While on the defensive, it was assaulted by the British 131. The British attack began with an artillery barrage, followed by … For the Italian Cold War mechanized division, see, Playfair I.S.O. My Grandfather served in the American army (though not deployed) during WWI. Italian paratroopers. The leaders of the last functioning group of combatants, Colonel Camosso and Major Zanninovich, decided to lay down their arms. Folgore 04/10/1942 EL ALAMEIN - ELENCO DEI CADUTI ITALIANI TUMULATI NEL SACRARIO (Dal libro "ALAMEIN 1933 - 1962" di Paolo Caccia Dominioni) ANDOLINA Paolo Geniere 14° Comp. “DOBBIAMO INCHINARCI DAVANTI AI RESTI DI QUELLI CHE FURONO I LEONI DELLA FOLGORE“. “Camosso” Tactical Group (9th and 10th Battalions) In the following days between 25 October and 4 November, the 50th, 7th, 44th divisions, 1st and 2nd Free French and the Royal Hellenic Brigades, supported by artillery and armour, failed to break through in the southern sector. Egitto, 23 ottobre - 5 novembre 1942. On 30 August 1942, General Erwin Rommel unleashed Operation Brandung, a concentrated attack undertaken by his Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee (ACIT – Armata Corazzata Italo-Tedesca) against the tired yet stout British and Commonwealth forces, designed as a follow-up engagement launched on the heels of the recently concluded First Battle of El Alamein . 22nd “ Guastatori” Parachutist Company [3] Two years later, in 1939, two Paratroopers Military School based in Tarquinia and in Viterbo were established. 61° Fanteria Presidio di Tobruk … | Privacy Policy | Contact us. The divisional artillery disbanded the 2nd Battalion and split among the Tactical Groups, together with the other divisional assets. The Folgore troops to the south were now in danger of being cut off or surrounded because of the breached northern line. 21st Battalion/132nd Artillery Regiment “Ariete” (88/55 FlaK 37 – from the “Ariete” Division) The attack on Malta was canceled once Hitler persuaded Mussolini to give his blessing in favor of allowing Rommel the chance to continue his advance. During the battle of Alam El Hafla, the Italian Airborne Division Folgore (185.a Divisione Paracadutisti “Folgore”) had been positioned to guard the left flank of the German 90th Light Division and the Ramcke Brigade and was successful in driving off an attack by New Zealand Infantry during a fierce encounter between the 3rd and 4th of September. MccloudUstp2485. Dispatched from the 186th Regiment was a 47mm ATG company to accompany two gun and two mortar platoons, who assumed positions in the center of this section. Accept Read More, Italian Folgore at El Alamein: Unbreakable, Rommel’s Desert War: Waging World War II in North Africa, 1941-1943 (Cambridge Military Histories), Iron Hulls Iron Hearts: Mussolini’s Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa, The Path to Victory: The Mediterranean Theater in World War II, Pendulum of War: Three Battles at El Alamein, The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II, Italian Armor in German Service during WW2, Operation Vigorous and Operation Harpoon (1942). Istituto Luce - Cinegiornali di guerra 17 - La Battaglia Di El Alamein E Stalingrado (Sett-Ott1942) Sergio Porcarelli. il cammino dell’onore e della gloria. Regimental Command and HQ Company Playing next. Like most Italian ‘infantry’ units fighting in North Africa, the Folgore possessed limited transport. As was heavier firepower in the form of attached Italian 75mm and 88mm guns. Italy. El Alamein War Cemetery. On the same date the Paratroopers Division Artillery Regiment was activated. The attack never happened. The main Allied effort during the battle was in the northern part of the Axis line. Soldiers would engage British armor separated from its infantry support that crossed into the Italian lines. Queen's Infantry Brigade, 44. the best flower of a people and a fighting army. Additionally the following soldiers of the division were awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor during the Western Desert Campaign: On 25 September 1944 the Italian Co-Belligerent Army raised the Combat Group "Folgore" with soldiers and materiel from the disbanded 184th Paratroopers Division "Nembo". The Second Battle of El Alamein was fought from October 23, 1942 to November 5, 1942 during World War II (1939-1945) and was the turning point of the campaign in the Western Desert. [3] In late November 1940 was established only one Paratroopers Battalion.