20 Infantry Division Friuli
Encyclopedia
The 20th Infantry Division Friuli was a Infantry
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II.
in 1940 and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia
in 1941 as part of the Italian VI Corps. Afterwards it remained in Yugoslavia on anti-Partisan duties. When Italy and Germany occupied Vichy France
after the Allied landings in French North Africa
the division was ferried to northern Corsica
on 8 November 1942 to occupy the island.
After the armistice between Italy and the Allies on 3 September 1943 the division in conjunction with the 44 Infantry Division Cremona
and French Partisans
engaged in heavy combat with the German Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS
and 90th Panzergrenadier Division and the Italian 12 Parachute Battalion of the 184 Parachute Regiment
, which came from Sardinia
and retreated through Corsica towards the harbor of Bastia
in the islands north. On 13 September elements of the Free French 4th Moroccan Mountain Division were landed in Ajaccio
to support the Italian efforts to stop the 30,000 retreating German troops. But during the night of 3 to 4 October the last German units were evacuated from Bastia
leaving behind 700 dead and 350 POW's. After the end of operations on Corsica the division was sent as garrison unit to Sardinia. On 24 November the 88th CCNN Legion was renamed 387th Friuli Infantry Regiment.
In July 1944 the division was transferred to San Giorgio del Sannio
on the Italian peninsula. On 20 August 1944, the third battalions in the 87th and 88th Infantry regiments were replaced by two Granatieri di Sardegna battalions and on 31 August the 387th Friuli Infantry Regiment was dissolved. On 20 September. the division was renamed Combat Group Friuli. On 5 February 1945, the division returned to front line duty, replacing the 5th Polish Division Kresowa of the II Polish Corps on the Senio
river near Brisighella
. From there the division advanced with the Allies Armies to liberate Imola
, Castel San Pietro
and Bologna
.
On 15 October 1945, the Combat Group Friuli was renamed Infantry Division Friuli retaining the 87th and 88th Infantry Regiments as well as the 35th Artillery Regiment; additional units were the 120th Mixed Engineer battalion and some minor support units. On 15 April 1960, the division was reduced to brigade level, losing all its regiments and receiving new units (see Infantry Brigade Friuli
)
attached units in Corsica
:
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
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.
History
The 20th Infantry Division Friuli was formed in 1939 by renaming the existing 20th Infantry Division Curtatone e Montanara. It was a reserve force during the Italian invasion of southern FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940 and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
in 1941 as part of the Italian VI Corps. Afterwards it remained in Yugoslavia on anti-Partisan duties. When Italy and Germany occupied Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
after the Allied landings in French North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
the division was ferried to northern Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
on 8 November 1942 to occupy the island.
After the armistice between Italy and the Allies on 3 September 1943 the division in conjunction with the 44 Infantry Division Cremona
44 Infantry Division Cremona
The 44 Infantry Division Cremona was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Cremona Division was part of the Italian XV Corps that took part in the Italian invasion of France in June 1940. It was transferred to Sardinia in March 1941...
and French Partisans
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
engaged in heavy combat with the German Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS
Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS
The Sturmbrigade Reichsführer-SS was a German military unit of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 when Adolf Hitler ordered the Begleit-Bataillon Reichsführer-SS , which had proved itself in battle, be upgraded to the status of an assault brigade or Sturmbrigade thus Sturmbrigade...
and 90th Panzergrenadier Division and the Italian 12 Parachute Battalion of the 184 Parachute Regiment
184 Airborne Division Nembo
184 Airborne Division Nembo or 184 Divisione Paracadutisti Nembo was an Airborne Division of the Italian Army during World War II....
, which came from Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
and retreated through Corsica towards the harbor of Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
in the islands north. On 13 September elements of the Free French 4th Moroccan Mountain Division were landed in Ajaccio
Ajaccio
Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....
to support the Italian efforts to stop the 30,000 retreating German troops. But during the night of 3 to 4 October the last German units were evacuated from Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
leaving behind 700 dead and 350 POW's. After the end of operations on Corsica the division was sent as garrison unit to Sardinia. On 24 November the 88th CCNN Legion was renamed 387th Friuli Infantry Regiment.
