136 Armoured Division Centauro II
Encyclopedia
The 136 Armoured Division Centauro II was an Armoured
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Division had a number of different titles before settling on 136 Armoured Division Centauro II. It was formed in 1942 and started as the 1 Blackshirt Armoured Division M was re designated 136 Armoured Division M then 136 Legionary Armoured Division Centauro and finally Centauro II. In September 1943 it was in training near Rome
and fought the Germans as part of the Corpo d'Armata Motocorazzato before surrendering.
, most having already seen heavy action in the Soviet Union and Libya
. The Division was mobilised in 1942 with the intention of deploying to the Soviet Union
as part of the Italian 8th Army
. The Axis
defeat on the Don river
and during the Battle of Stalingrad
however delayed their transfer. As they were originally intended to be a heavy division for use against the Soviet Union, it had been slated to receive German Panzers, Panther tank
s and Stugs, none of these were delivered prior to the fall of Rome
to the Germans, but some of the divisions units were at least in part equipped with Italian tanks and transport before the Italian surrender.
The Division was later used to reform the Centauro Division in the Royal Army, and remained loyal to the king.
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Italian Army
Royal Italian Army (1940–1946)
This article is about the Italian Royal Army which participated in World War II.The Italian Royal Army was reformed in 1861 and lasted until 1946. The Royal Army started with the unification of Italy and the formation of the Kingdom of Italy . It ended with the dissolution of the monarchy...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Division had a number of different titles before settling on 136 Armoured Division Centauro II. It was formed in 1942 and started as the 1 Blackshirt Armoured Division M was re designated 136 Armoured Division M then 136 Legionary Armoured Division Centauro and finally Centauro II. In September 1943 it was in training near Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and fought the Germans as part of the Corpo d'Armata Motocorazzato before surrendering.
History
The Division was the only CCNN Armoured formation and as such it was composed of hand picked fanatical BlackshirtsBlackshirts
The Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
, most having already seen heavy action in the Soviet Union and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The Division was mobilised in 1942 with the intention of deploying to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as part of the Italian 8th Army
Italian Army in Russia
The Italian Army in Russia was an army-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army which fought on the Eastern Front during World War II...
. The Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
defeat on the Don river
Don River
- Australia :* Don River , a tributary of the Fitzroy River * Don River in North Queensland* Don River - United Kingdom :* River Don, South Yorkshire, England...
and during the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
however delayed their transfer. As they were originally intended to be a heavy division for use against the Soviet Union, it had been slated to receive German Panzers, Panther tank
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
s and Stugs, none of these were delivered prior to the fall of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to the Germans, but some of the divisions units were at least in part equipped with Italian tanks and transport before the Italian surrender.
The Division was later used to reform the Centauro Division in the Royal Army, and remained loyal to the king.
Order of battle
- Leonessa Armoured Cohort
- Valle Scrivia Armoured Cohort
- Montebello Infantry Cohort
- Tagliamento Infantry Cohort.