Italian Army Order of Battle 28 October 1940 (Albania)

compiled by Nikolaos Stamatopoulos nstamathens@hotmail.com

Sources:

1. GES/DIS, O Ellinikos Stratos kata ton Deuteron Pagkosmion Polemon, O

Ellinoitalikos Polemos 1940-1941, I italiki isvoli, (28 Oktovriou mexri 13 Noembriou

1940) (General Staff of the Army/Military History Direction, The Hellenic Army durimg

World War Two, The Greek-Italian War 1940-1941, The Italian Invasion, 28th October

to 13th November 1940) (Greek Offical History, volume 1), Athens 1960

2. Sebastiano Visconti Prasca, Ego Isevala stin Ellada, Athens 1999 (Greek translation

of Prasca’s book I ho aggredito la Grecia (I invaded Greece), Milano 1946)

3. Ch. Katsimitros, Ipiros promahousa (Epirus, the Bastion), Athens 1954 (Katsimitros

was VIII Division CO)

4. Your website (of course!)

Contains the following Organisation Tables:

1. C.S.T.A.

2. XXVI Corps

3. 53rd Division

4. 19th Division

5. 29th Division

6. 49th Division

7. 3rd Alpini Division

8. XXV Corps

9. 131st Armoured Division

10. 23rd Division

11. 51st Division

12. Coastal Division

Introductionary Notes on the Tables

1. This is an Army OOB only. The Air Force OOB in your website is, according to my

sources, correct. Services units unknown. Includes Task Organisations of Divisions

invading Greece (XXVI Corps remaining in the defensive).

2. This OOB is based mainly on Prasca’s book, which is in turn based on official Italian

reports of the operations, and captured Italian orders as found in Greek official history

and Katsimitros book. It must be generally correct, but help from your italian sources

would be very useful.

3. This OOB is a good comparison to your 10 June 1940 OOB, to notice Italian build up and

also confirm the units assigned to each Division.

4. Prasca’s book includes personnel and artillery pieces totals for several divisions, so it

becomes obvious that TOEs for Italian units in Albania were somewhat lighter than the

TOEs in your site. So Inf Gun Bty in Infantry Regiment had only 4 65/17 guns and

Divisional AT gun bty with only 4 47/32 guns. It also seems possible that inf Btlns had

only 9 45mm mortars each. Cav Sqdns are company strength, grouped in twos in Sqdn

Groups,

1. Commando Superiore Truppe Albania

(Army level command by October 1940, CO Gen. Sebastiano Visconti Prasca, Tirana)

Army Troops: 3 Custom Guards Btlns (numbers unknown), 26th Chemical Warfare Company,

21 batteries from 13th GaF Artillery (garrison artillery)

XXVI Corps Koritza

3rd Alpini Division Julia

XXV Corps Ciamuria

Raggruppamento Celere del Litorale (Light Coastal Groupment=Division)

2. XXVI Corps Koritza

(Opposite West Macedonia Army and guarding Yugolavian-Albanian Border,

CO Gen Gabriele Nasci)

Army Corps Reserves (In Erseka area) IV/ 31 Armored Rgt (50 L.3/35), 24th Motorized

Bersaglieri Btln, both from 131st Centauro Corazzata Division

And from North to South:

53 rd Infantry Division Arezzo

19 th Infantry Division Venezia

29 th Infantry Division Piemonte

49 th Infantry Division Parma

3. 53 rd Infantry Division Arezzo

(In Shkodra area to cover northern part of Yugoslavian-Albanian border, CO Gen. Ferone,

Shkodra)

with 225th,226th Infantry Rgts (each with 1 65/17 inf gun bty), 1 Albanian Btln, Div. Mortar

Btln, 53rd Art Rgt and Services

(note: organisation as in your website (exc. CO) plus attached Albanians, TOE variations

unknown)

4. 19 th Infantry Division Venezia

(in the area between Elbasani and Ochrid Lake, marching toward Prespes Lakes to take part

in the Invasion, CO Gen. Silvio Bonini, Elbasani)

with 83rd ,84th Infantry Regiments (each with 1 65/17 inf gun bty), 1 Albanian Btln, Div. Mortar

Btln, 13th Cavalry Rgt Cavalleggeri di Monferrato, 19th Art Rgt and Services. 19th Art Rgt had

the additional IV Group with only 2 100/17 How Btys and 2 attached indep. 100/17 How Btys

attached, so that the Division had a strength of ca 5 art groups.

