Italian Units in The Balkins, Fighting After September 8th
From german documents
Reports of HQ 21.Mountain Army Corps to HQ 2nd Panzer army about Black shirt legion units in Crna Gora region /Montenegro/-01.mart.1944
Stab.72.legion in Podgorica 15 Oficiers/190 Soldiers
72. batalion in Danilovgrad 18/355
111.batalion in Niksic 14/295
Stab.86.legion in Bar 9/115
86.batalion in Rijeka Crnojevica 18/350
82.batalion "Musolini" in Budva 11/490
144.batalion in Cetinje 12/120
1.comp. 33 batalion in Podgorica 6/53
1.comp.81 batalion in Podgorica 11/110
94.batalion in Bar 16/390
From order of 21. army corps /26.mart 1944/ 72. and 86. batalion disband. Soldiers and nco send to 31. and 81. batalion in other region. Oficiers send to Durchgangslager 172/transit prisoner camp/ in Zemun
Stab.72.legion in Podgorica 15 Oficiers/190 Soldiers
72. batalion in Danilovgrad 18/355
111.batalion in Niksic 14/295
Stab.86.legion in Bar 9/115
86.batalion in Rijeka Crnojevica 18/350
82.batalion "Musolini" in Budva 11/490
144.batalion in Cetinje 12/120
1.comp. 33 batalion in Podgorica 6/53
1.comp.81 batalion in Podgorica 11/110
94.batalion in Bar 16/390
From order of 21. army corps /26.mart 1944/ 72. and 86. batalion disband. Soldiers and nco send to 31. and 81. batalion in other region. Oficiers send to Durchgangslager 172/transit prisoner camp/ in Zemun
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Following are oficial sources of UNC-RSI (National fighters Association of the RSI) the today vet.association of RSI..... Some are extracted from their tri-monthly magazine ''La Legione'',in particular an article of Ezio Arcense ''Genesis of RSI Armed Forces''(1988).
From these sources 180 000 italians blackshirts and regular soldiers denied to change side on september 1943.
In fact (a little known fact) the first act of war of the RSI troops happened even before the forming of the RSI - and being Mussolini always jailed in Gran Sasso - : In the night from 8th to 9th September 1943,the italian blackshirts FLAK battery of ''centurione'' Alfonso Amerio openned fire against allied aircrafts who believed to fly over a technically ''allied'' territory.
DENIED THE ARMISTICE IN THE BALKANS :
Ljubljana zone : the blackshirts (bl.s) division ''XXI Aprile'' ounder general Niccolo Nicchiarelli,composed by :
- 2nd Assault Legion
- 98th Assault Legion,
- 105th Assault Legion,
- 71th Assault batallion,
- 4th Assault Mountain Batallion.
Plevlja zone : 10 th Blackshirts Group of ''console'' Palmieri with:
- 53th batallion,
- 162th batallion.
Ragusa zone: the 49th bl-s. Assault Legion with:
- 49th ''Venezia'' batallion,
- 40th ''Verona'' batallion, and also the sailors of the Navy offices...
Montenegro zone: the 72th bl-s. Assault Legion of ''console'' Bruno Calzolari and the regular army 31th armoured bat. who joined an SS division... more on this unit later....
Gorizia zone: the ''Conegliano'' Group of army major Giuseppe Monzani (they belonged to the ''Julia'' mountain division).
Udine zone : army colonel Ermacora Zuliani formed the ''alpini'' (mountain) rgt. ''Tagliamento'' ( not to be confused with the blackshirts Legion of same name ... who will be a RSI unit ,too) with soldiers loyal to the Axis.
Fiume (Rijeka) zone: the ''Monte Nevoso'' bl-s.Legion of the Border Militia ounder bl-s.general Gastone Gambara along with the bl-s.Legion ''Carnaro''.
Istria zone : Navy fregate captain Libero Sauro called all italian civilians to arm themselves and join him... At Pisino,Lt lino Gherbetti tried to convince his men not to change side,he was arrested by his colonel who delivered him to Tito's partisans who executed him...
In Greece : army major Carlo Migliavacca refused to change side and fought back immediately with most of his men.Killed in action by december 43 along with military chaplain Don Cleto Parodi.
- Lt-col. Armando Farinacci stayed loyal with most of his alpine batallions ''Exilles'' and ''Fenestrelle''.
