Italian 17 Infantry Division Pavia
Encyclopedia
17 Motorised Division Pavia or 17 Divisione Autotrasportabile Pavia (Italian) was a North African type infantry Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Pavia was formed in October 1939 and sent to Libya
. It was never completely motorised but despite this limitation, it was considered to have fought well in North Africa
. It was almost completely destroyed during the Second Battle of El Alamein
.
, while the 27th Regiment had its barracks in Cesena
. In 1940 the Division was deployed in Tripolitania
and moved to Cyrenaica
belonging to the Italian XX Corps. It participated in the final phases of Operation Compass
, retreating from Sabratha
to Agedabia. In 1941 - 1942 it fought in North Africa until it surrendered at El Alamein. After the Second World War the 28th Infantry Regiment was reorganized with its headquarters in Pesaro
. The Regiment is still in existence and is now specialized in PsyOps.
; on the 6th the town was surrounded. The "Fabris" and "Montemurro" Bersaglieri Motorised Battalions came up in support, along with the advance elements of the German 5th Light Division. On the 8th of April General Gambier-Parry surrendered to General Zaglio, commanding the Pavia, after an unsuccessful breakout attempt that was largely broken up by the Bersaglieri.Some 3,000 British, Indian and Australian soldiers were captured.
The division continued to advance and helped to isolate the garrison in Tobruk. It then took part in the siege of Tobruk, stationed in the southern sector of the lines.
On 23 November 1941, during the Operation Crusader
, the British 70th Infantry Division
, supported by 60 tanksbroke through part of the 25 Semi-Motorised Division Bologna. The Italians rallied and the Pavia went over to the counterattack, sealing off the enemy breakthrough. On the night of 25-26 November, the British 70th Division attacked again, but the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment of the Trieste Division counterattacked and check this British advance.However, on the 27th, the 19th Battalion spearheading the 6th New Zealand Brigade, finally linked up with part of the British 70th Division at El Duda.On December 1, the 101 Motorised Division Trieste counterattacked and severed the link with Tobruk.But on 4 December, Rommel ordered a withdrawal to the Gazala Line which entailed giving up Tobruk. During the withdrawal, the Pavia served as a rearguard at El Adem where, according to the Official Australian History of the Second World War, the Pavia put up a tenacious defence before being overcome, delaying the advance for over three hours and allowing Axis forces (including the bulk of the Pavia) to withdraw. On 15 December, the Pavia Division held its ground on the Gazala Line against the attacking 2nd New Zealand Division and Polish Brigade, allowing a strong Italo-German armoured force to counterattack and overrun the 1st British Battalion, The Buffs.
During the Battle of Gazala
, after the Trieste and 15th Panzer Division had defeated the British 2nd and 4th Armoured Brigades in an action south of Knightsbridge, the Pavia played an important role in the capture of 6,000 Allied prisoners on June 16, 1942.
The division was also at the First battle of El Alamein
as part of the Italian X Corps, where it defended Ruweisat Ridge before taking heavy casualties and being rendered largely ineffective by New Zealand Infantry and British Armour on the 14–15 July 1942. During the initial phase of the fighting Pavia served as a rearguard for the Ariete Division where, according to US historian Conrad H. Lanza, the division repulsed the advance of the and the New Zealand 23rd Battalion with a night counter attack.
Finally, during the Second Battle of El Alamein
, the Pavia Division (and the other two divisions of the Italian X Corps) was abandoned without transport by the rest of the Axis Forces as they retreated from Alamein to Fuka on the 4th November 1942. Thus abandoned, they had no option but to surrender.
Harry Zinder of Time magazine noted that the Italians fought well and commented that for the Italians:
from June 1942 was added
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 Pavia was formed in October 1939 and 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....
. It was never completely motorised but despite this limitation, it was considered to have fought well in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. It was almost completely destroyed during the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
.
History
The Pavia Brigade was born during the Risorgimento on 1 March 1860, and was formed of two Infantry Regiments (the 27th and 28th). The Brigade participated in the Third Italian Independence War (1866), the First Italo-Ethiopian War (1896) and the First World War, when it was awarded the Ordine Militare d'Italia. In 1926 it become the XVII Pavia Infantry Brigade and in August 1939 was transformed into the 17th Pavia Division (reinforced with the 26th Artillery Regiment Artiglieria a Cavallo). Until 1939, the headquarters of the Division were in RavennaRavenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
, while the 27th Regiment had its barracks in Cesena
Cesena
Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
. In 1940 the Division was deployed in Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and moved to Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
belonging to the Italian XX Corps. It participated in the final phases of 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...
