15th Infantry Division Bergamo

15th Infantry Division Bergamo
Active 1937–1943
Country Italy Regno d'Italia
Kingdom of Italy
Branch Regio Esercito
Royal Italian Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Nickname Bergamo
Engagements World War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 General Pietro Belletti
Insignia
Identification
symbol
Identification
symbol		 Bergamo Division collar insignia

The 15th Infantry Division Bergamo was an infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Bergamo division was part of the Italian V Corps that took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia.[1] After the invasion it was stationed in Dalmatia. After the Italian surrender in September 1943, it resisted the German forces but was defeated and members of the division were executed by order of the German XV Mountain Corps, others evaded capture and joined the Yugoslav Partisans.[2]

Operation Alba

The Bergamo Division took part in Operation Alba which was an anti Partisan operations in Croatia carried out on the 12 August to he 2 September 1942, to destroy partisan groups in the Biokovo area 40 to 50 kilometres east of Split. Italian forces burned down 10 villages and killed and arrested several hundred people.[3][4]

XV Mountain Corps war diary

Daily Report from Commander in Chief Southeast (Army Group F)

9/27/1943, Banja Luka - 0700 hours SS Division and 92d Motorized Regiment approached Split.
0800 hours reached northern edge of Split.
0900 hours city and port of Split occupied against local resistance. 202 Italian officers and 9000 men captured. Italian officers are to be shot to death according to Fuehrer orders. Commanding General has caused investigation to ascertain guilty officers.
9/28/1943, :At Split 300 Italian officers and 9000 men of the "Bergamo" Division were taken prisoners. Treatment in compliance with Fuehrer order has been initiated.
9/30/1943, Banja Luka - Three generals in Split shot to death by virtue of summary court martial.
10/1/1943, Banja Luka - 45 additional guilty officers (Italian) shot to death by virtue of summary court martial in Split.[5]

Commander

General Pietro Belletti

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.[6]
Citations
  1. ↑ Solitario, Lupo. "Invasion of Yugoslavia (6 April 1941)". Commando Supremo. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wendal, Marcus. "Italian Army". Axis History. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  3. ↑ Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.323
  4. ↑ Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, 2 Vols (Belgrade: 1965), p.298
  5. ↑ Document NOKW-1354, Prosecution Exhibit 447: Extracts of Daily Reports from Commander in Chief Southeast, 9/19-28/1943, to Operations Section, OKH: Extract of 9/28/1943", in Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals Under Control Council Law No. 10. Vol. 11: United States of America v. Wilhelm List, et al. (Case 7: 'Hostage Case'). US Government Printing Office, District of Columbia: 1950. pp. 1085-1086:
  6. ↑ Paoletti, p 170