|
Maletti Group
The Maletti Group () was an mechanised unit formed by the Italian Army () in Italian North Africa (, ASI), early in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The Italian army had three armoured divisions in Europe but all were needed for the occupation of Albania and the forthcoming invasion of Greece, which began on 28 October 1940. The was formed in June 1940, as part of the 10th Army (General Mario Berti) and contained all of the M11/39 medium tanks in Libya. The medium tanks and tankettes already in the colony were to be combined with medium tanks sent from Italy, to form a new armoured division. A new headquarters, the Libyan Tank Command was established on 29 August as the (Maletti Group). The group took part in E, the Italian invasion of Egypt in 1940 and reached Sidi Barrani on 16 September. The group was destroyed at the Nibeiwa camp on 9 December, during Operation Compass, a British raid against the 10th Army positions inside Egypt. The rest of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
L3/35
The L3/35, also known as the Carro Veloce CV-35, was an Italian tankette that saw combat before and during World War II. It was one of the smallest tanks that faced combat. Although designated a light tank by the Italian Army, its turretless configuration, weight and firepower make it closer to contemporary tankettes. It was the most numerous Italian armoured fighting vehicle and saw service almost everywhere the Italians fought in the Second World War but proved inadequate for modern warfare, having too thin armour and weak armament of only machine guns. It was cheaply produced but because of its light armaments and armour it was reserved to mostly colonial, policing, reconnaissance, and supply duties. However, given its low production costs, proved to be efficient in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, Spanish Civil War and the Greco-Italian War where it provided reliable support to Italian infantry and disrupted enemy lines. Development The L3/35 was developed from the Carden Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
32nd Tank Infantry Regiment
The 32nd Tank Regiment () is a Armoured warfare, tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Spilimbergo, Tauriano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks and assigned to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". On 15 September 1936 the regiment was formed by the Royal Italian Army as 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment. On 1 December 1938, the regiment was reorganized and reformed as 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment and assigned to the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete", II Armored Brigade. In January 1941, the regiment deployed to North Africa, where it fought in the Western Desert campaign in Italian Libya, Libya and Egypt. In December 1941, the regiment was taken out of the front and its role taken over by the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment. In September 1942, the regiment was reformed and sent to the island of Sardinia. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army. In March 1944, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani ( ) is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the Egypt–Libya border, and around from Tobruk, Libya. Named after Sidi es-Saadi el Barrani, a Senussi sheikh who was a head of its Zawiya, the village is mainly a Bedouin community. It has food, gasoline outlets and one small hotel, but virtually no tourist activity or visited historical curiosities. It is the site of an Egyptian Air Force base. History Located close to the Roman city of Zygra, in the Roman province of Libya Inferior, Sidi Barrani is often mentioned in historical records to mark the limit of the initial Italian invasion of Egypt from Libya. The Italian Tenth Army built a series of forts in the vicinity. American Field Service volunteers, providing ambulance services and serving with the British 8th Army were based in the area, in June 1942, 30 miles east of Sidi Barrani. Sidi Barrani was a destination during the annular solar eclipse on October 3, 2005, as exped ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northern coast of Egypt, the north, the Gaza Strip of Palestine and Israel to Egypt–Israel barrier, the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to Egypt–Sudan border, the south, and Libya to Egypt–Libya border, the west; the Gulf of Aqaba in the northeast separates Egypt from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Cairo is the capital, list of cities and towns in Egypt, largest city, and leading cultural center, while Alexandria is the second-largest city and an important hub of industry and tourism. With over 109 million inhabitants, Egypt is the List of African countries by population, third-most populous country in Africa and List of countries and dependencies by population, 15th-most populated in the world. Egypt has one of the longest histories o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli ( , ; 11 August 1882 – 11 January 1955), was an Italian military officer in the Kingdom of Italy's Royal Italian Army, Royal Army, primarily noted for his campaigns in Africa before and during World War II. A dedicated Italian fascism, fascist and prominent member of the National Fascist Party, he was a key figure in the Italian military during the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. Graziani played an important role in the consolidation and expansion of the Italian colonial empire during the 1920s and 1930s, first Pacification of Libya, in Libya and then Second Italo-Ethiopian War, in Ethiopia. He became infamous for harsh repressive measures, such as the use of Italian concentration camps, concentration camps that caused many civilian deaths, and for extreme measures taken against the native resistance of the countries invaded by the Italian army, such as the hanging of Omar Mukhtar. Due to his brutal methods used in Libya, he was nic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2nd Libyan Division (Italy)
