208th Coastal Division (Italy): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Royal Italian Army infantry division during World War II}} |
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The '''208 Coastal Division''' was an [[Infantry]] [[Division (military)| Division]] of the [[Royal Italian Army (1940–1946)|Italian Army]] during [[World War II]]. The division was based in [[Sicily]] during the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]], codenamed '''Operation Husky'''. It was a large scale [[amphibious warfare|amphibious]] and [[airborne]] operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]]. |
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{{Infobox military unit |
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| unit_name = 208th Coastal Division |
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| image= |
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| dates = 1941 – 1943 |
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| country = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}} |
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| branch = {{army|Kingdom of Italy}} |
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| size = [[Division (military)|Division]] |
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|identification_symbol=[[File:World War II - Mostrina - 208ª Divisione costiera.png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina - 208ª Divisione costiera artiglieria.png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina - 208ª Divisione costiera genio.png|30px]]<br/>208th Coastal Division [[Italian Army gorget patches#Royal Italian Army|gorget patches]] |
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| battles = [[World War II]] |
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}} |
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The '''208th Coastal Division''' ({{langx|it|208ª Divisione Costiera}}) was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Royal Italian Army]] during [[World War II]].<ref name="Ufficio Storico">{{cite book |title=Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=364 |url=https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/bollettino-ii-n.3-4-2002-testo |access-date=7 November 2021}}</ref> Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate [[materiel]]. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.<ref name=j6>Jowett p 6</ref> |
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==Order of battle== |
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* 28th Artillery Group (6 batteries, ad hoc regiment) |
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== History == |
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The division was activated on 15 November 1941 in Palermo by reorganizing the VIII Coastal Sector Command.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Circolare n. 19440 del 22/10/1941 dello S.M.R.E. Uff. Ordinamento - 2a Sezione |title=Cronistoria dei reparti costieri |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/refantcost2.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> The division was assigned to [[XII Army Corps (Italy)|XII Army Corps]], which was responsible for the defense of the western half of the island of [[Sicily]].<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/> The division was responsible for the [[Coastal defence and fortification|coastal defense]] of the coast between, but excluding the cities of [[Palermo]] and [[Trapani]].<ref name="Regio Esercito"/> |
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The division fought against units of the American [[Seventh United States Army|Seventh Army]] after the [[Allied invasion of Sicily|allies landed on Sicily]] on 10 July 1943. By 21 July 1943 the division had been severely decimated and was therefore officially declared lost due to wartime events.<ref name="Regio Esercito">{{cite web |title=208a Divisione Costiera |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/costieri/redivcost208.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> |
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In July 1943 the 208th division was commanded by General [[Giovanni Marciani]], who doubled as commander of Coastal Troops Command of XII Army Corps. |
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== Organization == |
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* '''208th Coastal Division'''<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/><ref name="Regio Esercito"/> |
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⚫ | |||
*** LXI Replacements Battalion |
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*** CCXLIV Coastal Battalion |
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*** CDXXIII Coastal Battalion |
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*** CDXCVIII Coastal Battalion |
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** 136th Coastal Regiment (became an autonomous unit responsible for the coast between [[Palermo]] and [[Santo Stefano di Camastra]] in July 1943) |
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*** CCCLXXX Coastal Battalion |
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*** CCCLXXXII Coastal Battalion |
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*** CDXIII Coastal Battalion |
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** 147th Coastal Regiment (joined the division in July 1943) |
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*** CCCLXXVIII Coastal Battalion |
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*** CDXXXVIII Coastal Battalion |
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*** DXXXIX Coastal Battalion |
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⚫ | |||
*** XIX Coastal Artillery Group ([[Cannone da 105/28|105/28]] cannons) |
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*** CXXIV Coastal Artillery Group ([[Cannone da 75/27 modello 06|75/27 mod. 06]] field guns) |
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*** CCXV Coastal Artillery Group ([[Skoda houfnice vz 14|100/22 mod. 14/19]] howitzers) |
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*** XLI Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 mod. 06 field guns and 105/28 cannons; transferred to the XXIX Coastal Brigade - Harbor Defense Command "N") |
