Panzer Division of the Royal Italian Army

The formation of separate armored divisions in Italy began only at the very end of the 1930s. Up to this point, armored vehicles were traditionally attached to cavalry formations. In 1939, three divisions were created at once: the 131st Pantaion Division "Chentauro" with headquarters in Siena , the 132nd Panzer Division "Ariete" (the very first), the headquarters in Milan and the 133rd Panzer Division "Littorio " . The 131st and 132nd were created on the basis of the previously created two armored brigades, and the 133rd based on the Littorio infantry division. In 1942-43, two more divisions were formed: the 134th Freccia (not formally became a tank division, remaining only mobile) and the 135th Armored Cavalry Ariete II (created instead of the destroyed 132nd Ariete). Separately, in 1943, the 1st Special Armored Division M (Black Shirts) was also created, later renamed the 136th Chentauro II.

Below, using the example of the 131st Panta division of the Chentauro, we can consider the composition and organization at different times.

The composition of the division at the time of formation

• 31st Tank Regiment [31 Reggimento Carristi]:
  • 1st (7th) Light Tank Battalion [I (VII) Battaglione Carri L]
  • 2nd (8th) Light Tank Battalion [II (VIII) Battaglione Carri L]
  • 3rd (10th) Light Tank Battalion [III (X) Battaglione Carri L]
  • 4th (31st) Light Tank Battalion [IV (XXXI) Battaglione Carri L]
• 5th Bersalier Regiment [5 Reggimento Bersaglieri]:
  • 22nd Motorcycle Battalion [XXII Battaglione Motociclisti]
  • 14th Motorized Battalion [XIV Battaglione Autoportato]
  • 24th Motorized Battalion [XXIV Battaglione Autoportato]
• 131st Armored Artillery Regiment [131 Reggimento Artiglieria Corazzata]:
  • 1st group (I Gruppo) (tools 75/27)
  • 2nd group (II Gruppo) (tools 75/27)
  • 3rd group (III Gruppo) (tools 75/27)
• 131st ammunition platoon [132 Sezione Sanita]
• 131st sanitary platoon [132 Sezione Sussistenza]
• 79th platoon of carabinieri [79 Sezione carabinieri]
• 80th Carabinieri Platoon [80 Sezione carabinieri]

Division Composition (April 1941 )

• 31st Tank Regiment [31 Reggimento Carristi]:
  • 1st Tank Battalion (L33 / 35)
  • 2nd Tank Battalion (L33 / 35)
  • 4th Tank Battalion (M13 / 40)
• 1st Bersalier regiment [1 Reggimento Bersaglieri]:
  • 1st Motorcycle Battalion
  • 7th motorized battalion
  • 9th motorized battalion
  • 131st anti-tank company
• 131st Artillery Regiment
  • I division 75 mm guns
  • Division II 75mm guns
  • Division III 75mm guns

Division Composition (August 1942 )

• armored reconnaissance unit (reinforced reconnaissance battalion on armored vehicles) “Lodi Light Horse” [5 ° Reparto Esplorante Corazzato “Cavalleggeri di Lodi”]
• 31st Tank Regiment [31 ° Reggimento Carristi]:
  • The 14th Tank Battalion [XIV Battaglione Carri M] - M13 / 40 tanks
  • 15th Tank Battalion [XV Battaglione Carri M] - M14 / 41 tanks
  • 17th Tank Battalion [XVII Battaglione Carri M] - tanks M14 / 41
• 5th Bersalier Regiment [5 ° Reggimento Bersaglieri]:
  • 14th Motorized Battalion [XIV Battaglione Autoportato]
  • 24th Motorized Battalion [XXIV Battaglione Autoportato]
  • 21st Motorcycle Battalion [XXI Battaglione Motociclisti]
• 131st Armored Artillery Regiment [131 ° Reggimento Artiglieria Corazzata]:
  • 1st Division [I Gruppo 75/27 (trainati)], armed with towed cannone da 75/27 guns
  • 2nd Division [II Gruppo 75/27 (trainati)], armed with towed Cannone da 75/27 guns
  • 3rd Division [III Gruppo 105/28 (trainati)], armed with towed Cannone da 105/28 guns
  • 554th Self-Propelled Division [DLIV Gruppo semoventi (su semoventi 75/18)], armed with Semovente da 75/18
• 31st Engineering Battalion [XXXI Battaglione del Genio]
• 131st sanitary platoon [131? Sezione Sanita]
• The 131st supply platoon [131? Sezione Sussistenza]

