65th Infantry Division "Granatieri di Savoia"

65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia
65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia Insignia
Active	26 October 1936 – 20 April 1941
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Nickname(s)	Granatieri di Savoia
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	General Amedeo Liberati

The 65th Infantry Division "Grenadiers of Savoy" (Italian: Granatieri di Savoia) was an infantry division of the Italian Army (Regio Esercito Italiano) during World War II. It was created 12 October 1936 in Littoria (Latina) and was officially dissolved 20 April 1941 in Soddu, Ethiopia.

Action

Ethiopia garrison duty

On 26 October 1936, the division was transferred from Littoria to Addis Ababa, the capital of Italian East Africa. The Granatieri di Savoia were used for mopping-up at Shewa Kifle Hāger and Addis Ababa. Also, they provided protection to the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railroad. In February 1938, the grenadier brigade under divisional command was dissolved and grenadier regiments were placed under direct divisional control. Also, some units were detached for the police duties at Blue Nile, Debre Sīna, Sendafa and Ādīs ‘Alem until 10 June 1940. In May 1940, the division was reinforced by 11th CCNN legion comprising two battalions. As dangers at the beginning of the Second World War multiplied, several divisional units were attached but was always physically separate from the rest of division. The 11th CCNN legion, 65th Heavy machine gun battalion and 5th artillery battalion (armed with Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider) were permanently posted at the border with British Somaliland. Another CCNN battalion and training battalion were posted on the border with Sudan. Also, the Bersaglieri battalion from 11th Grenadier Regiment was posted at Jimma to cover the western borders.

Second Sino-Japanese War

Prompted by the start of the Battle of Shanghai 13 August 1937, Italy dispatched a grenadier battalion from 10th regiment to Shanghai International Settlement 23 August 1937. It performed police duties uneventfully until being recalled to Italy 28 December 1938.

Italian conquest of British Somaliland

All of the divisional units who participated in the invasion advanced to the French Somaliland border. They started from Dire Dawa on 3 August 1940 and reached coastal Zeila on 6 August 1940, without encountering any resistance. The units then proceeded in two columns to Berbera, one through the Buuloxareed on coast, and another through Hargeisa. The progress of the column on the Buuloxareed route was significantly hindered by incessant coastal bombardment from British ships, but the inland column reached the frontline on 15 August 1940, contributing to the capture of the fortifications near Cadaadley (Tug Argan). By that time the British have already decided to left the colony. After 3-days fighting with the British rearguard, the soldiers of Granatieri di Savoia entered an already abandoned Berbera on 19 August 1940.

Skirmishes on Sudan border

The training battalion (comprising two machine gun companies, infantry company and mortar company armed with da81) was located north-west of Lake Tana, and 2nd battalion of the 11th CCNN legion was at Gondar. In the aftermath of the less-than-successful Capture of Kassala, the elements of 10th Indian Infantry Brigade captured the border fort Qallābāt near Metemma, but retreated after facing superior Italian ground and air forces.

Defence of Ethiopia (1941)

After the Emperor Selassie returned to Ethiopia on 18 January 1941, the last units of Granatieri di Savoia finally left Addis Ababa to cover as many threats from insurgents and foreign powers as possible. The divisional command and heavy machine gun battalion took positions along the Awash River. The machine gun company, 2nd and 3rd close support battalions (armed with 65mm cannons) took positions at Amba Alagi. The bulk of the forces (10th and the 11th Grenadier regiments, the 11th CCNN legion, 1st close support battalion (armed with 65mm cannons) and 4th artillery battalion (armed with 100mm howitzers) were stationed on the border with Eritrea. The 5th artillery battalion (armed with 105mm cannons) were stationed around Dire Dawa for over a year.

The main force got hit first. As the Battle of Keren started on 5 February 1941, the Granatieri di Savoia mostly held their positions and counter-attacked, resulting in the failure of the British attack by 13 February 1941. Subsequently, the British forces paused for a month to gather more troops and supplies. A renewed British attack from 15 March 1941 had not made any initial penetrations, but on 27 March 1941 British armor had penetrated Italian defences and were advancing on the Keren plain, forcing the Italians to fall back. The retreat failed, and the British destroyed or forced to surrender Italian garrisons at Adi Tekelezan by 1 April 1941. Consequently, Massawa fell 8 April 1941.

5th artillery battalion in the Dire Dawa region was also engaged in heavy fighting from 17 March 1941 to 27 March 1941, and the last remnants of the battalion were overrun around Harar. The line of defence along the Awash River was reached by strong enemy forces by the end of March 1941. After several delaying battles by Italian machine gunners, the defence line was penetrated to such an extent that on 3 April 1941 the command of Granatieri di Savoia ordered a retreat to Galla-Sidamo Governorate to prevent a complete encirclement. Italian forces were concentrating first at Shashamane and then at Sodo. On 20 April the surviving elements of divisional command and machine gunners were merged with the remnants of the 25th Colonial Infantry Division.

The units of Granatieri di Savoia entrenched at Togora Pass, Kalaga, and Cerarsi around Amba Alagi participated in the Battle of Amba Alagi from 21 April 1941 to 17 May 1941. The last elements of the Granatieri di Savoia Division surrendered on 19 May 1941 after their supply of drinking water was exhausted.

Orders of Battle

Order of battle (1936)

• 10. Granatieri di Savoia Grenadier Regiment
• 11. Granatieri di Savoia Grenadier Regiment
• 65. Heavy Machine gun battalion (36 machine guns in 4 companies)
• 60. Field Artillery Regiment
  • 1. Close support battalion (Cannone da 65/17 modello 13) - 12 guns
  • 2. Close support battalion (Cannone da 65/17 modello 13) - 12 guns

Order of battle (1940)

• 10. Granatieri di Savoia Grenadier Regiment
  • 1. Grenadier battalion
  • 2. Grenadier battalion
  • Alpine battalion "Uork Amba"
• 11. Granatieri di Savoia Grenadier Regiment
  • 1. Grenadier battalion
  • 2. Grenadier battalion
  • Bersaglieri battalion
• 60. Field Artillery Regiment
  • 1. Close support battalion (Cannone da 65/17 modello 13) - 12 guns
  • 2. Close support battalion (Cannone da 65/17 modello 13) - 12 guns
  • 3. Close support battalion (Cannone da 65/17 modello 13) - 12 guns
  • 4. Artillery battalion (Skoda 100 mm Model 1916)
  • 5. Artillery battalion (Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider)
• 11. Monteferato Blackshirt CCNN Battalion
• Negelli Cavalry Battalion
  • 1. Cavalry squadron
  • 2. Cavalry squadron
  • 1. Motorized infantry company
• 65. Heavy Machine Gun Battalion (36 machine guns in 4 companies)
• 65. Combat Engineer Company

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

References

• Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-98505-9.