The 2nd Libyan Division ( it, 2ª Divisione libica) was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and m ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military * Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

of the

Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army ( it, Regio Esercito, , Royal Army) 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 Manf ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. 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 The Italian invasion of Egypt () was an offensive in the Second World War, against British, Commonwealth and Free French forces in the Kingdom of Egypt. The invasion by the Italian 10th Army () ended border skirmishing on the frontier and began ...

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 Libya ( it, Libia; ar, ليبيا, Lībyā al-Īṭālīya) was a colony of the Fascist Italy located in North Africa, in what is now modern Libya, between 1934 and 1943. It was formed from the unification of the colonies of Italian Cyrenaica a ...

. Both divisions consisted of Italian officers and local non-commissioned officers and troops. In September 1940 the 2nd Libyan Division participated in the

. 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 The Maletti Group ( it, Raggruppamento Maletti) was an mechanised unit formed by the Italian Royal Army () in Italian North Africa (, ASI), during the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The Italian army h ...

would operate as a flank guard. After entering Egypt the Italian units stopped and built a series of fortified camps around

Sidi Barrani Sidi Barrani ( ar, سيدي براني ) 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 ...

. The British noted that the Italian camps were dispersed and separated by large distances, which meant they could not support each other if attacked. Accordingly the plan for

Operation Compass Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...

envisioned to defeat the Italians in detail in a five-day raid. On 9 December the 2nd Libyan Division was located at Tummar and the British attack commenced on Tummar began at 13.50, after

7th Royal Tank Regiment The 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1917 until disbandment in 1959. History The 7th Royal Tank Regiment was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. The regimen ...

had refuelled and re-armed and artillery had softened up the defences for an hour. A north-west approach was made and the tanks broke through the perimeter without much difficulty and were followed by the infantry. However, the defenders put up stronger opposition than at NibeiwaPlayfair, p.268 but by 16.00 Tummar West had been overrun, except for the extreme north-east corner. The British tanks then shifted their point of attack to Tummar East, the greater part of which was captured by nightfall.Playfair p. 269 On 10 December the

16th Indian Infantry Brigade The 2nd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in Rawalpindi in September 1939. In October 1940, it was renamed 16th (Independent) Indian Infantry Brigade in November 1941, ...

was brought forward from the

4th Indian Infantry Division The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, i ...

reserve and with elements of the

11th Indian Infantry Brigade The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was relocated from India to Egypt in the middle of August 1939 and trained at Fayed in Ismailia Governorate on the Great Bitter Lake. I ...

were sent forward to attack

. Moving forward it was in position barring the south and south-western exits to Sidi Barrani by 13.30. At 16.00, supported by the whole of the division's artillery, the attack, again with the support of 7th RTR, went in. The town was captured by nightfallWavell in and the remains of the two Libyan divisions and the 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" were trapped between 16th Infantry Brigade and Selby Force.Playfair p. 270 By 15 December, Sollum and Halfya had been captured as well as Fort Capuzzo and all Italian forces had been cleared from Egypt. The 2nd Libyan Division lost 26 officers and 1,327 men killed and 32 officers and 804 men wounded, with the survivors being taken prisoner.USSME, ''La prima offensiva Britannica in Africa Settentrionale'', tomo I, allegato 32 (page 375). The division was declared lost on 11 December 1940.

Organization

* 2nd Libyan Division ** 3rd Libyan Infantry Grouping *** II Libyan Infantry Battalion "Offella" *** VI Libyan Infantry Battalion " Gefara" *** VII Libyan Infantry Battalion "

Buerat Buerat, or Buerat el Hussoun ( ar, بويرات الحسون), is a village in western Libya, some west of Sirte.Salem Mohammed ez Zawwam, "Al Mu'jam Al Jughrafi lil Amakin Allibiya", Dar wa Maktabat Ash Sha'b lin Nashr wa Tazee', Misrata, Libya, ...

" ** 4th Libyan Infantry Grouping *** XIV Libyan Infantry Battalion " Sorman" *** XV Libyan Infantry Battalion " Tefren" *** XVI Libyan Infantry Battalion " Aziza" ** 2nd Libyan Artillery Grouping *** I Libyan Artillery Group ( 77/28 field guns) *** II Libyan Artillery Group (77/28 field guns) *** 1st Libyan Anti-aircraft Battery ( 20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns) *** 2nd Libyan Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns) ** II Libyan Mixed Engineer Battalion *** 1x Libyan engineer company *** 1x Libyan telegraph and radio operators company ** 2nd Libyan Anti-tank Company ( 47/32

anti-tank gun An anti-tank gun is a form of artillery designed to destroy tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, normally from a static defensive position. The development of specialized anti-tank munitions and anti-tank guns was prompted by the appearance ...

s) ** 2nd Libyan Transport Group ** 1x Medical section ** 1x Supply section ** 27th Field Post Office Attached to the division in Egypt: * IX Tank Battalion "L" (

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). M ...

and

L3/35 The L3/35 or Carro Veloce CV-35 was an Italian tankette that saw combat before and during World War II. Although designated a light tank by the Italian Army, its turretless configuration, weight and firepower make it closer to contemporary tanke ...

tankette A tankette is a tracked armoured fighting vehicle that resembles a small tank, roughly the size of a car. It is mainly intended for light infantry support and scouting.

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were: *

Generale di Divisione Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an Division (military), army division. The rank originates from the General officer#French (Revolutionary) system, French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The ...

Armando Pescatori Armando Pescatori (Parma, 11 February 1884 – Rome, 23 August 1957) was an Italian general during World War II. Among Italy's most experienced generals in colonial warfare, he is noted for leading the 2nd Libyan Division also known as the " ...

(1 March 1940 - 11 December 1940, POW)

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{Italian colonial empire Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II Libya in World War II Italy–Libya relations Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940