The 2nd Libyan Division () was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. In December 1940 the division formed, together with the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" and 2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre", the XXIII Army Corps. The corps participated in the Italian invasion of Egypt and was destroyed during the Battle of Sidi Barrani. History On 1 March 1940 the 2nd Libyan Division and 1st Libyan Division were formed from existing units in Italian Libya. Both divisions consisted of Italian officers and local non-commissioned officers and troops. In September 1940 the 2nd Libyan Division participated in the Italian invasion of Egypt. The original invasion plan of a flanking move through the desert had been modified due to the shortage of transport capacity and so the 1st Libyan Division and 2nd Libyan Division were brought close to the coastal road to be the spearhead for the CC.NN. divisions of XXIII Army Corps. The Maletti Group would operate as a flank ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Libyan Division (Italy)
The 1st Libyan Division () was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. It was commanded by general Luigi Sibille. The division took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt and was destroyed during the Battle of Sidi Barrani. History The division's history begins with the Italian Libyan Colonial Division formed in the 1920s with local troops from Italian Libya. The division fought in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. On 1 March 1940 the 1st Libyan Division and 2nd Libyan Division were formed from existing units in Italian Libya. Both divisions consisted of Italian officers and local non-commissioned officers and troops. By the time Italy entered World War II the division had 7,224 troops and its commanding general was Luigi Sibille. In September 1940 the 1st Libyan Division participated in the Italian invasion of Egypt. On 13 September the 1st Libyan Division and 1st Paratroopers Regiment "Fanti dell'Aria" attacked Sollum in British Egypt, which was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valentino Babini
Valentino Babini (5 December 1889 – 29 December 1952) was an Italian general during World War II. He was one Italy's foremost pioneers in tank warfare and among the most important tank commanders of the Royal Italian Army during the interwar period and the early stages of World War II; in 1940 he coined the motto of Italy's tank troops, ''Ferrea mole, ferreo cuore'' ("Iron hulls, iron hearts"). Biography He was born in Novi di Modena on 5 December 1889, and enlisted in the Royal Italian Army on 3 November 1907, entering the Royal Military Academy of Infantry and Cavalry of Modena. He graduated in 1909 with the rank of infantry second lieutenant, assigned to 70th Infantry Regiment. In 1911 he was transferred to the 84th Infantry Regiment "Venezia", and with this unit he took part in the initial phases of the Italo-Turkish War, distinguishing himself in October 1911 during the consolidation of the Tripoli bridgehead, and subsequently in Bu Meliana, Zanzur and Sciara Zauri. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
L3/33
The Carro Veloce 33 (CV 33) or L3/33 was a tankette originally built in 1933 and used by the Italian Army before and during World War II. It was based on the imported British Carden Loyd tankette (license-built by Italy as the CV 29). Many CV 33s were retrofitted to meet the specifications of the CV 35 in 1935. In 1938, the CV 33 was renamed the "L3/33" while the CV 35 became the "L3/35s." The original CV 33 carried a two-man crew protected by 12 mm of welded armour and was armed with a single 6.5 mm machine gun. The L3/33 saw action in China, Spain, France, the Balkans, North Africa, Italian East Africa, Italy, and Russia. Variants L3/33 CC The L3/33 CC (Contro Carro, literally "Anti Tank") was based on the L3 tankette. A small number of L3/33s and 35s had their 6.5mm machine guns replaced by a Fucile Controcarri S Mod.39 (20 mm) anti-tank gun, creating an ad-hoc tank destroyer platform. Arriving too late to see action in Libya before the A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
4th Tank Infantry Regiment
The 4th Tank Regiment () is a tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Persano in Campania. The regiment is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks and assigned to the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi". The regiment was formed in 1936 as a training and administrative formation. During World War II the regimental command was sent to Libya, where it fought in the Western Desert campaign. The regimental command, and the battalions assigned to it, were destroyed during the British Operation Compass. For its conduct in North Africa the regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor. In March 1941, the regiment was reformed, but it remained in Rome for the rest of the war as a training command. The regiment was disbanded by German forces after the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943. In 1953 the regiment was reformed and assigned to the Armored Division "Pozzuolo del Friuli". In 1958 the regiment was transferred to the Infant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
M13/40
The Carro Armato M13/40 was an Italian World War II tank designed to replace the M11/39 in the Royal Italian Army at the start of World War II. It was the primary tank used by the Italians throughout the war. The design was influenced by the British Vickers 6-Ton and was based on the modified chassis of the earlier M11/39. Production of the M11/39 was cut short in order to get the M13/40 into production. The name refers to "M" for ''Medio'' (medium) according to the Italian tank weight standards at the time, 13 tonnes was the scheduled weight and 1940 the initial year of production. Specifications The M13 was constructed of riveted steel plates as follows: 30 mm front (as the M11), 42 mm on turret front (30 mm for the M11), 25 mm on the sides (the M11 had only 15 mm), 6 mm bottom (making it very vulnerable to mines) and 15 mm on top. The crew of four were housed in a forward fighting compartment, with the engine at the rear and transmission at th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
