RSI's armoured units?

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Junio
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Location: Minsk, Belarus
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RSI's armoured units?

#1

Post by Junio » 12 Aug 2003, 23:48

It is known, that main RSI's armoured departments were Gruppo Squadr. Cor. Leoncello, Gruppo Squadr. Cor. San Giusto and Gruppo Cor. Leonessa (GNR). But practically it is not known about their battle actions. It would be interesting to know about similar things.
What were the results of fights? Is there an information on losses? Against whom they order (mainly) battle actions - allies or partisans?

Best wishes,

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GLADIVM
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Joined: 08 Aug 2002, 05:17
Location: Italy and Asia

#2

Post by GLADIVM » 14 Aug 2003, 08:44

Dear Junio ,

the GNR Gruppo Corazzato Leonessa activity was mostly against partisans but at war's end , 28 April , some of their tanks battled against the americans at Piacenza gates , near San Lazzaro and were able to hold down and even repulse for a time the americans troops .

Leonessa even took some prisoners and in the fight were helped by some elements of the Italian Waffen SS "Debica " battalion stationed in and near Piacenza .

An account of the action and a full story of Leonessa can be found in the below link , unfortunately this interesting site is only in Italian but if you cannot read at least can appreciate the enclosed pictures

Yours

GLADIVM






http://www.italia-rsi.org/farsignr/fars ... index9.htm


Stefano
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Gruppo squadroni corazzati San Giusto

#3

Post by Stefano » 14 Aug 2003, 09:27

The San Giusto tank group was based in Mariano del Friuli (near Gorizia) from late 1943 to the end of the war, it was under German command and was mainly employed for convoy escorts and against the partisans in the area. It had ca. 20-30 tanks and armoured cars, many of which were L3 light tanks, but also a few M medium tanks and Semoventi.
It surrendered to the partisans and (apparently) partly to the Allies in early May 1945.
More in my book "Panzer units in the Operationszone Adriatisches Küstenland (OZAK) 1943 - 1945", see website http://www.panzer-ozak.it
I have also written an article on the German tanks units in the OZAK and Gruppo San Giusto (with some pictures of San Giusto tanks) for the nr. 2 issue of the Italian magazine "Guerra Civile" which will come out next month, see website http://www.guerracivile.it
Stefano

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