(note: organisation as in your website (incl. CO) plus attached units, TOE variations

unknown)

5. 29 th Infantry Division Piemonte

(In the area around Koritza (Korça) as 2nd Echelon behind 49th Division)

Division HQ (Koritza, CO Gen. Narli)

3 rd Infantry Regiment (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), SE Moshopolis

4 th Infantry Regiment (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), SW Koritza

Albanian Btln, SE Moshopolis

24th Artillery Rgt (-II/24 Group, 75/13), Drenovo

29 th AT Bty (4 47/32 guns), Drenovo

29 th Mortar Btln

29 th AA Bty (8 20/35 AA guns)

Services

(note: most component units as in your site, but with the lighter TOE mentioned in the notes

and different CO)

6. 49 th Infantry Division Parma

(On the northern section of the Greek-Albanian border, opposite West Macedonia Army)

Division HQ (Koritza, CO Gen. Attilio Grattarola)

49 th Infantry Regiment (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), Biglitza (opposite IV Brigade)

50 th Infantry Regiment (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), Segula (opposite IX Division)

CI (101 st ) MG Btln (motorized) , Koritza

93 rd CCNN Btln, Koritza

109 th CCNN Btln, Koritza

166 th CCNN Btln, Koritza (from November 1940 to 23rd Ferrara Div)

1 Albanian Btln

8 th Motorcyclist Company/5 th Bersaglieri Rgt (22 nd M/c Btln), Koritza

1 Cav Sqdn/6 th Cav Rgt, Koritza

Light Tank Detachment, Koritza, 6 or 10 tanks, perhaps this is the indep coy depicted under

26th Corps in your OOB of 10 June 1940

49th Artillery Rgt (-II/49 Group, 75/27), Biglitza and Segula

2 Btys 100/17 from IV Group/19 Art Rgt, Megola

269 th and 270 th Btys/13 th GaF, Poloska (each bty 4 hv guns)

1 Hv Art Group/26 th Corps Art Rgt, Poloska (3 btys ea 4 guns, group number unknown)

49 th AT Bty (4 47/32 guns)

49 th Mortar Btln

49 th AA Bty (8 20/35 AA guns)

26 th Sappeur Btln (-coy)

Services

(note: most component units as in your site, but with the lighter TOE mentioned in the notes

and different CO)

7. 3rd Alpini Division Julia

(In Pindos section of the front, opposite Pindos Detachment)

Division HQ (CO Gen. Girotti) with following attached units

1 Cavalry Squadron (unknown from which regiment)

1 Albanian Company (or Btln, if 2 companies in northern flank were also albanian, see bellow)

1 Mountain Bty (? Does not correspond to art pieces total given, but is mentioned repeatedly

in the sources) (unknown from which regiment, but surely not from 3 Alpina Art Rgt, as this

had only 5 btys, attached one to each of the 5 btln of 8 and 9 Alpini Rgts)

8th Alpini Regiment (3 Btlns and 3 attached Btys, probably Conegliano Art Btln/3 Alp Art)

9th Alpini Regiment (2 Btlns and 2 attached Btys, probably Udine Art Btln/3 Alp Art)

(note: organisation as in your website (exc. CO) plus attached units under Divisional HQ)

Task Organisation:

(North to South:)

I. 2 (Albanian?) Companies opposite Sub-Sector I (North) of Pindos

Detachment

II. Northern Group (8th Battle Group, CO Col. Despino, CO 8th Rgt, east of

Erseka), opposite Sub-Sector II (Center) of Pindos Detachment in 3

columns, north to south:

a. Tolmezzo Column (Tolmezzo Btln with attached Mnt Bty, prob 15th)

b. Gemona Column (Gemona Btln with attached Mnt Bty, prob 14th)

c. Cividale Column (Cividale Btln with attached Mnt Bty, prob 13th)

III. Southern Group (9th Battle Group, CO Col. Tavoni, CO 9th Rgt, Germeni)

opposite Sub-Sector III (South) of Pindos Detachment in 2 columns, north to

south:

a. Vincenza Column (Vincenza Btln with attached Mnt Bty, prob 17th)

b. Gemona Column (Gemona Btln with attached Mnt Bty, prob 18th)