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** CV Machine Gun Battalion |
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*** 518th Machine Gun Company |
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*** 519th Machine Gun Company |
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*** 618th Machine Gun Company |
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*** 619th Machine Gun Company |
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** 133rd Mixed Engineer Platoon |
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** 208th [[Carabinieri]] Section |
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** 165th Field Post Office |
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** Division Services |
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Attached to the division:<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/> |
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* [[Armored Train]] 152/1/T, in [[Termini Imerese]] (4x [[QF 6-inch naval gun|152/40]] naval guns, 4x [[Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti)|20/77 Scotti]] anti-aircraft guns)<ref name="Treni">{{cite web |title=Treni Armati della Marina |url=https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/TreniArmati.aspx |publisher=Italian Navy |access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref> |
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* Armored Train 152/2/T, in [[Carini]] (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 Scotti anti-aircraft guns)<ref name="Treni"/> |
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== Commanding officers == |
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The division's commanding officers were:<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/> |
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* [[Military ranks of the Kingdom of Italy#Ranks during the Second World War|Generale di Divisione]] [[Gaetano Binacchi]] (15 November 1941 - 27 April 1943) |
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* Generale di Divisione [[Giovanni Marciani]] (28 April 1943 - 21 July 1943, [[Prisoner of war|POW]]) |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist|30em}} |
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* {{cite book|title=A Military History of Italy|author=Paoletti, Ciro|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2008|isbn=978-0-275-98505-9}} |
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* {{cite book|author=Jowett, Philip S.|title=The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943|publisher=Osprey, Oxford - New York|year=2000|isbn=978-1-85532-864-8}} |
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{{Italian Divisions World War II}} |
{{Italian Divisions World War II}} |
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[[Category:Military history of Italy]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Coastal divisions of Italy]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II]] |
Latest revision as of 17:05, 26 October 2024
208th Coastal Division | |
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Active | 1941 – 1943 |
Country | Kingdom of Italy |
Branch | Royal Italian Army |
Size | Division |
Engagements | World War II |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | 208th Coastal Division gorget patches |
The 208th Coastal Division (Italian: 208ª 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. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.[2]
History
[edit]The division was activated on 15 November 1941 in Palermo by reorganizing the VIII Coastal Sector Command.[3] The division was assigned to XII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the western half of the island of Sicily.[1] The division was responsible for the coastal defense of the coast between, but excluding the cities of Palermo and Trapani.[4]
The division fought against units of the American Seventh Army after the allies landed on Sicily on 10 July 1943. By 21 July 1943 the division had been severely decimated and was therefore officially declared lost due to wartime events.[4]
In July 1943 the 208th division was commanded by General Giovanni Marciani, who doubled as commander of Coastal Troops Command of XII Army Corps.
Organization
[edit]- 208th Coastal Division[1][4]
- 133rd Coastal Regiment
- LXI Replacements Battalion
- CCXLIV Coastal Battalion
- CDXXIII Coastal Battalion
- CDXCVIII Coastal Battalion
- 136th Coastal Regiment (became an autonomous unit responsible for the coast between Palermo and Santo Stefano di Camastra in July 1943)
- CCCLXXX Coastal Battalion
- CCCLXXXII Coastal Battalion
- CDXIII Coastal Battalion
- 147th Coastal Regiment (joined the division in July 1943)
- CCCLXXVIII Coastal Battalion
- CDXXXVIII Coastal Battalion
- DXXXIX Coastal Battalion
- 28th Coastal Artillery Regiment
- XIX Coastal Artillery Group (105/28 cannons)
- CXXIV Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 mod. 06 field guns)
- CCXV Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 mod. 14/19 howitzers)
- XLI Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 mod. 06 field guns and 105/28 cannons; transferred to the XXIX Coastal Brigade - Harbor Defense Command "N")
- CV Machine Gun Battalion
- 518th Machine Gun Company
- 519th Machine Gun Company
- 618th Machine Gun Company
- 619th Machine Gun Company
- 133rd Mixed Engineer Platoon
- 208th Carabinieri Section
- 165th Field Post Office
- Division Services
- 133rd Coastal Regiment
Attached to the division:[1]
- Armored Train 152/1/T, in Termini Imerese (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 Scotti anti-aircraft guns)[5]
- Armored Train 152/2/T, in Carini (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 Scotti anti-aircraft guns)[5]
Commanding officers
[edit]The division's commanding officers were:[1]
- Generale di Divisione Gaetano Binacchi (15 November 1941 - 27 April 1943)
- Generale di Divisione Giovanni Marciani (28 April 1943 - 21 July 1943, POW)
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. 364. 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 "208a Divisione Costiera". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ a b "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.