, retreating from Sabratha
Sabratha
Sabratha, Sabratah or Siburata , in the Zawiya District in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis. From 2001 to 2007 it was the capital of the former Sabratha wa Sorman District. It lies on the Mediterranean coast about west of Tripoli...
to Agedabia. In 1941 - 1942 it fought in North Africa until it surrendered at El Alamein. After the Second World War the 28th Infantry Regiment was reorganized with its headquarters in Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
. The Regiment is still in existence and is now specialized in PsyOps.
The North Africa Campaign
The Pavia Division took part in the Axis counterattack of March–April 1941. Under Major-General Pietro Zaglio it attacked via the Balbia coast road from Agedabia on 31 March 1941, driving the Australian rearguards back to MechiliMechili
Mechili is a small village in Cyrenaica, Libya and the former site of a turkish fort. It’s nearly east of Benghazi, and west of Timimi.-Geography:Because of its location in the desert, Mechili suffered in the past from isolation...
; on the 6th the town was surrounded. The "Fabris" and "Montemurro" Bersaglieri Motorised Battalions came up in support, along with the advance elements of the German 5th Light Division. On the 8th of April General Gambier-Parry surrendered to General Zaglio, commanding the Pavia, after an unsuccessful breakout attempt that was largely broken up by the Bersaglieri.Some 3,000 British, Indian and Australian soldiers were captured.
The division continued to advance and helped to isolate the garrison in Tobruk. It then took part in the siege of Tobruk, stationed in the southern sector of the lines.
On 23 November 1941, during the Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
, the British 70th Infantry Division
British 70th Infantry Division
- History :This formation had a brief history during the Second World War. It was formed originally in the Middle East from units stationed in Egypt, Palestine, Cyprus and in Crete, as the regular British 6th Infantry Division. It was then redesignated as the 70th Division on 10 October 1941. -...
, supported by 60 tanksbroke through part of the 25 Semi-Motorised Division Bologna. The Italians rallied and the Pavia went over to the counterattack, sealing off the enemy breakthrough. On the night of 25-26 November, the British 70th Division attacked again, but the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment of the Trieste Division counterattacked and check this British advance.However, on the 27th, the 19th Battalion spearheading the 6th New Zealand Brigade, finally linked up with part of the British 70th Division at El Duda.On December 1, the 101 Motorised Division Trieste counterattacked and severed the link with Tobruk.But on 4 December, Rommel ordered a withdrawal to the Gazala Line which entailed giving up Tobruk. During the withdrawal, the Pavia served as a rearguard at El Adem where, according to the Official Australian History of the Second World War, the Pavia put up a tenacious defence before being overcome, delaying the advance for over three hours and allowing Axis forces (including the bulk of the Pavia) to withdraw. On 15 December, the Pavia Division held its ground on the Gazala Line against the attacking 2nd New Zealand Division and Polish Brigade, allowing a strong Italo-German armoured force to counterattack and overrun the 1st British Battalion, The Buffs.
During the Battle of Gazala
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
, after the Trieste and 15th Panzer Division had defeated the British 2nd and 4th Armoured Brigades in an action south of Knightsbridge, the Pavia played an important role in the capture of 6,000 Allied prisoners on June 16, 1942.
The division was also at the First battle of El Alamein
First Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert...
as part of the Italian X Corps, where it defended Ruweisat Ridge before taking heavy casualties and being rendered largely ineffective by New Zealand Infantry and British Armour on the 14–15 July 1942. During the initial phase of the fighting Pavia served as a rearguard for the Ariete Division where, according to US historian Conrad H. Lanza, the division repulsed the advance of the and the New Zealand 23rd Battalion with a night counter attack.
Finally, during the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
, the Pavia Division (and the other two divisions of the Italian X Corps) was abandoned without transport by the rest of the Axis Forces as they retreated from Alamein to Fuka on the 4th November 1942. Thus abandoned, they had no option but to surrender.
Harry Zinder of Time magazine noted that the Italians fought well and commented that for the Italians:
Order of battle
(May 1941)- 27th Infantry Regiment Pavia
- Command Coy
- Rifle Bn
- Rifle Bn
- Rifle Bn
- 81 mm Mortar Coy
- 65/17 Artillery Battery
- 28th Infantry Regiment Pavia
- Command Coy
- Rifle Bn
- Rifle Bn
- Rifle Bn
- 81 mm Mortar Coy
- 65/17 Artillery Battery
- 6th Armoured Battalion
- 5th Armoured Car Battalion
- 26th Artillery (Artiglieria a Cavallo) Regiment Rubicone
- 77th Anti Aircraft Battalion
- 679th Carabinieri Platoon
- 207th Motorized Transport Section
- 135th Motorized Transport Company
- 21st Medical Section
- 66th Field Hospital
- 84th Field Hospital
- 71st Field Bakery
- 54th Field Post
from June 1942 was added
- 17th Mixed Engineer Battalion