61st Infantry Division Sirte

The 61st Infantry Division Sirte was an auto-transportable Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Sirte Division was formed 9 May 1937 in Misrata, and destroyed 23 January 1941 east of Tobruk.[1] The Sirte was classified as an auto-transportable division, meaning staff and equipment could be transported on cars and trucks, although not simultaneously.

Coat of Arms of the 69th Infantry Regiment "Ancona", 1939

Coat of Arms of the 70th Infantry Regiment "Ancona", 1939

61st Infantry Division Sirte
61st Infantry Division Sirte Insignia
Active	1937 – 1941
Country	Kingdom of Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Garrison/HQ	Misrata
Nickname(s)	Sirte
Engagements	World War II North African Campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Vincenzo della Mura

Action

The division was mobilized for action in October 1939.[2] By 10 June 1940, the Sirte division was deployed on Tunisia-Libya border. In September 1940, it was part of the Italian XXII Corps that took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt, performing supply lines defence role behind Kambut and its airfields of RAF Gambut. At the start of Operation Compass 9 December 1940, the division was stretched from ‘Ayn al Ghazālah to hills south of Saqīfat az Za‘farānah. 7 January 1941, the division was encircled in Tobruk and subject to heavy bombardment. The division was overrun by on 21-22 January 1941 during the British capture of Tobruk.[3]

Order of battle

69. Ancona Infantry Regiment
70. Ancona Infantry Regiment
43. Sirte Artillery Regiment [nb 1][2]

Notes

An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two companies), an Anti Tank Company, a Blackshirt Legion of two Battalions was sometimes attached. Each Division had only about 7,000 men, The Infantry and Artillery Regiments contained 1,650 men, the Blackshirt Legion 1,200, each company 150 men.[4]

References

http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rgt/rgt69.htm
Wendal, Marcus. "Italian Army". Axis History. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rediv61.htm
Paoletti, p. 170.

Bibliography

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

Divisions of the Royal Italian Army in World War II
Armoured	131st Armoured Division Centauro 132nd Armoured Division Ariete 133rd Armoured Division Littorio 134th Armoured Division Freccia 135th Armoured Division Ariete II 136th Armoured Division Giovani Fascisti 136th Armoured Division Centauro II
Cavalry	1st Cavalry Division Eugenio di Savoia 2nd Cavalry Division Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro 3rd Cavalry Division Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta
Alpine	1st Alpine Division Taurinense 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina 3rd Alpine Division Julia 4th Alpine Division Cuneense 5th Alpine Division Pusteria 6th Alpine Division Alpi Graie
Infantry	Mountain Infantry: 1st Infantry Division Superga 2nd Infantry Division Sforzesca 3rd Infantry Division Ravenna 4th Infantry Division Livorno 11th Infantry Division Brennero 19th Infantry Division Venezia 23rd Infantry Division Ferrara 26th Infantry Division Assietta 32nd Infantry Division Marche 33rd Infantry Division Acqui 36th Infantry Division Forlì 37th Infantry Division Modena 38th Infantry Division Puglie 53rd Infantry Division Arezzo 59th Infantry Division Cagliari Line Infantry: 5th Infantry Division Cosseria 6th Infantry Division Cuneo 7th Infantry Division Lupi di Toscana 8th Infantry Division Po 12th Infantry Division Sassari 13th Infantry Division Re 14th Infantry Division Isonzo 15th Infantry Division Bergamo 18th Infantry Division Messina 20th Infantry Division Friuli 21st Infantry Division Granatieri di Sardegna 22nd Infantry Division Cacciatori delle Alpi 24th Infantry Division Pinerolo 28th Infantry Division Aosta 29th Infantry Division Piemonte 30th Infantry Division Sabauda 31st Infantry Division Calabria 40th Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa 41st Infantry Division Firenze 44th Infantry Division Cremona 47th Infantry Division Bari 48th Infantry Division Taro 49th Infantry Division Parma 50th Infantry Division Regina 51st Infantry Division Siena 54th Infantry Division Napoli 56th Infantry Division Casale 57th Infantry Division Lombardia 58th Infantry Division Legnano 65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia Auto-transportable Infantry: 9th Infantry Division Pasubio 10th Infantry Division Piave 52nd Infantry Division Torino 103rd Infantry Division Piacenza 104th Infantry Division Mantova 105th Infantry Division Rovigo Auto-transportable Infantry - North-African Type: 16th Infantry Division Pistoia 17th Infantry Division Pavia 25th Infantry Division Bologna 27th Infantry Division Brescia 55th Infantry Division Savona 60th Infantry Division Sabratha 61st Infantry Division Sirte 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica 63rd Infantry Division Cirene 64th Infantry Division Catanzaro Air-transportable Infantry: 80th Infantry Division La Spezia Motorised Infantry: 101st Motorised Division Trieste 102nd Motorised Division Trento Garrison Infantry: 151st Infantry Division Perugia 152nd Infantry Division Piceno 153rd Infantry Division Macerata 154th Infantry Division Murge 155th Infantry Division Emilia 156th Infantry Division Vicenza 157th Infantry Division Novara 158th Infantry Division Zara 159th Infantry Division Veneto
Paratroopers	183rd Paratroopers Division Ciclone 184th Paratroopers Division Nembo 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore
Blackshirt	1st Blackshirt Armoured Division M 1st Blackshirt Division XXIII Marzo 2nd Blackshirt Division XXVIII Ottobre 3rd Blackshirt Division XXI Aprile 4th Blackshirt Division III Gennaio
Libyan	1st Libyan Division Sibille 2nd Libyan Division Pescatori
Colonial	1st Colonial Division Eritrea 2nd Colonial Division Eritrea 3rd Colonial Division 4th Colonial Division 21st Colonial Division 22nd Colonial Division 23rd Colonial Division 24th Colonial Division 25th Colonial Division 26th Colonial Division 101st Colonial Division Somalia 102nd Colonial Division Somalia Colonial Division dell'Harar
Coastal	201st Coastal Division 202nd Coastal Division 203rd Coastal Division 204th Coastal Division 205th Coastal Division 206th Coastal Division 207th Coastal Division 208th Coastal Division 209th Coastal Division 210th Coastal Division 211th Coastal Division 212th Coastal Division 213th Coastal Division 214th Coastal Division 215th Coastal Division 216th Coastal Division 220th Coastal Division 221st Coastal Division 222nd Coastal Division 223rd Coastal Division 224th Coastal Division 225th Coastal Division 226th Coastal Division 227th Coastal Division 228th Coastal Division 230th Coastal Division 231st Coastal Division

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