, 2 Light Trucks, 2 Semovente 75
Note An Infantry Division has two Anti Tank Company, with no recce company.
Italian Semovente Battalion 1941 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
2 Assault Gun Batteries each 2 Semovente 75 or 105
Italian Parachute Heavy Support Battalion 1941 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
2 Anti Tank Companies each 2 20ATG
2 Machinegun Companies each 2 MMG
1 Combat Engineer Company 2 Engr
Italian Infantry Division Artillery Regiment 1938 to 1943 (Infantry Division has 2 of these officially, but many had only one)
HQ 1 HQ
2 Light Battalions each 3 75H, 1 FAO, 3 Limber
1 Medium Battalion 3 105H, 1 FAO, 3 Limber
2 Anti Aircraft Batteries each 2 20AAG, 2 Limber
Note Individual Battalions may be fielded. Second anti aircraft company applies in North Africa only.
Italian Armored Division Artillery Regiment 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
2 Light Battalions each 3 75H, 1 FAO, 3 Medium Trucks
1 Medium Battalion 3 105H, 1 FAO, 3 Medium Trucks
4 Light Anti Aircraft Batteries each 2 20AAG, 2 Light Trucks
1 Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery 2 90AAG, 2 Medium Trucks
Note Individual Battalions may be fielded
Italian Parachute Division Artillery Regiment 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
3 Anti Tank Battalions each 4 47ATG, 4 Light Trucks
1 Medium Battalion 3 105H, 1 FAO, 3 Medium Trucks
4 Light Anti Aircraft Batteries each 2 20AAG, 2 Light Trucks
Note Individual Battalions may be fielded
Italian Autocar Artillery Regiment 1938 to 1943
HQ 1 HQ
2 Light Battalions each 3 Medium Truck/65IG
1 Light Battery (independent) 1 Medium Truck/65IG
1 Medium Battery 3 Medium Truck/100H
4 Light Anti Aircraft Batteries each 2 Medium Trucks/20AAG
Note There were only one of these units and it served with “RECAM” (see below).
Large Units:
Infantry Division – 2 or 3 Infantry Regiments, 2 Artillery Regiments, 1 Engineer Battalion, 1 Light Tank Battalion (Only in active theaters such as East Front and Africa), 1 Close Support Battalion (Infantry Divisions on the East Front had 2 Close Support Battalions with the recce companies) (Most Infantry Divisions on mainland Italy had only two Infantry Regiments those with a third regiment often had a two battalion “Blackshirt” Regiment)
Parachute Infantry Division – 3 Parachute Infantry Regiments, 1 Parachute Artillery Regiment, 1 Parachute Heavy Support Battalion, and attached in the ground role 1 Motorized Artillery Regiment.
Motorized Infantry Division – 2 Motorized Infantry Regiments, 2 Artillery Regiments, 1 Engineer Battalion, 1 Semovente Battalion, 1 Armored Division Close Support Battalion
Alpina/Parachute Division – 3 Infantry Regiment, 1 Artillery Regiment (3 75mm Battalions), 1 Engineer Battalion, 1 Close Support Battalion (Alpina Divisions on the East Front had 2 Close Support Battalions and 1 Light Tank Battalion)
Armored Division – 1 tank Regiment, 1 Bersiglerli Regiment, 1 Armored Artillery Regiment, 1 Engineer Battalion, 1 Armored Close Support Battalion, 1 Semovente Battalion
RECAM (Raggruppamento Esplorante d’Armata Manovra or Corps Armored Reconnaissance Regimental Group) – 1 Fascist “Black Shirt” Infantry Regiment (2 Battalions), 1 North African Police Battalion, 1 Light Tank Battalion, 1 Medium Tank Battalion, 1 Armored Car Company (3 AB40), 1 Autocar Artillery Regiment. This unit was used on the Southern flank of the Panzer Army Afrika and was destroyed during the retreat to Tunisia.
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