64 Infantry Division Catanzaro
Encyclopedia
The 64 Infantry Division Catanzaro was a Infantry
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Catanzaro Division was sent to Libya
in October 1939, and took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt
in September 1940. It was destroyed in the British counter offensive (Operation Compass
) at Buq Buq in December 1940.
, 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.
On the nights of 7 December and 8 December 1940 the British Western Desert Force
under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor
and comprising British 7th Armoured Division
and Indian 4th Infantry Division
reinforced by British 16th Infantry Brigade
advanced a total of 70 miles (112.7 km) to their start positions for the attack.
On 9 December, the disposition of the forward Italian fortified positions were as follows: The 1 Libyan Division Sibelle
was located at Maktila. The 2 Libyan Division Pescatori
was located at Tummar. The "Maletti Group
" was located at Nibiewa. The 4 " 3 January" Blackshirt Division
and the Headquarters for the "Libyan Corps" were at Sidi Barrani. The 63 Infantry Division Cirene
and the Headquarters for the XXI Corps were located at Sofafi. The Catanzaro were located at Buq Buq." By the 11 December Buq Buq had been cleared of all opposition and many men and guns had been captured and the Catanzaro Division had been destroyed.
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 Catanzaro 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, and 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. It was destroyed in the British counter offensive (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...
) at Buq Buq in December 1940.
Libya
The Italian invasion of Egypt started in September 1940, with the objective of capturing the Suez CanalSuez 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.
On the nights of 7 December and 8 December 1940 the British Western Desert Force
Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth army formation stationed in Egypt.On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Desert Force. The unit consisted of the 7th Armoured Division and the Indian 4th Infantry...
under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
and comprising British 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
and Indian 4th Infantry Division
Indian 4th Infantry Division
The Indian 4th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army.The division was formed in Egypt in 1939 and was the first Indian formation to go overseas during the Second World War. As with all formations in the Indian Army prior to independence,...
reinforced by British 16th Infantry Brigade
British 16th Infantry Brigade
The British 16th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation based in Palestine at the beginning of the Second World War as part of the British 8th Infantry Division. It was later part of the British 6th Infantry Division which was redesignated as the British 70th Infantry Division on 10 October...
advanced a total of 70 miles (112.7 km) to their start positions for the attack.
On 9 December, the disposition of the forward Italian fortified positions were as follows: The 1 Libyan Division Sibelle
1 Libyan Division Sibelle
The 1 Libyan Division Sibelle was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II.-History:Originally called in the 1920s with the name Italian Libyan Colonial Division...
was located at Maktila. The 2 Libyan Division Pescatori
2 Libyan Division Pescatori
The 2 Libyan Division Pescatori was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. In December 1940, it was in Libya part of the Italian XXIII Corps a together with the 1 Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo and 2 Blackshirt Division 28 Ottobre, took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt and...
was located at Tummar. 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...
" was located at Nibiewa. The 4 " 3 January" Blackshirt Division
4th Blackshirt Division (3 January) (Italy)
The 4th CCNN Division "3 Gennaio" was one of seven Black Shirt Divisions that were organized and fought in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War...
and the Headquarters for the "Libyan Corps" were at Sidi Barrani. The 63 Infantry Division Cirene
63 Infantry Division Cirene
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...
and the Headquarters for the XXI Corps were located at Sofafi. The Catanzaro were located at Buq Buq." By the 11 December Buq Buq had been cleared of all opposition and many men and guns had been captured and the Catanzaro Division had been destroyed.
Order of battle
- 141. Catanzaro Infantry Regiment
- 142. Catanzaro Infantry Regiment
- 203 Artillery Regiment
- 64 Machinegun Battalion
- 64 Mixed Engineer Battalion
- 64 Antitank Company