Italian units in Greece
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Italian units in Greece
Dear friends,
I am searching about the italian units in Greece, especially in 1942-1943. I am sure that exixst also maps at NARA with the location of italian army units. If anyone had them please tell me . Thankyou in advance.
I am searching about the italian units in Greece, especially in 1942-1943. I am sure that exixst also maps at NARA with the location of italian army units. If anyone had them please tell me . Thankyou in advance.
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Re: Italian units in Greece
I think that some italian units in Greece were Forli and Pinerrolo.
Re: Italian units in Greece
I can direct you where you can look but are you looking for stories or histories of units that served there or just a list.
Re: Italian units in Greece
I can direct you where you can look but are you looking for stories or histories of units that served there or just a list.
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Re: Italian units in Greece
Messe62, I'm not the original poster, but I do have a question you might be able to answer if you could be so kind -- which Italian units were involved in the defense of the Gorgopotamos bridge during the SOE/partisan attack on it in November 1942? Thank you in advance.Messe62 wrote:I can direct you where you can look but are you looking for stories or histories of units that served there or just a list.
Re: Italian units in Greece
I need a little time but I can probably find that out.
Re: Italian units in Greece
11th Army Commanded by Generale Carlo Geloso was the Occupation army at the time. The army comprised 7 divisions. Brennero,Forli,Pinerolo, Piemonte, Cagliari, Casale and Modena all infantry formations except Modena which was considered a Mountain Infantry Division. There were other italian formtations in Greece as well. What I can find out is that the Italian Infantry Division Firenze was "broken up" and sent in various pieces to be used as garrison troops and sent to numerous places. Part of the Operation as I understand it was to neutralize the Italian garrisonn while other units stopped any reinforcements from arriving either by road or rail. Two sources I found indicate that one of the reinforcement units was a CCNN or Blackshirt Legion. This eliminates a few divisions because not all had blackshirt units assigned to them although they were supposed to. Both the Piedmonte and the Pinerolo had blackshirt legions and so did the Modena. Now the "Broken up" division I spoke of Firenze also had a Blackshirt Legion but it had been sent to help the Germans combat partisans in Yugoslavia. IF the sources are correct, and Blackshirts WERE the Reinforcements that were sent by road then the unit is highly likely to be one of the three I mentioned, ie, the ones that had blackshirt legions. What screws this up a bit is that one source reports that the reinforcements that came by rail were Alpini troops. The 11th Army possessed no Alpine troops. (officially anyway). But its unlikely that they were in fact Alpine troops. I believe it was a mistake. The TRUE reinforcments the source refers to were troops of the Modena Division which was "officially" a Mountain Division.The source mistakes "Mountain infantry" for "Alpini" troops both of which had similar functions.Modena also contained A Blackshirt Legion The "Cristoforo Colombo" Legion. Its therefore (until I can consult a Greek friend of mine) my belief that the Italian troops that directly opposed the SOE operation were POSSIBLY a garrison unit from "Firenze" or a unit from "Modena" assigned to garrison duty and that the reinforcements QUITE PROBABLY came from the Modena DIvision. I hope this helps more thna it confuses you.
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Re: Italian units in Greece
Thank you very much, Messe62, that was quite helpful. I've never found anything in English that was even that precise. I look forward to hearing if your friend has even more specifics.Messe62 wrote:I hope this helps more than it confuses you.
Re: Italian units in Greece
I can direct you to my sources. And please remember I did the best I could with the available info...its not a guarentee i made a couple reasonable assumptions.
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Re: Italian units in Greece
there was also a locally-raised auxiliary unit «Roman Legion» from Vlachs of Thessaly (Latin/Aromanian cultural group)
Re: Italian units in Greece
Guys, did the Italian divisions mentioned remain in Greece (except for the one sent to Yugoslavia) until the German pull-out, or were they sent elsewhere? Besides garrison duty, did they see action in Greece or participate in any anti-resistance sweeps there?
Re: Italian units in Greece
Many Italian units that were on Garrison duty stayed there until the September 8th surrender. Then? it got real ugly. A lot of Italian units were ruthlessly disarmed and the Italian soldiers shipped off to Germany as factory labor or to become POWs. Others? got off lightly when they joined the Germans and continued to fight. Some like the Acqui Division were massacred to a man by the Germans. Others offered the Germans resistance and some units simply melted away actually joining the partisans. Anti Partisan Sweeps?....Although not easy to believe perhaps or relatively unknown is the fact that the Italians commited MANY MANY acts of extreme brutality in Both Greece and Yugoslavia. Italian troops made many anti guerrila sweeps and conducted an agressive "Anti-partisan" war, thier actions rivaling thier allies the Germans. They deported hundreds of thousands, established concentration camps, conducted massacres and were extremely brutal at times. In Greece? The Domenikon Massacre comes to my mind first off but there were many many others. A number of former Italian leaders were put on trial and executed by the allies for war crimes but in general the Italians got off easy ans the Post war Italian govt refused to extradite accused criminals to either Greece or Yugoslavia.
Re: Italian units in Greece
Every italian division have an organic CCNN Legion of size of a Regiment ( in theory).
tHe Vlach Legion was in Pindus area from local Arumenians , but has very few members and served on platoon level like scouts to italian units.
There where also some small units of etnic Macedonians armed by italians to fight partisans
tHe Vlach Legion was in Pindus area from local Arumenians , but has very few members and served on platoon level like scouts to italian units.
There where also some small units of etnic Macedonians armed by italians to fight partisans
Re: Italian units in Greece
Dont' forgot the Dodecaneso garrison with the Regina division . These 12 islands is a de facto italian colony from 1912 and have also navy, air force units and a Carabinieri Legion (Mp- gendarmerie) , a Guardia di Finanza Legion( excise guards) and a CCNN legion " Conte Verde" raised from local italians and some indigenus Carabinieri called " Carabinieri di Rodi e Castelrosso".
Re: Italian units in Greece
Thank you Messe62. Somehow this theatre of thecwar is overlooked, especially the role and fate of Il Duce's glorious army there.