53rd Infantry Division Arezzo

**53rd Infantry Division Arezzo**
53rd Infantry Division Arezzo
	53rd Infantry Division Arezzo Insignia
Active	1939–1943
Country	Italy
Branch	ItalianArmy
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Nickname(s)	Arezzo
Colors	Yellow on left, Blue on right
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable; commanders	General 1940; ; General 1941;

The 53rd Infantry Division Arezzo (Italian pronunciation: [aˈrɛttso] listen (help·info)) was a mountain infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. It was formed 24 May 1939 and officially dissolved 12 September 1943.^[3] The Arezzo division is not related to partisan division Arezzo operating in 1943 in the Cortona vicinity under command of Siro Rossetti.^[4] The only difference between line infantry divisions and mountain infantry divisions was that the latter's artillery was carried by pack mules instead of the standard horse-drawn carriages. Italy's real mountain warfare divisions were the six alpine divisions manned by the Alpini mountain troops.

History[]

The Arezzo Division took part in the Italian invasion of Albania in 1939. It was next involved in the Greco-Italian War in November 1940, as part of the Italian XXVI Corps and later Italian XXV Corps. Although it was used initially on Yugoslavian border as part of the 11th army reserve, the division used to oppose a Greek breakthrough at Mal Moravë - Mal Ivan line in Devoll river valley. The Arezzo losses were light until December, 1940.^[5] 29 November-3 December 1940 division have suffered a serious losses (the 225th Infantry regiment was decimated) while beating off the Greek assault.^[6] The Arezzo division was reformed and sent back to Albania, Korçë, as part of the occupation force within Italian IV Corps. 5 April 1941 it took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia as part of the Librazhd Sector under command of Italian 9th army.^[7] In this role, it captured parts of Montenegro, and used as garrison in Zadar, Ersekë, Korçë and Pogradec. 29 January 1943, the division was reinforced by 343rd infantry regiment.^[8] The division remained in the area until the Armistice of Cassibile 8 September 1943. Following the Italian surrender to the Allies in September 1943, the division was disarmed by the Germans. A large number of the men escaped to join the partisans.^[9]

Order of battle (1943)[]

Coat of Arms of the 226th Infantry Regiment "Arezzo", 1939

225. Arezzo Infantry Regiment
- HQ company
- 3 infantry battalions
- Mortar company (da 81)
- Close support battery (65/17)
226. Arezzo Infantry Regiment
- HQ company
- 3 infantry battalions
- Mortar company (da 81)
- Close support battery (65/17)
343. Infantry Regiment
- HQ company
- 3 infantry battalions
- Mortar company (da 81)
- Close support battery (47/32)
53. Artillery Regiment
80. CCNN Legion
- 26. CCNN battalion Legnano
- 67. CCNN battalion Bologna
- 80a Machine gun company
53. Mortar Battalion
53. Anti-Tank Company
53. Engineer Battalion
53. Signal Company
94. Pioneer Company
59. Medical Section
60. Supply Section ^{[nb 1]}^[9]^[11]

Notes[]

Footnotes

^ An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two Companies), and an Anti Tank Company. A Blackshirt Legion (essentially an Infantry Regiment of two Battalions instead of three) 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.^[10]

Citations

^ The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-43 By Philip S. Jowett, p. 38
^ Enrico Tagliazucchi and Franco Agostini. "Royal Italian Army". World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
^ http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt226.htm
^ The Arezzo Massacres A TuscanTragedy By Janet Kinrade Dethick, p. 14
^ The Defence and Fall of Greece 1940-1941 By John Carr, p. 116
^ http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt225.htm
^ The Organization and Order of Battle of Militaries in World War II, By Charles D. Pettibone, p. 119
^ http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt343.htm
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "53. Infantry Division Arezzo (Italy)". Axis History. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
^ Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Jowett, Phillip (25 May 2001). The Italian Army 1040-45 (3): Italy 1943-45. Osprey Publishing, Westminster. ISBN 978-1-85532-866-2.

[11] An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two Companies), and an Anti Tank Company. A Blackshirt Legion (essentially an Infantry Regiment of two Battalions instead of three) 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.^[10]

[1] The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-43 By Philip S. Jowett, p. 38

[2] Enrico Tagliazucchi and Franco Agostini. "Royal Italian Army". World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.

[3] ttp://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt226.htm

[4] The Arezzo Massacres A TuscanTragedy By Janet Kinrade Dethick, p. 14

[5] The Defence and Fall of Greece 1940-1941 By John Carr, p. 116

[6] ttp://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt225.htm

[7] The Organization and Order of Battle of Militaries in World War II, By Charles D. Pettibone, p. 119

[8] ttp://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt343.htm

[ax-9] Jump up to: ^a ^b "53. Infantry Division Arezzo (Italy)". Axis History. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2021.

[paoletti-10] Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.

[12] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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show v t Divisions of the Royal Italian Army in World War II
Armoured	131st Armoured Division Centauro 132nd Armoured Division Ariete 133rd Armoured Division Littorio 134th Armoured Division Freccia 135th Armoured Division Ariete II 136th Armoured Division Giovani Fascisti 136th Armoured Division Centauro II
Cavalry	1st Cavalry Division Eugenio di Savoia 2nd Cavalry Division Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro 3rd Cavalry Division Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta
Alpine	1st Alpine Division Taurinense 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina 3rd Alpine Division Julia 4th Alpine Division Cuneense 5th Alpine Division Pusteria 6th Alpine Division Alpi Graie
Infantry	Mountain Infantry: 1st Infantry Division Superga 2nd Infantry Division Sforzesca 3rd Infantry Division Ravenna 4th Infantry Division Livorno 11th Infantry Division Brennero 19th Infantry Division Venezia 23rd Infantry Division Ferrara 26th Infantry Division Assietta 32nd Infantry Division Marche 33rd Infantry Division Acqui 36th Infantry Division Forlì 37th Infantry Division Modena 38th Infantry Division Puglie 53rd Infantry Division Arezzo 59th Infantry Division Cagliari Line Infantry: 5th Infantry Division Cosseria 6th Infantry Division Cuneo 7th Infantry Division Lupi di Toscana 8th Infantry Division Po 12th Infantry Division Sassari 13th Infantry Division Re 14th Infantry Division Isonzo 15th Infantry Division Bergamo 18th Infantry Division Messina 20th Infantry Division Friuli 21st Infantry Division Granatieri di Sardegna 22nd Infantry Division Cacciatori delle Alpi 24th Infantry Division Pinerolo 28th Infantry Division Aosta 29th Infantry Division Piemonte 30th Infantry Division Sabauda 31st Infantry Division Calabria 40th Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa 41st Infantry Division Firenze 44th Infantry Division Cremona 47th Infantry Division Bari 48th Infantry Division Taro 49th Infantry Division Parma 50th Infantry Division Regina 51st Infantry Division Siena 54th Infantry Division Napoli 56th Infantry Division Casale 57th Infantry Division Lombardia 58th Infantry Division Legnano 65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia Auto-transportable Infantry: 9th Infantry Division Pasubio 10th Infantry Division Piave 52nd Infantry Division Torino 103rd Infantry Division Piacenza 104th Infantry Division Mantova 105th Infantry Division Rovigo Auto-transportable Infantry - North-African Type: 16th Infantry Division Pistoia 17th Infantry Division Pavia 25th Infantry Division Bologna 27th Infantry Division Brescia 55th Infantry Division Savona 60th Infantry Division Sabratha 61st Infantry Division Sirte 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica 63rd Infantry Division Cirene 64th Infantry Division Catanzaro Air-transportable Infantry: 80th Infantry Division La Spezia Motorised Infantry: 101st Motorised Division Trieste 102nd Motorised Division Trento Garrison Infantry: 151st Infantry Division Perugia 152nd Infantry Division Piceno 153rd Infantry Division Macerata 154th Infantry Division Murge 155th Infantry Division Emilia 156th Infantry Division Vicenza 158th Infantry Division Zara 159th Infantry Division Veneto
Paratroopers	184th Paratroopers Division Nembo 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore
Blackshirt	1st Blackshirt Armoured Division M 1st Blackshirt Division XXIII Marzo 2nd Blackshirt Division XXVIII Ottobre 3rd Blackshirt Division XXI Aprile 4th Blackshirt Division III Gennaio
Libyan	1st Libyan Division Sibille 2nd Libyan Division Pescatori
Colonial	1st Colonial Division Eritrea 2nd Colonial Division Eritrea 101st Colonial Division Somalia 102nd Colonial Division Somalia
Coastal	201st Coastal Division 202nd Coastal Division 203rd Coastal Division 204th Coastal Division 205th Coastal Division 206th Coastal Division 207th Coastal Division 208th Coastal Division 209th Coastal Division 210th Coastal Division 211th Coastal Division 212th Coastal Division 213th Coastal Division 214th Coastal Division 215th Coastal Division 216th Coastal Division 220th Coastal Division 221st Coastal Division 222nd Coastal Division 223rd Coastal Division 224th Coastal Division 225th Coastal Division 226th Coastal Division 227th Coastal Division