63 Infantry Division Cirene
Encyclopedia
The 63 Infantry Division Cirene was a Infantry
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Cirene Division was sent to Libya
in October 1939. It took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt
in September 1940 and was destroyed during the British counter attack (Operation Compass
) in January 1941.
The Italian invasion of Egypt started in September 1940, with the objective of capturing the Suez Canal
, but after the capture of Sidi Barrani
on 16 September, the Italian Army formed a defensive line composed of big outposts separated by wide desert areas. At he southern end of the line was the Cirene Division in four strong points around the rocky hill of Bir Sofafi; Alam Rabia, the crossroads at point 236, the crossroads at Qabe Mahdi and point 226 at Bir Sofafi. They were separated from the next formation to the North, the Maletti Group
by a 30 Kilometre gap.
The opening stage of the British counter attack Operation Compass
was known by the Italians as the "Battle of the Marmarica". The British knew it as the "Battle of the Camps". The "Battle of the Marmarica" name was derived from the name of the coastal plain where the battle was fought. The "Battle of the Camps" name was derived from the individual Italian camps set up in a defensive line outside of Sidi Barrani.
On 11 December a patrol from British 7th Support Group entered Rabia to find it empty. The Cirene Division had withdrawn from there and Sofafi overnight. An order to the withdrawing 4th Armoured Brigade to cut them off west of Sofafi arrived too late and they were able to make their way along the top of the escarpment to link with Italian forces at Halfya.
By the 15 December the Italian commander Annibale Bergonzoli
had approximately 40,000 defenders under his command. The Italian divisions defending the perimeter of Bardia
included remnants of the Cirene the 62 Infantry Division Marmarica
, the 1 Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo, and the 2 Blackshirt Division 28 Ottobre. These divisions guarded an eighteen-mile perimeter which had a permanent anti-tank ditch, extensive wire fence, and a double row of concrete strong points.
On 3 January 1941, the British forces resumed their offensive. As the Allied forces advanced, the Italian units were surrounded, cut off from supply, and defeated. After some hard fighting, one position after another surrendered. The Australians captured Bardia on 5 January, taking 45,000 prisoners and 462 guns for a loss of 130 dead and 326 wounded of their own. However the fighting was fierce. An Australian historian later wrote that "in parts their defence was most efficient and often extremely brave."
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
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 Cirene Division was sent to 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....
in October 1939. It took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt
Italian invasion of Egypt
The Italian Invasion of Egypt was an Italian offensive action against British, Commonwealth and Free French forces during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Initially, the goal of the offensive was to seize the Suez Canal. To accomplish this, Italian forces from Libya would have...
in September 1940 and was destroyed during the British counter attack (Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
) in January 1941.
Libya
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, but after the capture of Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
on 16 September, the Italian Army formed a defensive line composed of big outposts separated by wide desert areas. At he southern end of the line was the Cirene Division in four strong points around the rocky hill of Bir Sofafi; Alam Rabia, the crossroads at point 236, the crossroads at Qabe Mahdi and point 226 at Bir Sofafi. They were separated from the next formation to the North, the Maletti Group
Maletti Group
The Maletti Group was an ad hoc "mechanized" unit formed by the Italian Royal Army in Italian North Africa during the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II...
by a 30 Kilometre gap.
The opening stage of the British counter attack Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
was known by the Italians as the "Battle of the Marmarica". The British knew it as the "Battle of the Camps". The "Battle of the Marmarica" name was derived from the name of the coastal plain where the battle was fought. The "Battle of the Camps" name was derived from the individual Italian camps set up in a defensive line outside of Sidi Barrani.
On 11 December a patrol from British 7th Support Group entered Rabia to find it empty. The Cirene Division had withdrawn from there and Sofafi overnight. An order to the withdrawing 4th Armoured Brigade to cut them off west of Sofafi arrived too late and they were able to make their way along the top of the escarpment to link with Italian forces at Halfya.
By the 15 December the Italian commander Annibale Bergonzoli
Annibale Bergonzoli
Annibale Bergonzoli , nicknamed "barba elettrica", "Electric Whiskers", was an Italian Lieutenant General during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. He commanded the defences of Bardia, Libya, after the short offensive into Egypt made by Rodolfo Graziani...
had approximately 40,000 defenders under his command. The Italian divisions defending the perimeter of Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
included remnants of the Cirene the 62 Infantry Division Marmarica
62 Infantry Division Marmarica
The 62 Infantry Division Marmarica was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Marmarica Division was sent to Libya in October 1939. It took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt in September 1940...
, the 1 Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo, and the 2 Blackshirt Division 28 Ottobre. These divisions guarded an eighteen-mile perimeter which had a permanent anti-tank ditch, extensive wire fence, and a double row of concrete strong points.
On 3 January 1941, the British forces resumed their offensive. As the Allied forces advanced, the Italian units were surrounded, cut off from supply, and defeated. After some hard fighting, one position after another surrendered. The Australians captured Bardia on 5 January, taking 45,000 prisoners and 462 guns for a loss of 130 dead and 326 wounded of their own. However the fighting was fierce. An Australian historian later wrote that "in parts their defence was most efficient and often extremely brave."
Order of battle
- 157. Infantry Regiment
- 158. Infantry Regiment
- 45. Artillery Regiment