Italian [African Service] Infantry Division 1940

Italian [African Service] Infantry Division 1940

Here is a typical African Service Infantry Division as used by the Italians throughout the North African campaign. Italian infantry divisions were of the binary type. This meant that they only contained two infantry brigades instead of the more usual three found in British and German divisions. They did this to inflate the size of their army whilst not actually providing anymore soldiers. Their fighting power was much diminished by this decision and they were forced to attach a Black Shirt Legions and a Machine Gun Battalion to make up for the lack of infantry You will note that there is almost no organic motor transport, a huge liability in the wastes of the desert.

The Italians also deployed a couple of motorised divisions to North Africa after their defeat at Beda Fomm. They tried to get round this problem by providing specialist transport companies to ensure resupply and if necessary the Italians could gather together sufficient trucks to move one infantry division at a time. After Operation Compass the British captured about 1500 operational trucks of different types.

The two Infantry Brigades with the Divisional HQ in the centre

The Divisional Support Troops & Black Shirt Legion

One of the Infantry Brigades

The other Infantry Brigade plus Divisional HQ bottom left

Attached Artillery Group

One battalion of 100mmL/17 Howitzers

1st battalion of 75mm L/27 Field Guns

2nd Battalion of 75mm L/27 Field guns plus Artillery Group HQ

Attached Battalion of L3/33 Tankettes

Attached battalion of Medium Machine Guns

Attached Black Shirt Legion

I am currently working on the various Corp troops that would support this division plus replacement armoured units to create a 1941-43 era Armoured Division.