In July 1944 the division was transferred to San Giorgio del Sannio
San Giorgio del Sannio
San Giorgio del Sannio is a comune in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 60 km northeast of Naples and about 9 km southeast of Benevento...
on the Italian peninsula. On 20 August 1944, the third battalions in the 87th and 88th Infantry regiments were replaced by two Granatieri di Sardegna battalions and on 31 August the 387th Friuli Infantry Regiment was dissolved. On 20 September. the division was renamed Combat Group Friuli. On 5 February 1945, the division returned to front line duty, replacing the 5th Polish Division Kresowa of the II Polish Corps on the Senio
Senio
The Senio is a 92 km river of Romagna in Italy, the final right-sided tributary of the river Reno. The mean discharge at its mouth is about 10 m³/s; however this can vary from a minimum of 0.3 m³/s to a maximum of 500 m³/s....
river near Brisighella
Brisighella
Brisighella is a comune in the Province of Ravenna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 45 km southeast of Bologna and about 40 km southwest of Ravenna....
. From there the division advanced with the Allies Armies to liberate Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
, Castel San Pietro
Castel San Pietro
Castel San Pietro is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Castel San Pietro is first mentioned in 1171 as Castellum Sancti Petri. A settlement near the village was mentioned in 865, when an Imperial knight named Sigeradus, granted the area to...
and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
.
On 15 October 1945, the Combat Group Friuli was renamed Infantry Division Friuli retaining the 87th and 88th Infantry Regiments as well as the 35th Artillery Regiment; additional units were the 120th Mixed Engineer battalion and some minor support units. On 15 April 1960, the division was reduced to brigade level, losing all its regiments and receiving new units (see Infantry Brigade Friuli
Friuli Air Assault Brigade
The Friuli Air Assault Brigade is a Air Assault brigade of the Italian Army, based mainly in the north-east of the country.- History :The Friuli Infantry Brigade was formed on 1 November 1884, in Milan and consisted of the 87th Infantry Regiment Friuli and the 88th Infantry Regiment Friuli...
)
Commanders 1938–1943
- General Vittorio Sogno
- General Vito Ferrari
- General Giacomo CarboniGiacomo CarboniGiacomo Carboni was an Italian general who was the commander of Corpo d'armata motocorazzato deployed around Rome in the early days of September 1943.- Life and career :...
- General Ettore Cotronei
- General Ugo De Lorenzis
- General Bartolomeo Pedrotti
Order of battle
as of its deployment to Corsica in 1942:- 87th FriuliFriuliFriuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
Infantry Regiment- 87th Command Company
- 1st Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 2nd Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 3rd Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 87th Mortar Company with 81 mm Mortars
- 87th Suppurt Arms Company with 61/17 Field Guns
- 88th Friuli Infantry Regiment
- 88th Command Company
- 4th Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 5th Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 6th Friuli Infantry Battalion
- 88th Mortar Company with 81 mm Mortars
- 88th Suppurt Arms Company with 61/17 Field Guns
- 35th Friuli Artillery Regiment
- 1st Artillery Group with 100/17 Field Cannons
- 2nd Artillery Group with 75/27 Field Cannons
- 3rd Artillery Group with 75/18 Field Cannons
- 4th Artillery Group with 75/18 Field Cannons
- 4th Anti-Aircraft Group
- 35th Anti-Aircraft Battery with 20 mm Anti-Aircraft Guns
- 320th Anti-Aircraft Battery with 20 mm Anti-Aircraft Guns
- 356th Anti-Aircraft Battery with 20 mm Anti-Aircraft Guns
- 88th CCNNBlackshirtsThe Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
Legion (Blackshirts)- 88th CCNN Battalion Costanza Ciano
- 96th CCNN Battalion Petrarca
- 20th Mortar Battalion with 81 mm Mortars
- 20th Engineer Battalion
- 52nd Pioneer Company
- 20th Signal Company
- 20th Chemical Company
- 20th Anti-Tank Company with 47/32 Anti-Tank Guns
- 26th Medical Company
- 81st Field Hospital
- 82nd Field Hospital
- 83rd Field Hospital
- 491st Field Hospital
- 23rd Heavy Motor Transport Section
- 13th Supply Section
- 19th Bakery Section
- 58th CarabinieriCarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
Section - 59th Carabinieri Section
- 60th Carabinieri Section
- 79th Field Post Office
attached units in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
:
- Territorial Coastal Battalion
- Machine Gun Company
- BastiaBastiaBastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
Garrison with 3 battalions