15 Infantry Division Bergamo
Encyclopedia
The 15 Infantry Division Bergamo was a Infantry
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Bergamo division was part of the Italian V Corps that took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia
. After the invasion it was stationed in Dalmatia
. After the Italian surrender in September 1943, it resisted the German forces but was defeated and members of the division were executed by order of the German XV Mountain Corps, others evaded capture and joined the Yugoslavian partisans.
carried out on the 12 August to he 2 September 1942, to destroy partisan groups in the Biokovo
area 40 to 50 kilometres east of Split
. Italian forces burned down 10 villages and killed and arrested several hundred people.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Italian Army
Royal Italian Army (1940–1946)
This article is about the Italian Royal Army which participated in World War II.The Italian Royal Army was reformed in 1861 and lasted until 1946. The Royal Army started with the unification of Italy and the formation of the Kingdom of Italy . It ended with the dissolution of the monarchy...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Bergamo division was part of the Italian V Corps that took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
. After the invasion it was stationed in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
. After the Italian surrender in September 1943, it resisted the German forces but was defeated and members of the division were executed by order of the German XV Mountain Corps, others evaded capture and joined the Yugoslavian partisans.
Operation Alba
The Bergamo Division took part in Operation Alba which was an anti Partisan operations in CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
carried out on the 12 August to he 2 September 1942, to destroy partisan groups in the Biokovo
Biokovo
Biokovo is the second-highest mountain range in Croatia, located along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers of Cetina and Neretva...
area 40 to 50 kilometres east of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
. Italian forces burned down 10 villages and killed and arrested several hundred people.
XV Mountain Corps war diary
Daily Report from Commander in Chief Southeast (Army Group F)- 9/27/1943, Banja Luka - 0700 hours SS Division and 92d Motorized Regiment approached Split.
- 0800 hours reached northern edge of Split.
- 0900 hours city and port of Split occupied against local resistance. 202 Italian officers and 9000 men captured. Italian officers are to be shot to death according to Fuehrer orders. Commanding General has caused investigation to ascertain guilty officers.
- 9/28/1943, :At Split 300 Italian officers and 9000 men of the "Bergamo" Division were taken prisoners. Treatment in compliance with Fuehrer order has been initiated.
- 9/30/1943, Banja Luka - Three generals in Split shot to death by virtue of summary court martial.
- 10/1/1943, Banja Luka - 45 additional guilty officers (Italian) shot to death by virtue of summary court martial in Split.
Order of battle
- 25. BergamoBergamoBergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
Infantry Regiment - 26. Bergamo Infantry Regiment
- 4. Carnaro Artillery Regiment
- 89. CCNN Legion (Blackshirts)
- 15. Motar Battalion
- 15. Anti-Tank
- 15. Signal Company
- 36. Pioneer Company
- 19. Medical Section
- 131. Field Hospital
- 132. Field Hospital
- 116. Supply Section
- 22. Motor Transport Section