The 212th Coastal Division (Italian: 212ª Divisione Costiera) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.[1] Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. They were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.[2]
| 212th Coastal Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942 – 1943 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Catanzaro |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |    212th Coastal Division gorget patches |
History
editThe division was activated on 15 November 1941 in Catanzaro by reorganizing the XII Coastal Sector Command.[3] The division was assigned to XXXI Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of southern Calabria.[1] The division was responsible for the coastal defence of the coast of central Calabria: on the Tyrrhenian Sea side from Capo Vaticano to the outskirts of Serra d'Aiello, on the Ionian Sea side from Badolato to Cropani.[4]
In early September 1943 the division prepared to fight the British XIII Corps, which had landed on 3 September 1943 in southern Calabria in Operation Baytown and was advancing towards the 212th Coastal Division's positions. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division remained at its positions and surrendered to the British XIII Corps. Afterwards the division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army, but did not participate in the Italian campaign. The division was dissolved in summer 1944.[4]
Organization
edit- 212th Coastal Division, in Catanzaro[4][1]
- 103rd Coastal Regiment (transferred to the 214th Coastal Division on 1 July 1943)
- CCCXLII Coastal Battalion
- VI Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Lancieri di Novara"
- 115th Coastal Regiment
- CCXVI Coastal Battalion
- CCCXLVI Coastal Battalion
- XII Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria"
- 144th Coastal Regiment
- CCX Coastal Battalion
- CCCXLVII Coastal Battalion
- VII Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Lancieri di Firenze"
- VIII Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta"
- 45th Coastal Artillery Grouping
- IX Coastal Artillery Group
- XI Coastal Artillery Group
- LXXXIX Coastal Artillery Group
- CCVII Artillery Group (152/40 naval guns)
- CVIII Machine Gun Battalion
- 56th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; transferred from the 56th Infantry Division "Casale")
- 108th Mortar Company (81mm mod. 35 mortars)
- 414th Mortar Company 81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
- 212th Mixed Engineer Company
- 189th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 320th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 321st Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 324th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 443rd Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 444th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 445th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 446th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 212th Carabinieri Section
- 181st Field Post Office
- Division Services
- 103rd Coastal Regiment (transferred to the 214th Coastal Division on 1 July 1943)
Attached to the division:[1]
- DCIV Coastal Battalion
- Armored Train 152/3/T, in Crotone (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 Scotti anti-aircraft guns;[5] transferred to the 214th Coastal Division on 1 July 1943)
Commanding officers
editThe division's commanding officers were:[1]
- Generale di Brigata Ugo Medori (15 November 1941 - 1 March 1942)
- Colonel Felice Pellegrini (acting, 2-13 March 1942)
- Generale di Brigata Ugo Medori (14 March 1942 - ?)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 368. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ Jowett p 6
- ^ Circolare n. 19440 del 22/10/1941 dello S.M.R.E. Uff. Ordinamento - 2a Sezione. "Cronistoria dei reparti costieri". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c "212a Divisione Costiera". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Treni Armati della Marina". Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
- Jowett, Philip S. (2000). The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943. Osprey, Oxford - New York. ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8.