IV. Divisional HQ with 1 Albanian Coy, 1 Mnt Bty (?) and 1 Cav Sqdn marched behind

Northern Group

8. XXV Corps Ciamuria

(In Southern section of the Greek-Albanian border, opposite VIII Division, exc. Thesprotia

Detachment, CO Gen. Carlo Rossi)

Corps Troops: 1 Bridging Btln (-det. to Sienna and Ferrara Divs), 1 Engineer Btln, 1 Water

Transportation Coy, 2 Telegraph Cos, 8 Btys / 13th GaF Art (including 2 static garrison btys-

Loggora and Klisoura), services

131 st Corazzata Division Centauro

23 rd Infantry Division Ferrara

51 st Infantry Division Sienna

9. 131 st Corazzata Division Centauro

(some of the divisions units were used to reinforce 23rd Ferrara Division or to form XXVI Corps

reserve. What was left formed the Reserve for XXV Corps in Tepeleni area, CO Gen.

Giovanni Magli)

Div HQ, Tepeleni

31 st Armoured Rgt (-III and IV Btlns), Tepeleni (HQ and I Btln), Argirocastro (II Btln), Rgt CO

was Col. Kosta Agelo, according to Prasca’s totals the Rgt(-2 Btlns) had 113 L3/35 tanks.

5 th Bersaglieri Motorized Rgt (- 2 Motorized Btlns, Premeti (it included Rgt HQ, 1 AT Bty (only

4 47/32 guns) and 22 Motorcyclist Btln HQ

1 Motorcycle Coy/ 22 Bersagliery M/c Btln/5 th Bersaglieri Rgt, Tepeleni

131 st Art Rgt, Tepeleni (6 motorized field btys each 4 75/27 and 2 AA Btys each with 8 20/35

AA guns)

131 st AT Bty (only 4 47/32 guns)

10. 23 rd Infantry Division Ferrara

(CO Gen Licurgo Zannini, opposite Negrades Sector of VIII Division)

Div HQ, Grapsi

47 th Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), HQ Sopiko

48 th Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), HQ Kakavia

14 th Bersaglieri Motorized Btln (from 131 st Div), Perat

2 Motorcyclist cos/22 nd M/c Btln/5 th Bersalieri Rgt (from 131 st Div), Tsarisovo

1 st Albanian CCNN Legion (Btlns I and II)

1 Sqdn Group/19 th Cav Rgt Cavalleggeri Guide , Grapsi, with 2 MG Pltns from Rgt MG sqdn

attached

III/31 Armoured Btln (from 131 st Div), Premeti (50 L3/35 tanks)

14 th Art Rgt, HQ Episkopi with I Group (100/17), II Group (75/18 How), III Group (75/13), IV

Group (75/27). There was also an additional 75/27 Group, unknown from which Rgt. All

Groups had 3 Btys.

XIX (149/35), XVIII (105/38), CXV(149/13), CXVI (149/13)Groups/26 th Corps Art Rgt, each

Group with 3 Btys

3 Btys/13 th GaF Art (149/35)

23 rd AT Bty (only 4 47/32)

23 rd AA Bty (8 20/35 AA)

23 rd Mortar Btln HQ Grapsi

Brigding Det (from Corps)

Div Services etc.

Task Organisation:

(from North to South, Columns named after CO, except Central Column under Div CO:)

Col. Solina Column (Perat) with:

II Btln/1 st Albanian CCNN Legion

14 th Bersaglieri Motorized Btln (from 131 st Div)

1 Motorcyclist co/22 nd M/c Btln/5 th Bersalieri Rgt (from 131 st Div)

III/31 Armoured Btln (from 131 st Div) (50 L3/35 tanks)

Art Group wih 3 75/27 Btys (unknown Rgt)

XIX Hv Art Group (149/35)

268 Bty(149/35)/13 th GaF Art

23 rd AA Bty

1 Pltn/ 23 rd AT Bty (2 47/32)

Col Tricio Column (North of Drymades) with:

47 th Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns) (-III Btln)

2 cos/23 rd Mortar Btln

III Group (75/13)/14 th Art Rgt (-1 Bty)

1 Mixed Engineer Pltn

Central Column (Episkopi area) with:

