50. Special Brigade of 1. Infantry Division Superga

[Marcus]

Does anyone have any information on the structure of the 50. Special Brigade of the 1. Infantry Division Superga?

I received the below in an email:

This force designated '50 Special Brigade' consisted of 6th Infantry Battalion, 557th Semovente Group, (75/18 Assault Guns), and the 15th Armoured Battalion from the Centauro Armoured Division plus 3 Artillery battalions.

or

6th Infantry Regiment

and

3rd Artillery Group?

/Marcus

[Dili]

Brigades are not part of Divisions in Italian Army of WW2.

The L Brigade Speciale sometimes called Brigate Imperiali due to its commander General Giovanni Imperiali was not part of Superga, it was an ad-hoc unit:

I have found this, but the situation in Tunisia was fluid and subunits changed often.
http://www.comandosupremo.com/forums/to ... paign-oob/


Edit: Brigades are rare units in Regio Esercito of WW2, they are units build for a specific situation.

[jwsleser]

Marcus

Dili has hit the main points. This was an independent unit. Three independent brigades were planned (L, LI, and LII). L was in A.S., LI was on Crete, and I haven't found any data on LII.

Most of the information below is from Il XXX corpo d'armata italiano in Tunisia pages 19-20 and various maps),

The organization below was the planned organization of the brigade in November 42. It was formed using existing units either scheduled to go to A.S. or already present. It took units previously assigned to other units.

L brigata speciale

un sezione carabinieri
10° bis compagnia motorciclisti
Raggruppamento esplorante corzzato « Lodi » (already in A.S. and wouldn't link-up until February)
XV battaglione carri M 41
DLVII gruppo di batterie semoventi da 75 (originally scheduled for the divisione corazzato « Centauro »)
Gruppo di batteria motorizzate da 75/18
233° compagnia mista del genio (originally scheduled for the divisione corazzato « Littorio »)
Sezione sanità
Sezione sussistenza
Autoriporto con autofficina e squadra carburanti

Of course, war is hell. on 26 December the brigade was organized (carta 6):

L brigata speciale

Coastal Sector:
Comando, 91° reggimento fanteria
I e II btg, e 12 cp. 91° rgt. ftr.
5° and 7° compagnia, 92°rgt. ftr.
XXIV btg. del 5° bersaglieri
5° cp. motorciclisti del 5° bersaglieri
1° btr. 5° art. div. ftr.
1° btr. semoventi DLVII gruppo
btg. marinia Grado
2 btgs. 47° PzGren
4 German batteries

Sfax Sector:

II btg. 92° rgt. ftr. (without the 5° and 7° cp.)
10° bis compagnia motorciclisti
2° cp del I btg. controcarri (being reconstituted).
XV battaglione carri M 41
DLVII gruppo di batterie semoventi da 75 (without one battery)

Gábes Sector

Raggruppamento esplorante corzzato « Lodi »
334° gr. celere (fast grenadier) Battalion)(German)

You can go through several other changes, including the one in the link Dili provided. Because the brigade was merely a headquarters and didn't have any organic units, it was restructured as needed.

Pista! Jeff

[Marcus]

Thanks to both of you.

/Marcus