The Italian 4th Division "Littorio" (
Lictor
A lictor (possibly from Latin language, Latin ''ligare'', meaning 'to bind') was a Ancient Rome, Roman civil servant who was an attendant and bodyguard to a Roman magistrate, magistrate who held ''imperium''. Roman records describe lictors as hav ...
) a regular Infantry Division which was fully motorized. It was formed as one of four divisions for the
Corpo Truppe Volontarie
The Corps of Volunteer Troops () was a Fascist Italian expeditionary force of military volunteers, which was sent to Spain to support the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco against the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil ...
during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
by the
Regio Esercito
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 ...
. On its return to Italy it was used to form the
133rd Armoured Division Littorio.
Order of battle March 1, 1937 Battle of Guadalajara
4th Division "Littorio" – Bgd. Gen.
Annibale Bergonzoli
Annibale Bergonzoli (1 November 1884 – 31 July 1973), nicknamed ''"barba elettrica"'', " Electric Whiskers", was an Italian lieutenant general who served during World War I, the Spanish Civil War and World War II. In 1940 he commanded the de ...
* 1st Infantry Regiment – Colonel Daniele Pescarolo.
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
** Support Battery (65/17)
** Engineer Section
* 2nd Infantry Regiment “Osa l’Inosabile” – Coronel Ugo Sprega.
** 1st Battalion – Lt. Colonel Agostino Camurati
** 2nd Battalion – Lt. Colonel Virginio Manari
** 3rd Battalion – Lt. Colonel Angelo Sulas
** Support Battery (65/17)
** Engineer Section
* Division Machinegun Battalion – Major Antonio Luciano
* 3rd Artillery Regiment – Colonel Giuseppe D'Amico
* Artillery Group (100/17)
* Artillery Group (100/17)
* AA Battery 20mm
* "Carabinieri" Section
* Intendencia Section
* Sanitation Section
* Division Truck Unit
Order of battle August 1937
*Division "Littorio" during the
Battle of Santander
The Battle of Santander was fought in the War in the North campaign of the Spanish Civil War during the summer of 1937. Santander's fall on 26 August assured the Nationalist conquest of the province of Santander, now Cantabria. The battle deva ...
Assault Division "Littorio" – Annibale Bergonzoli
* 1st Infantry Regiment
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
* 2nd Infantry Regiment
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
* 3rd Artillery Regiment
** I Group 65/17
** II Group 65/17
** Group (100/17)
** Group (100/17)
** AA Battery 20mm
* "Carabinieri" Section
* Intendencia Section
* Sanitation Section
Order of battle March 1938
*Division "Littorio" during the
Aragon Offensive
The Aragon Offensive was an important military campaign during the Spanish Civil War, which began after the Battle of Teruel. The offensive, which ran from March 7, 1938, to April 19, 1938, smashed the Republican forces, overran Aragon, and con ...
.
Division "Littorio" – Annibale Bergonzoli
* 1st Infantry Regiment
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
** Battery 65/17
* 2nd Infantry Regiment
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
** Battery 65/17
* 3rd Regiment of Blackshirts
** Battalion "Folgore"
** Battalion "Carroccio"
** Battalion "Temerario"
** Battery 65/17
* Assault Battalion
* Artillery Regiment
** I Group 75/27
** IV Group 75/27
** Group 100/17
** Group 20mm AA
** Group 37mm AT
* "Carabinieri" Section
* Intendencia Section
* Sanitation Section
* Engineer Section
* Division Truck Unit
Order of battle November 1938
* Order of battle before the start of the
Catalonia Offensive
The Catalonia Offensive (, ) was part of the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist Army started the offensive on 23 December 1938 and rapidly conquered Republican-held Catalonia with Barcelona (the Republic's capital city from October 1937). Ba ...
.
Division Littorio –
Gervasio Bitossi
Gervasio Bitossi (2 October 1884 – 26 June 1951) was an Italian general during World War II, pioneer of tank warfare in the Royal Italian Army and among Italy's main experts in the field of mechanized warfare.
Biography
On 16 October 1900 he e ...
* 1st Infantry Regiment
** 1st Battalion
** 2nd Battalion
** 3rd Battalion
** Support Battalion
** Battery 65/17
* 2nd Blackshirt Regiment
** Battalion "Ardente"
** Battalion "Inflessibile"
** Battalion "Lupi"
** Battalion "Vampa"
** Battery 65/17
* Mortar Battalion
** 1st Company 81mm
** 2nd Company 81mm
** 3rd Company 81mm
* Antitank Company 47/35
* Artillery Regiment
** Group 65/17
** Group 75/27
** Group 100/17
** AA Battery 20mm
* Engineer Company
* Radio Company
Sources
*de Mesa, José Luis, El regreso de las legiones: (la ayuda militar italiana à la España nacional, 1936–1939), García Hispán, Granada:España, 1994
{{Italian Divisions World War II
Divisions of Italy in the Spanish Civil War
Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II
Military units and formations established in 1936
Military units and formations disestablished in 1939