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18th Infantry Division "Messina"

January 01, 1970

The 18th Infantry Division "Messina" (Italian: 18ª Divisione di fanteria "Messina") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Messina was named for the city of Messina and based primarily in the Marche region, where it also recruited most of its troops. The division's headquarter and 93rd Infantry Regiment were based in Ancona, the 94th Infantry Regiment in Fano, and the 2nd Artillery Regiment in Pesaro.[1][2]

18th Infantry Division "Messina"
18th Infantry Division "Messina" insignia
Active1937–1943
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQAncona
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		General Guglielmo Spicacci
Insignia
Identification
symbol
Messina Division gorget patches

History edit

The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Messina" established in Gaeta on 1 November 1884 with the 93rd and 94th infantry regiments.[3]

World War I edit

The brigade fought on the Italian front in World War I. On 30 September 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XVIII Infantry Brigade and on 6 November of the same year received the 157th Infantry Regiment "Liguria" from the disbanded Brigade "Liguria". The brigade was the infantry component of the 18th Territorial Division of Ancona, which also included the 2nd Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 18th Infantry Division "Metauro".[1][4][5]

Second Italo-Ethiopian War edit

In preparation for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War the division was mobilized on 27 September 1935 with the 93rd and 157th infantry regiments and the 2nd Artillery Regiment and shipped to Libya. On 15 November the division returned to its base in Ancona and demobilized.[1]

In October 1937 the 157th Infantry Regiment "Liguria" left the division and moved to Libya to join the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene". On 1 March 1938 the division raised the 226th Infantry Regiment "Arezzo" in Macerata as replacement for the 157th Infantry Regiment "Liguria".[1]

World War II edit

 
Coat of Arms of the 93rd Infantry Regiment "Messina", 1939
 
Coat of Arms of the 94th Infantry Regiment "Messina", 1939

On 24 May 1939 the division ceded 226th Infantry Regiment "Arezzo" to the newly activated 53rd Infantry Division "Arezzo". On the same day the division took its traditional name "Messina", dissolved the XVIII Infantry Brigade, with the two remaining infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division, and the 2nd Artillery Regiment was given the name "Messina".[1]

Invasion of Yugoslavia edit

The Messina did not participate in the invasion of France in June 1940 and remained at its bases in the Marche region. On 3 April 1941 the division arrived in Albania and moved to positions between Shkodër and Drisht in the North of the country for the upcoming invasion of Yugoslavia. On 12–13 April 1941 the division skirmished with Yugoslavian forces along Mount Tarabosh on the western side of Lake Skadar. On 15 April the Italian XVII Army Corps with the Messina, 32nd Infantry Division "Marche", and 131st Armored Division "Centauro" crossed the Yugoslav border and moved towards Bar in Montenegro, which was taken on 16 April. On 17 April 1941, the Messina captured Cetinje and Kotor, where much of the Royal Yugoslav Navy was at bay. The Messina then advanced to Podgorica, reaching the city on 25 April 1941. The division remained there as occupation force, with its area of responsibility covering Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Podgorica, Berane, and Kotor. Almost immediately Yugoslav partisan activity commenced and the Messina fought partisan formations in Virpazar, Šavnik, Kotor, and Cetinje.[1]

Croatia edit

While the Messina was on occupation duty in Yugoslavia the division's regimental depots in Italy raised the 155th Infantry Division "Emilia": the depot of the 93rd Infantry Regiment "Messina" raised the 119th Infantry Regiment "Emilia", the depot of the 94th Infantry Regiment "Messina" raised the 120th Infantry Regiment "Emilia", and the depot of the 2nd Artillery Regiment "Messina" raised the 155th Artillery Regiment "Emilia".[6]

In early August 1942 the division was transferred to Metković in Croatia, where it continued with anti-partisans. From 12 August to 2 September 1942 the Messina operated against partisan forces in the Biokovo area, where Italian forces burned 10 villages, and killed and arrested several hundred people.[7][8]

Between 5 and 10 October 1942 the Messina participated in Operation Alfa with the aim to retake Prozor in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operation, led by VI Army Corps achieved its objectives in 6 days.[9][10]

After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the Messina was ordered separately by German, Yugoslav, and Croatian forces to hand over its weapons and surrender. The division refused and in the ensuing confusion the 93rd Infantry Regiment "Messina" and the 108th CC.NN. Legion "Stamira" managed to embark and sail to liberated Apulia in southern Italy. The rest of the division was dissolved by the Germans on 13 September 1943.[1]

Organization edit

Attached from 10 February 1941:[2]

  • 108th CC.NN. Legion "Stamira", in Ancona
    • CII CC.NN. Battalion
    • CVIII CC.NN. Battalion
    • 108th CC.NN. Machine Gun Company

Commanding officers edit

The division's commanding officers were:[1][2]