I Btln/1 st Albanian CCNN Legion

III Btln/47 th Inf Rgt

III Btln/48 th Inf Rgt

1 Sqdn Group/19 th Cav Rgt Cavalleggeri Guide with 2 MG Pltns from Rgt MG sqdn attached

(Lt Col Scarpa’s Sqdn Group)

1 Motorcyclist co/22 nd M/c Btln/5 th Bersalieri Rgt (from 131 st Div)

23 rd Mortar Btln (-2 cos)

1 Pltn/ 23 rd AT Bty (2 47/32)

Brigding Det (from Corps) (50 trucks with pontoon equipment)

I Group (100/17), II Group (75/18 How), IV Group (75/27)/14 th Art Rgt (each group 3 Btys)

XVIII (105/38), CXV(149/13), CXVI (149/13)Groups/26 th Corps Art Rgt, each Group with 3

Btys

2 Btys/13 th GaF Art (149/35)

Col Sapienza Column (Kakavia) with:

48 th Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns) (-III Btln)

1 Bty/III Group (75/13)/14 th Art Rgt (possibly with Albanian personnel)

11. 51 st Infantry Division Sienna

(CO Gen. Gualtiero Gabutti, Vagalates, opposite Kalamas Sector and part of Thesprotia

Detachment of VIII Division and part of Thesprotia Detachment)

Div HQ, Vagalates

31 st Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), Perdikari

32 nd Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), Yianiari area

19 th Cav Rgt Cavalleggeri Guide (-1 Sqdn Group and 2 MG Pltns), Yianiari area

141 st CCNN Btln

1 or 2 Albanian Btlns

51 st Art Rgt (I and III Groups with 75/27, II Group with 75/13, each group with 3 btys)

II/24 Art Rgt (3 btys 75/13)

XXXII Group/26th Corps Art Rgt (3 btys 75/27)

1 Hv Art Group/26 th Corps Art Rgt (3 btys 149/13, possibly numbered LXXVIII)

51 st AT Bty (only 4 47/32)

51 st AA Bty (8 20/35 AA)

51 st Mortar Btln HQ Grapsi

Brigding Det (from Corps)

Div Services etc.

Task Organisation:

(from North to South:)

Northern Battle Group, CO Col Carloni, Perdikari

31 st Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns)

II Group (75/13)/51 st Art Rgt

1 Pltn/ 51 st AT Bty (2 47/32)

1 co/51 st Mortar Btln

Southern Battle Group, CO Col Gianini, Yianiari area

32 nd Infantry Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns)

19 th Cav Rgt Cavalleggeri Guide (-1 Sqdn Group and 2 MG Pltns)

1 or 2 Albanian Btlns

II/24 Art Rgt (3 btys 75/13)

1 Pltn/ 51 st AT Bty (2 47/32)

1 co/51 st Mortar Btln

Brigding Det (from Corps)

Divisional Maneuver Units, Konispolis area

141 st CCNN Btln

51 st Art Rgt (-II Group)

XXXII Group/26th Corps Art Rgt (3 btys 75/27)

1 Hv Art Group/26 th Corps Art Rgt (3 btys 149/13, possibly numbered LXXVIII)

51 st AA Bty (8 20/35 AA)

Div HQ and remaining units, Vagalates area

12. Raggruppamento Celere del Litorale

(Coastal Cavalry Division, opposite Thesprotia Detachment of VIII Division, CO Gen. Rivolta)

3 rd Granatieri Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns), West of Konispolis

1 Albanian Btln

6 th Cav Rgt Lancieri di Aosta , (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns attached), Tsaliani

7 th Cav Rgt Lancieri di Milano, (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns attached), West of

Konispolis

II Group/ 49 th Art Rgt (75/27) , 3 btys with 4 guns each, West of Konispolis

Task Organisation:

(from North to South:)

Morigi Column (CO 7th Rgt, Col Giorgio Morigi) with 7th Cav Rgt Lancieri di Milano, (with 1

65/17 inf gun bty with 4 guns attached)

Adreini Column (CO 3rd Granatieri) with 3rd Granatieri Rgt (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with 4

guns), Albanian Btln and II Group/ 49th Art Rgt (75/27), 3 btys with 4 guns each.

Imperiali Column (CO 6th Rgt) with 6th Cav Rgt Lancieri di Aosta, (with 1 65/17 inf gun bty with

4 guns attached)