The XXVI Army Corps () was an infantry corps 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 I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the

Italian invasion of Albania The Italian invasion of Albania was a brief military campaign which was launched by Fascist Italy, Italy against Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939), Albania in 1939. The conflict was a result of the imperialistic policies of the Italian prime m ...

, and the

Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian campaign in Greece, Italian invasion of Greece, and War of '40 in Greece, took place between Italy and Greece from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. This conflict began the Balk ...

and the subsequent

Italian occupation of Greece The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers () began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany invaded the Kingdom of Greece in order to assist its ally, Italy, in their ongoing war that was initiated in October 1940, having encountered major strategic ...

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 ...

History

The XXV Corps was first established in

Castelfranco Veneto Castelfranco Veneto () is a town and (municipality) of Veneto, northern Italy, in the province of Treviso. It is the third largest municipality in the province by population after the capital Treviso and Conegliano. It is centrally located betwe ...

on 23 May 1916, until its disbandment on 10 January 1920. In March 1939, in preparation for the

, the Tirana Overseas Expeditionary Corps (''Corpo di Spedizione Oltre Mare Tirana'', O.M.T.) was formed, comprising the 154th Infantry Division "Murge", four

Bersaglieri The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, (, "sharpshooter") are a troop of marksmen in the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Royal Sardinian Ar ...

regiments and a

Grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was historically an assault-specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in siege operation battles. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when ...

regiment. The invasion took place on 7 April, and after weak resistance, by 15 April the entire country was occupied and annexed to Italy. On the same day, the corps was renamed the Albania Army Corps Command (''Comando Corpo d'Armata Albania''), comprising the

3rd Alpine Division "Julia" The 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" () was a Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated, elite mountain corps of the ...

, 7th Infantry Division "Lupi di Toscana", 19th Infantry Division "Venezia", and

131st Armored Division "Centauro" The 131st Armored Division "Centauro" () was an armored division of the Royal Italian Army (1940–1946), Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in April 1939 by expanding the I Armored Brigade (). The division's name came fro ...

. On 23 July, a Higher Forces Command Albania (''Comando Superiore Truppe Albania'') with a status of a

field army A field army (also known as numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps. It may be subordinate to an army group. Air army, Air armies are the equivalent formations in air forces, and ...

was established as a higher instance, but on 1 December 1939 the two commands were merged as the Higher Forces Command Albania (XXVI Army Corps). On 24 October 1940, in preparation for the

Italian invasion of Greece Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

on the 28th, the Higher Forces Command Albania—which soon after became the 11th Army—was divided into the XXVI Corps and the newly created Army Corps of the Ciamuria. The XXVI Army Corps occupied the eastern (left) half of the Italian front with Greece, between the

Prespa Lakes The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Greec ...

and Mount Gobellit. It comprised the 49th Infantry Division "Parma", 29th Infantry Division "Piemonte", 19th Infantry Division "Venezia", and 53rd Infantry Division "Arezzo". The Corps' role during the early days of the Italian offensive was to mount diversionary attacks on the Greek front, but from 1 November the Greek troops of the

Western Macedonia Army Section The Western Macedonia Army Section (; ''Tmima Stratias Dytikis Makedonias'', ''TSDM'') was a field army of the Hellenic Army active during the Greco-Italian War (1940–41). History The command was established in western Macedonia prior to the It ...

(TSDM) launched a counteroffensive, beginning an advance into Albania that was only halted at the

Lake Ohrid Lake Ohrid is a lake which straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, with a unique aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance, with more th ...

– Tepeleni line. The front remained relatively stable thereafter, despite the attempt of the Italian Spring Offensive in March 1941 to achieve a breakthrough. Following the

German invasion of Greece The German invasion of Greece or Operation Marita (), were the attacks on Kingdom of Greece, Greece by Kingdom of Italy, Italy and Nazi Germany, Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Gr ...

on 6 April, on 10 April the Italian forces in the Albanian front began their own advance against the retreating Greeks, arriving at the old Greco-Albanian border on 23 April, the day of the capitulation of the Greek army to the Germans. On 4 May, the corps was redesignated as the Alpine Army Corps Command (XXVI) (''Comando Corpo d'Armata Alpino (XXVI)'') with the

2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" The 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" () was a Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corp ...

and

5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" The 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" () was a Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini are a mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself ...

, until its dissolution on 15 June. XXVI Corps was reconstituted on 1 August 1941, inheriting the units of the disbanded XXV Corps, the divisions 33rd Infantry Division "Acqui", 37th Infantry Division "Modena", 3rd Alpine Division "Julia", and 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria". Based at

Ioannina Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...

, it assumed occupation duties in western Greece (

Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...

and the

Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

), in a coastal defence and anti-partisan role. In 1942, ''Julia'' was repatriated, but in spring 1943, it received operational control over the 1st German Mountain Division. The corps remained in place until the

Italian armistice 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 ...

of September 1943, when it was disbanded.

Commanders

;Higher Forces Command Albania/XXVI Corps (1939–1940) * ''

Generale di corpo d'armata An army corps general or corps general is a rank held by a general officer who commands an army corps. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. Normally, the rank is above the divisional gene ...

Alfredo Guzzoni Alfredo Guzzoni (12 April 1877 – 15 April 1965) was an Italian military officer who served in both World War I and World War II. Early life Guzzoni was a native of Mantua, Italy. Military career Guzzoni joined the Italian Royal Army ('' Re ...

(1939.03 – 1939.12.01) * ''

Carlo Geloso Carlo Geloso (20 August 1879 – 23 July 1957) was an Italian general during the Second World War. In 1939, he assumed command of the Italian forces in Albania. In 1940, he served as commander of the 11th Army during the Greco-Italian War. He w ...

(1939.12.01 – 1940.06.05) * ''

Sebastiano Visconti Prasca Sebastiano Visconti Prasca (27 February 1883, Rome – 25 February 1961, Monte Porzio Catone) was an Italian general. A veteran of the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912 and he led the initial offensive of the Greco-Italian War in 1940 during Worl ...

(1940.06.05 – 1940.11.09) ;XXVI Corps/XXVI Alpine Corps (1940–1943) * ''

'' Gabriele Nasci (1940.10.31 – 1941.05.04) * ''

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 ...

Ugo Santovito Ugo Santovito (Manfredonia, 11 March 1882 – Meran, 22 January 1943) was an Italian general during World War II. Biography He entered the Military Academy of Modena on 30 October 1899, and graduated as second lieutenant of artillery on 2 ...

(interim) * ''

'' Alessandro Gloria (interim) * ''

'' Guido Della Bona (1941.08.01 – 1943.09.08)

References

{{Greece during World War II Army corps of Italy in World War I Army corps of Italy in World War II Epirus in World War II Italian military units and formations of the Greco-Italian War Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943 Military units and formations of Italy in Greece in World War II