  • Generale di Divisione Francesco Zani (1 September 1939 - 26 April 1941)
  • Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci (27 April 1941 - 10 October 1941)
  • Colonel Aldo Gabutti (acting, 11 October 1941 - 2 November 1941)
  • Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci (3 November 1941 - 8 February 1942)
  • Colonel Giovanni Bertelli (acting, 9 February 1942 - 3 March 1942)
  • Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci (4 March 1942 - 17 September 1942)
  • Generale di Brigata Attilio Amato (acting, 18 September 1942 - 15 October 1942)
  • Generale di Divisione Guglielmo Spicacci (16 October 1942 - 13 September 1943)

CROWCASS edit

The names of eight men attached to the division can be found in the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects (CROWCASS) set up by the Anglo-American Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in 1945. The names can be found at: Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects from the Kingdom of Italy.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "18ª Divisione di fanteria "Messina"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 241. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  3. ^ Voghera, Enrico (1909). Annuario militare del regno d'Italia - Volume I. Rome. p. 464.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ a b "93° Reggimento di fanteria "Messina"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "94° Reggimento di fanteria "Messina"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  6. ^ "155ª Divisione di fanteria "Emilia"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  7. ^ Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.323
  8. ^ Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, 2 Vols (Belgrade: 1965), p.298
  9. ^ Le Operazioni delle Unita italiane in Jugoslavia 1941-1943 (Rome: Ministero della Difesa stato Maggiore dell' Esercito, 1978), pp.211-212
  10. ^ Tomasevich, Jozo - The Chetniks Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press, 1975, p.233.
  11. ^ F. dell'Uomo, R. di Rosa (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Secondo - Tomo II. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 67.


January 01, 1970
18th, infantry, division, messina, italian, 18ª, divisione, fanteria, messina, infantry, division, royal, italian, army, during, world, messina, named, city, messina, based, primarily, marche, region, where, also, recruited, most, troops, division, headquarter. The 18th Infantry Division Messina Italian 18ª Divisione di fanteria Messina was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II The Messina was named for the city of Messina and based primarily in the Marche region where it also recruited most of its troops The division s headquarter and 93rd Infantry Regiment were based in Ancona the 94th Infantry Regiment in Fano and the 2nd Artillery Regiment in Pesaro 1 2 18th Infantry Division Messina 18th Infantry Division Messina insigniaActive1937 1943Country Kingdom of ItalyBranch Royal Italian ArmyTypeInfantrySizeDivisionGarrison HQAnconaEngagementsWorld War IICommandersNotablecommandersGeneral Guglielmo SpicacciInsigniaIdentificationsymbolMessina Division gorget patches Contents 1 History 1 1 World War I 1 2 Second Italo Ethiopian War 1 3 World War II 1 3 1 Invasion of Yugoslavia 1 3 2 Croatia 2 Organization 3 Commanding officers 4 CROWCASS 5 ReferencesHistory editThe division s lineage begins with the Brigade Messina established in Gaeta on 1 November 1884 with the 93rd and 94th infantry regiments 3 World War I edit The brigade fought on the Italian front in World War I On 30 September 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XVIII Infantry Brigade and on 6 November of the same year received the 157th Infantry Regiment Liguria from the disbanded Brigade Liguria The brigade was the infantry component of the 18th Territorial Division of Ancona which also included the 2nd Artillery Regiment In 1934 the division changed its name to 18th Infantry Division Metauro 1 4 5 Second Italo Ethiopian War edit In preparation for the Second Italo Ethiopian War the division was mobilized on 27 September 1935 with the 93rd and 157th infantry regiments and the 2nd Artillery Regiment and shipped to Libya On 15 November the division returned to its base in Ancona and demobilized 1 In October 1937 the 157th Infantry Regiment Liguria left the division and moved to Libya to join the 63rd Infantry Division Cirene On 1 March 1938 the division raised the 226th Infantry Regiment Arezzo in Macerata as replacement for the 157th Infantry Regiment Liguria 1 World War II edit nbsp Coat of Arms of the 93rd Infantry Regiment Messina 1939 nbsp Coat of Arms of the 94th Infantry Regiment Messina 1939 On 24 May 1939 the division ceded 226th Infantry Regiment Arezzo to the newly activated 53rd Infantry Division Arezzo On the same day the division took its traditional name Messina dissolved the XVIII Infantry Brigade with the two remaining infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division and the 2nd Artillery Regiment was given the name Messina 1 Invasion of Yugoslavia edit The Messina did not participate in the invasion of France in June 1940 and remained at its bases in the Marche region On 3 April 1941 the division arrived in Albania and moved to positions between Shkoder and Drisht in the North of the country for the upcoming invasion of Yugoslavia On 12 13 April 1941 the division skirmished with Yugoslavian forces along Mount Tarabosh on the western side of Lake Skadar On 15 April the Italian XVII Army Corps with the Messina 32nd Infantry Division Marche and 131st Armored Division Centauro crossed the Yugoslav border and moved towards Bar in Montenegro which was taken on 16 April On 17 April 1941 the Messina captured Cetinje and Kotor where much of the Royal Yugoslav Navy was at bay The Messina then advanced to Podgorica reaching the city on 25 April 1941 The division remained there as occupation force with its area of responsibility covering Cetinje Danilovgrad Podgorica Berane and Kotor Almost immediately Yugoslav partisan activity commenced and the Messina fought partisan formations in Virpazar Savnik Kotor and Cetinje 1 Croatia edit While the Messina was on occupation duty in Yugoslavia the division s regimental depots in Italy raised the 155th Infantry Division Emilia the depot of the 93rd Infantry Regiment Messina raised the 119th Infantry Regiment Emilia the depot of the 94th Infantry Regiment Messina raised the 120th Infantry Regiment Emilia and the depot of the 2nd Artillery Regiment Messina raised the 155th Artillery Regiment Emilia 6 In early August 1942 the division was transferred to Metkovic in Croatia where it continued with anti partisans From 12 August to 2 September 1942 the Messina operated against partisan forces in the Biokovo area where Italian forces burned 10 villages and killed and arrested several hundred people 7 8 Between 5 and 10 October 1942 the Messina participated in Operation Alfa with the aim to retake Prozor in Bosnia and Herzegovina The operation led by VI Army Corps achieved its objectives in 6 days 9 10 After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the Messina was ordered separately by German Yugoslav and Croatian forces to hand over its weapons and surrender The division refused and in the ensuing confusion the 93rd Infantry Regiment Messina and the 108th CC NN Legion Stamira managed to embark and sail to liberated Apulia in southern Italy The rest of the division was dissolved by the Germans on 13 September 1943 1 Organization edit nbsp 18th Infantry Division Messina in Ancona 1 2 93rd Infantry Regiment Messina in Ancona 4 Command Company 3x Fusilier battalions Support Weapons Company 65 17 infantry support guns Mortar Company 81mm mod 35 mortars 94th Infantry Regiment Messina Fano 5 Command Company 3x Fusilier battalions Support Weapons Company 65 17 infantry support guns Mortar Company 81mm mod 35 mortars 2nd Artillery Regiment Messina in Pesaro 11 Command Unit I Group 100 17 mod 14 howitzers II Group 75 27 mod 11 field guns III Group 75 13 mod 15 mountain guns 1x Anti aircraft battery 20 65 mod 35 anti aircraft guns Ammunition and Supply Unit XVIII Mortar Battalion 18th Anti tank Company 47 32 anti tank guns transferred to the 210th Coastal Division 18th Telegraph and Radio Operators Company 48th Engineer Company 49th Medical Section 3x Field hospitals 1x Surgical Unit 23rd Supply Section 44th Bakers Section 190th Transport Section 52nd Carabinieri Section 53rd Carabinieri Section 91st Field Post Office Attached from 10 February 1941 2 108th CC NN Legion Stamira in Ancona CII CC NN Battalion CVIII CC NN Battalion 108th CC NN Machine Gun CompanyCommanding officers editThe division s commanding officers were 1 2 Generale di Divisione Francesco Zani 1 September 1939 26 April 1941 Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci 27 April 1941 10 October 1941 Colonel Aldo Gabutti acting 11 October 1941 2 November 1941 Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci 3 November 1941 8 February 1942 Colonel Giovanni Bertelli acting 9 February 1942 3 March 1942 Generale di Brigata Carlo Tucci 4 March 1942 17 September 1942 Generale di Brigata Attilio Amato acting 18 September 1942 15 October 1942 Generale di Divisione Guglielmo Spicacci 16 October 1942 13 September 1943 CROWCASS editThe names of eight men attached to the division can be found in the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects CROWCASS set up by the Anglo American Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in 1945 The names can be found at Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects from the Kingdom of Italy References edit a b c d e f g h i 18ª Divisione di fanteria Messina Regio Esercito Retrieved 21 October 2021 a b c d Bollettino dell Archivio dell Ufficio Storico N II 3 e 4 2002 Rome Ministero della Difesa Stato Maggiore dell Esercito Ufficio Storico 2002 p 241 Retrieved 20 October 2021 Voghera Enrico 1909 Annuario militare del regno d Italia Volume I Rome p 464 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link a b 93 Reggimento di fanteria Messina Regio Esercito Retrieved 22 December 2021 a b 94 Reggimento di fanteria Messina Regio Esercito Retrieved 22 December 2021 155ª Divisione di fanteria Emilia Regio Esercito Retrieved 22 December 2021 Hronologija oslobodilacke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941 1945 Belgrade 1964 p 323 Oslobodilacki rat naroda Juooslavije 1941 1945 2 Vols Belgrade 1965 p 298 Le Operazioni delle Unita italiane in Jugoslavia 1941 1943 Rome Ministero della Difesa stato Maggiore dell Esercito 1978 pp 211 212 Tomasevich Jozo The Chetniks Stanford Stanford Univ Press 1975 p 233 F dell Uomo R di Rosa 1998 L Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 Vol Secondo Tomo II Rome SME Ufficio Storico p 67 Paoletti Ciro 2008 A Military History of Italy Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 275 98505 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 18th Infantry Division 22Messina 22 amp oldid 1190437951, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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