[2]. It was during the Second Battle of El-Alamein that the Folgore would earn their fame. To overcome the lack of field artillery (the divisional artillery regiment had only 47L32 AT/IG), the “Folgore” Tactical Artillery Group under Colonel Boffa, formed with the following units : 2nd Battalion/26th Artillery Regiment “Rubicone” (75/27 mod.06 – from the “Pavia” Division) 185th Airborne Division Folgore or 185ª Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore was a Parachute Division of the Italian Army (in Italian Regio Esercito) during World War II. Inscribed on the walls of the Italian Memorial at El Alamein are the words below. Intervista al sottotenente Renato Migliavacca, 185° Reggimento Artiglieria Folgore. Learn More . Strong interest in WW2. In the OOB, those numbers have been “translated” in standard Arabic numerals to avoid confusion. The first step, known as Operation Lightfoot, initiated with an artillery bombardment, the like of which that had never before seen during the entire North African Campaign. This is an incredible amount when one compares the mismatch in firepower employed. 29th Parachutists Rifle Company HQ Company Italian and German engineers in the area worked diligently to strengthen the existing minefield created by the British but was now in Axis hands, to provide a daunting defensive obstacle in front of their positions. School Command (the Commander was a senior officer of the Air force, the Deputy Commander a senior officer of the Army); 1st Paratroopers Infantry Regiment (raised 1 April 1941), 2nd Paratroopers Infantry Regiment (raised 1 September 1941), VIII Paratroopers Battalion (re-roled as Paratroopers Sapper unit in May 1942), Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company, II Paratroopers Battalion (from 185th Infantry Regiment "Nembo"), IV Paratroopers Battalion (from 185th Infantry Regiment "Nembo"), I Paratroopers Artillery Group (3x batteries with, III Paratroopers Artillery Group (3x batteries with 47/32 cannons), 7th Paratroopers Artillery Battery (47/32 cannons), 20th Mortar Company (81mm Model 35 mortars and M28 Mortars), 185th Mining and Explosives Engineers Company, Corporal Major Antonio ANDRIOLO, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23 – November 4, 1942, First Lieutenant Roberto BANDINI, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–25, 1942, First Lieutenant Ferruccio BRANDI, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, October 24, 1942, Second Lieutenant Pietro BRUNO 132d Transport Regiment, Private Giuseppe CAPPELLETTO, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–25, 1942, Private Giacomo CESARONI, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, October 29, 1942, Private Leandro FRANCHI, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, November 1942, Second Lieutenant Giovanni GAMBAUDO, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–24, 1942, First Lieutenant Marco GOLA, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–24, 1942, Private Gerardo LUSTRISSIMI, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–25, 1942, Sergeant Major Dario PIRLONE, 185th Artillery Regiment, October 24, 1942, Sergeant Nicola PISTILLO, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–25, 1942, Corporal Major Dario PONZECCHI, 185th Paratroopers Regiment, October 26, 1942, Captain Costantino RUSPOLI, Prince of Poggio Suasa, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, October 26–27, 1942, Captain Gastone SIMONI, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, October 23–27, 1942, Sergeant Major Mario GIARETTO, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, August 8, 1942, Second Lieutenant Omero LUCCHI, Folgore Division Artillery, August 31 – September 4, 1942, Sapper Clinio MISSERVILLE, 185th Assault Sapper Company, September 10, 1942, Major Aurelio ROSSI, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, August 20 – September 3, 1942, Captain Fabio RUGIADI, 187th Paratroopers Regiment, August 30, 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Carlo Marescotti RUSPOLI, Prince of Poggio Suasa, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, First Lieutenant Giovanni STARACE, Folgore Division, July - November, 1942, Second Lieutenant Giovanni STASSI, 186th Paratroopers Regiment, August 25 – September 2, 1942, This page was last edited on 2 January 2021, at 08:09. After the opening artillery bombardment, soldiers from the 1st Free French Brigade, 1st Greek Brigade, plus armor and infantry from the 7th Armored Division, slammed into the Folgore’s positions in an attempt to overwhelm its defenders and break into the rear of the Axis line. 3rd Battalion/132nd Artillery Regiment “Ariete” (90/53 mod.41 – from the “Ariete” Division) 20th Parachutists Rifle Company Therefore, the battalions in the Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore" were given the names of the regiments of the former 185th Paratroopers Division "Folgore". Months before finding themselves locked into one of the greatest battles of the war, the Folgore Division were to participate in the planned assault on the island