The 203rd Coastal Division () was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

division of the

Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army () (RE) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfredo Fanti signed a decree c ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate

materiel Materiel or matériel (; ) is supplies, equipment, and weapons in military supply-chain management, and typically supplies and equipment in a commerce, commercial supply chain management, supply chain context. Military In a military context, ...

. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.Jowett p 6

History

The division was activated on 1 July 1943 in

Cagliari Cagliari (, , ; ; ; Latin: ''Caralis'') is an Comune, Italian municipality and the capital and largest city of the island of Sardinia, an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy. It has about 146,62 ...

by expanding the XIII Coastal Brigade. The division was assigned to XIII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the southern half of the island of

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...

. The division was based in

San Vito San Vito may refer to: Persons *Saint Vitus, saint, origin of all San Vito names Places Settlements in Italy * Bagnolo San Vito, province of Mantua * Celle di San Vito, province of Foggia *Monte San Vito, province of Ancona * San Vito, Sardinia ...

and responsible for the coastal defense of the coast between Capo Pula and

Capo Monte Santu Capo or capos, may refer to: Designation, akin to captain *Capo, short for ''Caporegime'', a rank in the Mafia *''Capo dei capi'', or ''capo di tutti capi'', Italian for "boss of bosses", a phrase used to indicate a powerful individual in organiz ...

, which included the

Gulf of Cagliari "Sella del Diavolo" (Devil's saddle) promontory seen from the Poetto beach near Cagliari. The Golfo di Cagliari (, ), also known as Golfo degli Angeli () is a large bay in southern Sardinia, Italy, facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is enclosed betwe ...

, the harbor of Cagliari, and the south-eastern coast of Sardinia. The 203rd Coastal Division, together with the 204th Coastal Division, 205th Coastal Division, IV Coastal Brigade, and XXXIII Coastal Brigade formed a first static defense line against allied landings on the island. Further inland the 30th Infantry Division "Sabauda", 31st Infantry Division "Calabria",

47th Infantry Division "Bari" The 47th Infantry Division "Bari" () was an infantry Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Bari was formed on 15 September 1939 in the city of Bari. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile o ...

, and

184th Infantry Division "Nembo" The 184th Infantry Division "Nembo" () was an airborne division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. After the Armistice of Cassibile the division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army's Italian Liberation Corps and together with th ...

were the mobile forces of the Armed Forces Command Sardinia. After the announcement of the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile ( Italian: ''Armistizio di Cassibile'') was an armistice that was signed on 3 September 1943 by Italy and the Allies, marking the end of hostilities between Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was made public ...

on 8 September 1943 the division, together with all other divisions on Sardinia, refused German demands to surrender. Realizing the futility of attempting to gain control of Sardinia the German forces on the island retreated to

Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...

. The division joined the

Italian Co-belligerent Army The Italian Co-belligerent Army (Italian: ''Esercito Cobelligerante Italiano''), or Army of the South (''Esercito del Sud''), were names applied to various of the now former Royal Italian Army during the period when it fought alongside the Alli ...

and remained in Sardinia at reduced strength. On 29 August 1944 the division and most of its remaining units were disbanded.

Organization

* 203rd Coastal Division, in

** 126th Coastal Regiment *** CDIX Coastal Battalion *** CDXCI Coastal Battalion *** CMIII Coastal Battalion ** 174th Coastal Regiment *** CCCXCV Coastal Battalion *** CDXXII Coastal Battalion *** CMII Coastal Battalion ** 195th Coastal Regiment (raised on 20 August 1943) *** CDX Coastal Battalion *** CDLXXIII Coastal Battalion *** DLII Coastal Battalion ** 70th Coastal Artillery Regiment *** LIX Coastal Artillery Group *** CXLIV Coastal Artillery Group ** 203rd

Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...

Section ** 219th Field Post Office ** Division Services Attached to the division: * Harbor Defense Command Cagliari ** 408th Mobile Territorial Infantry Regiment (reserve unit) ** CDLXXVII Coastal Battalion ** CCXXV Coastal Artillery Group

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officer was: *

Generale di Divisione Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps g ...

Adolfo Sardi (1 July 1943 - 1944)

References

* * {{Italian Divisions World War II Coastal divisions of Italy Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II