3 Mountain Infantry Division Ravenna

3rd Mountain Infantry Division
Active 1939–1943
Country Regno d'Italia
Kingdom of Italy
Branch Regio Esercito
Royal Italian Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Garrison/HQ Ravenna, Italy
Engagements World War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Edoardo Nebbia
Insignia
Ravenna Division collar insignia

The 3rd Mountain Infantry Division (Ravenna) was a mountain infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Ravenna Division was mobilized for war in October 1939. They were part of the Italian III Corps, First Army during the Italian invasion of France.[1] They also took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia as part of the Italian XI Corps.[2] The division was one of the twelve divisions that served on the Eastern Front as part of the Italian Army in Russia. The division was destroyed in Operation Little Saturn, the Red Army's offensive operation which consisted of a pincer movement which threatened to cut off the forces attempting to reach Stalingrad. The 1st Guards Army and the 3rd Guards Army attacked from the north, encircling 130,000 soldiers of the Italian 8th Army on the Don and advancing to Millerovo. The division was reforming in Italy, when Italy surrendered in September 1943, it then surrendered to the Germans.[3] Mountain divisions are not to be confused with the "Alpini" specialized mountain troops. The mountain divisions had pack horse artillery instead of the usual towed type.

Contents

Commander

Edoardo Nebbia[4]

Order of battle

Notes

  1. ^ An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two companies), an Anti Tank Company, a Blackshirt Legion (Regiment of two Battalions). Each Division had only about 7,000 men, The Infantry and Artillery Regiments contained 1,650 men, the Blackshirt Legion 1,200, each company 150 men. [5]

References

  1. ^ Jowett, Philip S. The Italian Army 1940–45 (1): Europe 1940–1943. Osprey, Oxford – New York, 2000, pp. 5–6, ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8
  2. ^ "Invasion of Yugoslavia (6 April, 1941". Commando Supremo. http://www.comandosupremo.com/Yugoslavia.html. Retrieved 2009-04-13. 
  3. ^ a b Wendal, Marcus. "Italian Army". Axis History. http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=8581. Retrieved 2009-04-13. 
  4. ^ Mulholland, John. "Axis Order of Battle 10 June 1940 – The Italian Invasion of France". Axis History. http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=6466. Retrieved 2009-04-13. 
  5. ^ Paoletti, p 170