fortress of Malta. The Regiment traces its origins back to the 185th Artillery Regiment "Folgore", framed within the "Folgore" Division established in 1941. [2], The 2-months[2] Instructors course began in March 1940. They not only best the opposition solely by their courage, but they often out-fought them through superior military aptitude. HQ Company Incredibly a few Folgore who had chosen to continue the fight managed to avoid capture by the British. It’s deployment situated between Haret-el-Himeimat and Deir-el-Munassib. It is an everlasting tribute to perhaps Italy’s finest soldiers of the Second World War. It is still unclear if the company attached to the “Folgore” division was parachute-trained, or not (like the other non-combat divisional support units). 16th Parachutists Rifle Company They joined the newly formed 285th Parachutist Battalion Folgore and continued the struggle for their beloved Italy. Women's El Alamein battle folgore bersaglieri italian ww2 1942 T-Shi XL Olive: Amazon.ca: Clothing & Accessories The “Guastatori” were troops trained in assault tactics against enemy trench-works and fortifications. Map. HMSO 1966], The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume IV: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa. Directed by Giorgio Ferroni and written by Remigio Del Grosso and Ernesto Gastaldi it starred Frederick Stafford, George Hilton and Michael Rennie. For hours after this battle, fire and smoke emanating from several destroyed British tanks gave off an eerie glow into the still darkness of the African morning, the sight a smoldering symbol of the Italian’s merciless stand. Images, videos and other multimedia published on comandosupremo.com qualifies as Fair Use under U.S. copyright law. By late October of ’42, the Folgore now found itself dug along a stretch of the southern portion of the Axis line. Section 107 specifies usage of copyright material falls under Fair Use when it is applied for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching and research. [6] When the division arrived in Africa the three artillery groups of the 185th Artillery Regiment "Folgore" were merged into two artillery groups of three batteries each, thus providing one group for each infantry regiment, which in turn could now provide one battery to each battalion of a regiment. Reports state the Folgore destroyed nearly 30 British tanks on the 25th alone. the path to honor and glory. It was designed to break through the Italian-held southern sector of the El Alamein line, where the Bologna, Brescia, Pavia and Folgore Divisions anchored the Axis right flank. Operation C3, scheduled for the spring of 1942, would provide the Folgore a crucial role in the Axis plan to wrest control the critical Island from the British. El Alamein Battlefield. It is an everlasting tribute to perhaps Italy’s finest soldiers of the Second World War. AckuBruce8504. He felt both angry and embarrassed at being captured by Italians. The division trained alongside its German counterparts in preperation for the airborne assualt on Malta, which was to be never carried out. 18th Parachutists Rifle Company, 7th Parachutist Infantry Battalion, with: [12] On 6 November, after having exhausted all its ammunition, the remainder of the Division surrendered. FOLGORE: ITALIAN PARATROOPERS AT EL-ALAMEIN . The 2nd and 9th Battalions provided the backbone of the defense with support from the 185th Artillery Regiment. Having been driven east by Axis forces in 1942, the British had established a strong defensive line at El Alamein, Egypt. At the onset of the Axis attack, the Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee forces had indeed played into Montgomery’s hand during their attempted flanking maneuver to the south. In the summer of 1942, during the Second World War, a group of young paratroopers from the Folgore Division, after having been subjected to a long and tiring training in Italy, was transported by air to the Libyan desert to cover the Italian-German front. With the British Desert Air Force pounding his troops from above and his supply situation critical, Rommel called for a general retreat to prepare his defensive line for the inevitable British counter. This challenge was an almost insurmountable obstacle for practically all Italian infantry units during the retreat at Second El Alamein. The attackers sustained heavy losses to their exposed armor as Montgomery expertly parried Rommel’s overly aggressive nature. When news reached Montgomery on the outcome of the encounter, he became angered that his forces had been ‘thrashed’ by Italians, which he undoubtedly found unacceptable. Auto-transportable Infantry - North-African Type: This article is about the historic Italian 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore.