The Blackshirt Division 23 March (Italian:Divisione CC.NN. "23 Marzo") was an Italian MVSN Blackshirt (Fascist) militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

 unit formed for the Second Italo-Abyssinian War

Second Italo-Abyssinian War

The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...

.

During the Second World War it was encircled at Bardia and surrendered to the British forces in January of 1941. It was named 23 Marzo (Italian, 23 March) in honor of the founding of the Italian Fascist Party on 23 March 1919.

Order of battle (1935-36)

• 135th Blackshirts Legion "Indomita"
  • 135th Blackshirts Battalion "Indomito"
  • 88th Blackshirts Battalion "Cappellini"
  • 135th MMG Company
  • 135th pack-artillery battery
• 192nd Blackshirts Legion "Francesco Ferrucci"
  • 190th Blackshirts Battalion "Pisa"
  • 192nd Blackshirts Battalion "Francesco Ferrucci"
  • 192nd MMG Company
  • 192nd pack-artillery battery
• 202nd Blackshirts Legion "Cacciatori del Tevere"
  • 202nd Blackshirts Battalion "Cacciatori del Tevere"
  • 204th Blackshirts Battalion "Trotti"
  • 202nd MMG Company
  • 202nd pack-artillery battery
• 1st Blackshirts MMG Bn
• 1st Artillery Battalion (65L17 - Army)
• 1st Special Engineers Company (mixed Blackshirts and Army)
• 2 x Replacements Battalions

Commanders:

• Gen. Ettore Bastico
  Ettore Bastico
  Ettore Bastico was an Italian military officer before and during World War II. He held high commands during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War , the Spanish Civil War, and the North African Campaign....
  
    (23/4/35 - 20/11/35)
• Gen.Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia (20/11/35 - 29/2/36)

Additionally the Division had a Medical Section, Logistics Section, and transport of a Pack-Mules unit (1600 mules), and a Mixed Trucks unit (80 light trucks)

Order of battle (1940)

• 219. CCNN Legion
  • 114. G. Veroli CCNN Battalion
  • 118. Volsca CCNN Battalion
  • 119. N. Ricciotti CCNN Battalion
• 233. CCNN Legion
  • 129. Adriatica CCNN Battalion
  • 133. Lupi di Matese CCNN Battalion
  • 148. Tavogliere CCNN Battalion
• XLI Light Tank Battalion
• 1. CCNN Anti-tank Company
• 201. MG Battalion
• 201. Artillery Regiment
• 201. Mixed Engineer Battalion

External links

• Regio Esercito: Divisione CC.NN. "23 Marzo"