40 Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa

40 Infantry Division Cacciatori d’Africa
Active 10 June 1940 – 19 May 1941
Country Italy
Branch Italian Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Nickname Cacciatori d’Africa
Engagements World War II
East African Campaign
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 General Giovanni Varda

The 40 Infantry Division "Hunters of Africa" (Italian: 'Cacciatori d’Africa) was an infantry division of the Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito Italiano) during World War II.

Contents

History

The Cacciatori d’Africa was formed in Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana, or AOI) and took part in the East African Campaign. The division, together with the 65 Infantry Division "Grenadiers of Savoy" (Granatieri di Savoia), was under the overall command of the Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta, who was the Viceroy and Governor-General of AOI. The Cacciatori d’Africa first saw action sometime in late March 1941 after the Italian defeat at the Battle of Keren but it too, couldn't turn back the British advance into AOI. The Cacciatori d’Africa laid down their arms on 19 May 1941. A handful of men refused to be POWs and waged a guerrilla war against the British in AOI. On 31 October 1943, the remaining Italian guerrillas in AOI stopped harassing the British.

Commander

General Giovanni Varda

Order of battle

Notes

Footnotes
  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 of two Battalions was sometimes attached. 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. [1]
Citations
  1. ^ Paoletti, p 170
  2. ^ "Royal Italian Army". World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations. http://niehorster.orbat.com/019_italy/40_organ/div_inf_40.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-23.