Division Composition (November 1942 )

• 31st Tank Regiment [31 Reggimento Carristi]:
  • 13th Tank Battalion (XIII Tank Battalion)
  • 14th Tank Battalion (XIV Tank Battalion)
  • 15th Tank Battalion (XV Tank Battalion)
• 5th Bersalier Regiment
  • 14th Bersalier motorized battalion
  • 22nd Bersalier motorized battalion
  • 24th Bersalier motorized battalion
  • 5th Bersalier motorcycle company
  • 22nd Motorized Support Battalion
• 131st Artillery Regiment
• 31st motorized engineering battalion
• motorized anti-tank battalion
• armored car battalion

The choice of military equipment from the Italians was small. In fact, until the beginning of 1939, the main and most mass unit was equipped with only machine guns L3 tankettes known as the Ansaldo, as well as a little more than a hundred outdated FIAT 3000 light tanks. Only from the beginning of 1939 new averages began to flow into the emerging divisions (according to the national classification), but in reality light tanks M11 / 39 . From the beginning of 1940, upgraded M13 / 40 tanks began to be added to them. Since 1941, improved M14 / 41 tanks and Autoblinda AB41 reconnaissance armored vehicles began to arrive. In fact, both models of tanks (13/40 and 14/41) differed slightly from each other and had the same weaponry. Since 1942, the formation of self-propelled battalions consisting of self-propelled artillery units Semovente da 75/18 began in the tank divisions. These machines with a 75-mm gun were already much more formidable force, but their number was insignificant.

New light armored vehicles in the form of L6 / 40 tanks and light self-propelled guns Semovente da 47/32 began to enter the army only in the spring-summer of 1942, when they had become obsolete and only suitable for reconnaissance. Since 1943, in the division were in Italy began to arrive tanks model M15 / 42 . In 1943, a certain number of German medium tanks Pz.III ausf N , Pz.IV ausf G and self-propelled guns StuG III ausf G. entered the 1st Tank Division "M". The heavier vehicles (for example P26 / 40 tanks) were armed with the divisions They did not have time, although in August 1943 the 1st heavy tank battalion was formed. In the auxiliary services of the divisions there was a certain number of trucks and staff vehicles, artillery tractors, and ambulance transport. The peculiarity of the Italian armored vehicles was that during the marches it was not going on its own, but it was carried on special trailers (heavy trucks with onboard trailers, including special tank trailers).

The main types of armored vehicles and their characteristics

The table below shows the tactical and technical characteristics of Italian-made tanks and armored vehicles used by the Royal Italian Army ( Regio Esercito ) armored divisions from 1939 to 1943 .

A significant part of the Italian armored divisions was defeated in North Africa , where they were thrown in 1941-1942 for campaigning. There were several crushing factors. This and the weak material and technical equipment and the lack of high-quality communications, (and at first the Italian tankettes did not have radio stations), as well as the lack of modern experience of tank combat among the crews. It should be noted that for the entire North African campaign from 1940 to 1943, the Italians lost about 2,000 armored vehicles, considering that in the same period the Italian industry produced just over 3,000 units. The 131st Division before Africa managed to take part in the Greek campaign of 1940-1941 . The 133rd Division fought in the invasion of France and Yugoslavia . After the defeat in Africa, only the 134th division of Freccia (in the form of a mobile, since its formation as a tank was never completed), the 135th Ariete II and the 136th Chentauro II remained. They were disbanded after the capitulation of Italy in September 1943.

• Panzer Division of the Red Army
• Tank Corps of the Red Army
• Wehrmacht Panzer Division
• Royal italian army

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