- col. Umberto Manfredini with most of the alpine batallions ''Val Leogra'' and ''Val Pescara'' and the mountain artillery kampfgruppe ''Valle Isonzo'' of captain Giuseppe Anzil.
Rhodes Island: Lt-col. Ferdinando Mittino and his troops kept the island for the Axis untill May 1945....
Cyclad Island: Col.Luigi Gino stayed loyal with all his 7th Infantry Rgt.''Cuneo''...
In Bulgaria : The 8th( or 3rd ?) Grenadier Rgt wich was there as representing the italian army at the burial of King Boris,stayed loyal...
For the Navy : 5 submarines who were based in Rumania kept fighting for the Axis.
ITALIAN UNITS WHO JOINED THE WAFFEN-SS :
- In Croatia the 31th armoured bat. and hundreds of men from army division ''Lombardia '' joined the 11th SS Pzgr.div.''Nordland'' who was forming there... The small tanks of the 31th were integrated with their crew within the Nordland's Panzerabteilung.When the division was sent to Rusia,those men were transfered to the SS italian brigade...
(Not the tanks....In 1945 they equiped the 505th SS Panzerabteilung -where they were nicknamed ''Badoglio Panzers''- an organic reserve of the V.SS Gebirgskorps of Obergruppenfuehrer Kruger, on the Oder Front...)
- In Serbia ,one army engineer batallion joined the 7th SS ''Prinz Eugen''
and stayed with them...Never transferred to the 29th SS italian.
- In Greece,a blackshirt company ''L'Aquila'' (strenght 180 men ) and some army artilleers joined the 4th SS Pzgr.div.''Polizei''.They formed most of the 2nd Co of the medical batallion of this division and others served within his 7th SS panzergrenadierregiment ....never transfered to the 29th SS italian.
In all case these men fought at first ounder their italian uniforms and ,some weeks later, were SS uniformed and considered full SS volunteers,not Hiwis.
By the way,Andy, the San Marco was a Marine Infantry Regiment,later to be a division and part of the X Mas.... The ''legion'' term was reserved for blackshirts units.... and i don't know if he was in the Balkans at this time (sept.43)....
I don't know if this research is exhaustive but it will give you a good starting point...
From these sources 180 000 italians blackshirts and regular soldiers denied to change side on september 1943.
In fact (a little known fact) the first act of war of the RSI troops happened even before the forming of the RSI - and being Mussolini always jailed in Gran Sasso - : In the night from 8th to 9th September 1943,the italian blackshirts FLAK battery of ''centurione'' Alfonso Amerio openned fire against allied aircrafts who believed to fly over a technically ''allied'' territory.
DENIED THE ARMISTICE IN THE BALKANS :
Ljubljana zone : the blackshirts (bl.s) division ''XXI Aprile'' ounder general Niccolo Nicchiarelli,composed by :
- 2nd Assault Legion
- 98th Assault Legion,
- 105th Assault Legion,
- 71th Assault batallion,
- 4th Assault Mountain Batallion.
Plevlja zone : 10 th Blackshirts Group of ''console'' Palmieri with:
- 53th batallion,
- 162th batallion.
Ragusa zone: the 49th bl-s. Assault Legion with:
- 49th ''Venezia'' batallion,
- 40th ''Verona'' batallion, and also the sailors of the Navy offices...
Montenegro zone: the 72th bl-s. Assault Legion of ''console'' Bruno Calzolari and the regular army 31th armoured bat. who joined an SS division... more on this unit later....
Gorizia zone: the ''Conegliano'' Group of army major Giuseppe Monzani (they belonged to the ''Julia'' mountain division).
Udine zone : army colonel Ermacora Zuliani formed the ''alpini'' (mountain) rgt. ''Tagliamento'' ( not to be confused with the blackshirts Legion of same name ... who will be a RSI unit ,too) with soldiers loyal to the Axis.
Fiume (Rijeka) zone: the ''Monte Nevoso'' bl-s.Legion of the Border Militia ounder bl-s.general Gastone Gambara along with the bl-s.Legion ''Carnaro''.
Istria zone : Navy fregate captain Libero Sauro called all italian civilians to arm themselves and join him... At Pisino,Lt lino Gherbetti tried to convince his men not to change side,he was arrested by his colonel who delivered him to Tito's partisans who executed him...
In Greece : army major Carlo Migliavacca refused to change side and fought back immediately with most of his men.Killed in action by december 43 along with military chaplain Don Cleto Parodi.
- Lt-col. Armando Farinacci stayed loyal with most of his alpine batallions ''Exilles'' and ''Fenestrelle''.
- col. Umberto Manfredini with most of the alpine batallions ''Val Leogra'' and ''Val Pescara'' and the mountain artillery kampfgruppe ''Valle Isonzo'' of captain Giuseppe Anzil.
Rhodes Island: Lt-col. Ferdinando Mittino and his troops kept the island for the Axis untill May 1945....
Cyclad Island: Col.Luigi Gino stayed loyal with all his 7th Infantry Rgt.''Cuneo''...
In Bulgaria : The 8th( or 3rd ?) Grenadier Rgt wich was there as representing the italian army at the burial of King Boris,stayed loyal...
For the Navy : 5 submarines who were based in Rumania kept fighting for the Axis.
ITALIAN UNITS WHO JOINED THE WAFFEN-SS :
- In Croatia the 31th armoured bat. and hundreds of men from army division ''Lombardia '' joined the 11th SS Pzgr.div.''Nordland'' who was forming there... The small tanks of the 31th were integrated with their crew within the Nordland's Panzerabteilung.When the division was sent to Rusia,those men were transfered to the SS italian brigade...
(Not the tanks....In 1945 they equiped the 505th SS Panzerabteilung -where they were nicknamed ''Badoglio Panzers''- an organic reserve of the V.SS Gebirgskorps of Obergruppenfuehrer Kruger, on the Oder Front...)
- In Serbia ,one army engineer batallion joined the 7th SS ''Prinz Eugen''
and stayed with them...Never transferred to the 29th SS italian.
- In Greece,a blackshirt company ''L'Aquila'' (strenght 180 men ) and some army artilleers joined the 4th SS Pzgr.div.''Polizei''.They formed most of the 2nd Co of the medical batallion of this division and others served within his 7th SS panzergrenadierregiment ....never transfered to the 29th SS italian.
In all case these men fought at first ounder their italian uniforms and ,some weeks later, were SS uniformed and considered full SS volunteers,not Hiwis.
By the way,Andy, the San Marco was a Marine Infantry Regiment,later to be a division and part of the X Mas.... The ''legion'' term was reserved for blackshirts units.... and i don't know if he was in the Balkans at this time (sept.43)....
I don't know if this research is exhaustive but it will give you a good starting point...
For what concerns "S.Marco" Navy Infantry Regiment its Battallions were usually displayed singularly and saw action almost everywhere during the war... from Tobruk, to Tunisia, to Corsica. A "S.Marco" battallion was surprised by the armistice in China! Precisely in the Italian concession of Tien-Tsin, near Beijing. It stipulated a particular agreement with the Japanense, and as other italian forces in the area reached the end of the war through compromise.
For the other Batt.s dislocated in various italian regions, their reaction was different and varied from resistance to germans, to surrender, to refusal of the armistice.In southern Italy “San Marco” continued to exist and fought with the Italian Royal Army aside to the Allies. While elements who decided to continue the war with RSI usually entered individually X MAS or other formations.
We must though not confuse “S.Marco” REGIMENT with "S.Marco" DIVISION which was a different thing Ostuf Charlemagne, and which was NOT part of X MAS.
In fact in 1944 RSI created 4 land units with new recruits, trained in Germany and then brought back to Italy, those were:
1^Divisione bersaglieri "ITALIA", trained in Heuberg (Wurtemberg).(14,000 men).
2^Divisione granatieri "LITTORIO", trained in Senne (Turingen). (17,000 men).
3^Divisione fanteria di marina "S.MARCO", trained in Grafenwohr (Saxony). (16,000 men).
4^Divisione alpina "MONTEROSA", trained in Munzighen (Baden). (20,000 men).
This 3rd division is the “SAN MARCO” we speak about when we deal with RSI..
For what concerns Rhodes it results to me that the italian Regiment you mention was formed only after the fightings between the german Sturm Division "RHODOS" and italian forces of the island, mainly formed by the Infantry Division "REGINA". In fact after 3 days of fighting Admiral Campioni (commander in chief of italian forces in Rhodes) surrendered to german forces the 11 of september, and only then a new unit made up with italian military who refused the armistice was formed with german support and counted 1,500 men circa on the around 15,000 italian prisoners took in Rhodes.
Ciao, Folgore.
For the other Batt.s dislocated in various italian regions, their reaction was different and varied from resistance to germans, to surrender, to refusal of the armistice.In southern Italy “San Marco” continued to exist and fought with the Italian Royal Army aside to the Allies. While elements who decided to continue the war with RSI usually entered individually X MAS or other formations.
We must though not confuse “S.Marco” REGIMENT with "S.Marco" DIVISION which was a different thing Ostuf Charlemagne, and which was NOT part of X MAS.
In fact in 1944 RSI created 4 land units with new recruits, trained in Germany and then brought back to Italy, those were:
1^Divisione bersaglieri "ITALIA", trained in Heuberg (Wurtemberg).(14,000 men).
2^Divisione granatieri "LITTORIO", trained in Senne (Turingen). (17,000 men).
3^Divisione fanteria di marina "S.MARCO", trained in Grafenwohr (Saxony). (16,000 men).
4^Divisione alpina "MONTEROSA", trained in Munzighen (Baden). (20,000 men).
This 3rd division is the “SAN MARCO” we speak about when we deal with RSI..
For what concerns Rhodes it results to me that the italian Regiment you mention was formed only after the fightings between the german Sturm Division "RHODOS" and italian forces of the island, mainly formed by the Infantry Division "REGINA". In fact after 3 days of fighting Admiral Campioni (commander in chief of italian forces in Rhodes) surrendered to german forces the 11 of september, and only then a new unit made up with italian military who refused the armistice was formed with german support and counted 1,500 men circa on the around 15,000 italian prisoners took in Rhodes.
Ciao, Folgore.
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''Como Folgore da cielo,canta il motto della gloria...''
OK,Camerata, thanks a lot for the info about the situation in Rhodes and very interesting fact about the San Marco bat. in China,that i didn't know...
i know some units of italian RSI navy manned some ships along with japaneese crew,but i didn't ounderstand how.... must be from the same provenance.
Since you are italian ,you must know better....but,i have picture showing guys of the 3rd San Marco Division wearing the mostrine of the San Marco
AND the Decima MAS shield on the arm... i will scann one or two tomorrow.So i keep thinking the San Marco was ,at last administratively,integrated ounder the Decima, even if he fought indepently of them.
See you tomorrow, Salute Romano !
OK,Camerata, thanks a lot for the info about the situation in Rhodes and very interesting fact about the San Marco bat. in China,that i didn't know...
i know some units of italian RSI navy manned some ships along with japaneese crew,but i didn't ounderstand how.... must be from the same provenance.
Since you are italian ,you must know better....but,i have picture showing guys of the 3rd San Marco Division wearing the mostrine of the San Marco
AND the Decima MAS shield on the arm... i will scann one or two tomorrow.So i keep thinking the San Marco was ,at last administratively,integrated ounder the Decima, even if he fought indepently of them.
See you tomorrow, Salute Romano !
Ave Ostuf! In fact it’s easy to get confused since the mostrine were in some cases the same or at least similar. Moreover the black & white pictures don’t help us to distinguish the colours which often were the only difference.
Decima Mas units used TWO different mostrine :
1) Lion of Venice plus RSI gladium and leaves (which replaced the Regio Esercito stars), used by its official navy infantry.
2) Anchor plus gladium and leaves, used by sea and special units, autonomous navy infantry units and its artillery.
For a total of FOUR colors: White, Yellow, Red, Blue.
-White (with Anchor plus gladium): Sea and special units.
-Yellow ( with Anchor plus gladium): Artillery
-Blue (with Anchor plus gladium): Autonomous infantry
-Red ( with Lion of Venice plus gladium): Navy Infantry..
Plus Decima military wore their Decima’s shield on the arm.
Now the four RSI infantry divisions trained in Germany wore mostrine with only gladium and leaves on them. With the exception of S.Marco Navy Infantry Division which wore also the Lion of Venice on red mostrine. (Which made its mostrine identical to Decima’s ordinary navy infantry ones).
Now, when the S.Marco Division came back from Germany in July 1944 it was ordered to all Decima’s Navy Infantry Battallions to change the color of their mostrine from red to blue, as the ones of Decima’s autonomous infantry units. In this case the difference between Decima’s ordinary and autonomous infantry remained just the Lion in place of the Anchor, both on blue mostrine.
Now it happened that all the ordinary Battallions passed to blue mostrine except for “Barbarigo”, which, veteran of Anzio and of Rome defense, refused to abandon its colours. So the similarity between this only battallion and S.Marco Division was total in the mosrtine, while obviously “Barbarigo”’s men also wore Decima’s shield on their arm.
Wearing the read mostrine with lion was indeed considered prestigious because those were the traditional symbols of italian navy infantry…. S.Marco Division had this privileg because it carried the name of the old regiment and because it was an official RSI unit, while Decima was more a Freecorp, often in contrast with Salò government…. But this is another story.
I hope it is clear now… to me it was clearer before re-reading my post…
Folgore!!!
P.S. Just to keep a link with the post topic: Decimas’ units also fought in the Balkans against Tito’s partisans, principally in areas corresponding to modern Slovenia and Croatia, and its also thanks to this units that the cities of Trieste and especially Gorizia remained Italian.
Decima Mas units used TWO different mostrine :
1) Lion of Venice plus RSI gladium and leaves (which replaced the Regio Esercito stars), used by its official navy infantry.
2) Anchor plus gladium and leaves, used by sea and special units, autonomous navy infantry units and its artillery.
For a total of FOUR colors: White, Yellow, Red, Blue.
-White (with Anchor plus gladium): Sea and special units.
-Yellow ( with Anchor plus gladium): Artillery
-Blue (with Anchor plus gladium): Autonomous infantry
-Red ( with Lion of Venice plus gladium): Navy Infantry..
Plus Decima military wore their Decima’s shield on the arm.
Now the four RSI infantry divisions trained in Germany wore mostrine with only gladium and leaves on them. With the exception of S.Marco Navy Infantry Division which wore also the Lion of Venice on red mostrine. (Which made its mostrine identical to Decima’s ordinary navy infantry ones).
Now, when the S.Marco Division came back from Germany in July 1944 it was ordered to all Decima’s Navy Infantry Battallions to change the color of their mostrine from red to blue, as the ones of Decima’s autonomous infantry units. In this case the difference between Decima’s ordinary and autonomous infantry remained just the Lion in place of the Anchor, both on blue mostrine.
Now it happened that all the ordinary Battallions passed to blue mostrine except for “Barbarigo”, which, veteran of Anzio and of Rome defense, refused to abandon its colours. So the similarity between this only battallion and S.Marco Division was total in the mosrtine, while obviously “Barbarigo”’s men also wore Decima’s shield on their arm.
Wearing the read mostrine with lion was indeed considered prestigious because those were the traditional symbols of italian navy infantry…. S.Marco Division had this privileg because it carried the name of the old regiment and because it was an official RSI unit, while Decima was more a Freecorp, often in contrast with Salò government…. But this is another story.
I hope it is clear now… to me it was clearer before re-reading my post…
Folgore!!!
P.S. Just to keep a link with the post topic: Decimas’ units also fought in the Balkans against Tito’s partisans, principally in areas corresponding to modern Slovenia and Croatia, and its also thanks to this units that the cities of Trieste and especially Gorizia remained Italian.
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Ave Folgore ! Who don't know the prince Borghese ?
Well,sure of my point,i was going to scann the following picture,(being sure they were San Marco belonging to the X,'cause their mostrini and the arm shield),wich i do anyway,but i guess you are 100 % right....
Tarnova ,Gorizia...that was the X Mas bataglione ''Fulmine'' and his 3rd company ''Voluntari di Francia'' formed at the Betasom with italians residing in France....the remains of 6 of them,prisonners decapitated by the titists in the Tarnova battle,where devolved by the slovenians in 1992 and buried in a military cemetery in Gorizia....i know my classics !
salute Romano !
By the way,i'm interested to know how is going the MSI-Fiamma Tricolore of Pino Rauti,by now.... can you p.m. me ?
Well,sure of my point,i was going to scann the following picture,(being sure they were San Marco belonging to the X,'cause their mostrini and the arm shield),wich i do anyway,but i guess you are 100 % right....
Tarnova ,Gorizia...that was the X Mas bataglione ''Fulmine'' and his 3rd company ''Voluntari di Francia'' formed at the Betasom with italians residing in France....the remains of 6 of them,prisonners decapitated by the titists in the Tarnova battle,where devolved by the slovenians in 1992 and buried in a military cemetery in Gorizia....i know my classics !
salute Romano !
By the way,i'm interested to know how is going the MSI-Fiamma Tricolore of Pino Rauti,by now.... can you p.m. me ?
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