104th Infantry Division Mantova

The 104th Infantry Division Mantova was an auto-transportable Infantry Division of the Italian Army during the Second World War.[nb 1].

This article is about the World War II 104th Infantry Division Mantova. For the Cold War Infantry Division Manotva and Mechanized Brigade Mantova, see Mantova Mechanized Brigade.

104th Infantry Division Mantova
104th Infantry Division Mantova Insignia
Active15 March 1942–21 October 1975
1 January 2003 – 15 July 2013
Country Regno d'Italia
Kingdom of Italy
Branch Regio Esercito
Royal Italian Army
TypeInfantry
RoleInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Mantova
EngagementsSecond World War
Insignia
Identification
symbol
Identification
symbol		Mantova Division collar insignia

History

On 15 March 1942 the 104th Infantry Division Mantova was raised in Verona, consisting of the 113th and 114th infantry regiments and the 11th Artillery regiment. At first the division was based in Piedmont, then in Apulia and Calabria. The division consisted of the following units:

  • 113th Infantry Regiment Mantova
  • 114th Infantry Regiment Mantova
  • 11th Artillery Regiment Monferrato
  • 104th Mortar Battalion
  • 79th Artillery Company
  • 107th Mixed Signal Battalion
  • 404th Searchlight Company [nb 2]

After allied forces had landed on the Italian peninsula and an armistice between Italy and the Allies had been signed, the division stayed loyal to the Italian King Victor Emmanuel III. On 26 September 1943 the division gave up part of the 11th Artillery Regiment to help form the Italian 1st Motorized Group under the command of the 58th Infantry Division Legnano, which was to aid in the allied war effort. On 16 October 1943 its 113th Infantry Regiment joined the US Fifth Army, and on 30 October 1943 the division received the 76th Infantry Regiment Napoli as replacement for the 113th.

In spring 1944 the division took command of the remnants of the 155th Infantry Division Emilia, after they had been repatriated from combat against German forces in Dalmatia. At that point the division consisted of the following understrength units:

  • 76th Infantry Regiment Napoli
  • 114th Infantry Regiment Mantova
  • 119th Infantry Regiment Emilia
  • 120th Infantry Regiment Emilia
  • 155th Artillery Regiment Emilia
  • I Group/11th Artillery Regiment

At the beginning of fall 1944 the division was ordered to re-organize as a Combat Group destined for the frontlines in central Italy. The 76th and 114th infantry regiments and 155th artillery regiment were brought up to strength and equipped with British materiel. By spring 1945 the division was ready to join the British Eighth Army, but it arrived at the front just as the German forces in Italy were surrendering.

On 15 October 1945 the Combat Group Mantova regained its old name of Infantry Division Mantova.

Main article: Mantova Mechanized Brigade

Today

In 2002 the Italian Army raised three division commands, with one of the three always readily deployable for NATO missions. The army decided that each division should carry on the traditions of one of the divisions that served with distinction in World War II. Therefore, on 31 December 2002 the 2nd Italian Division in Vittorio Veneto was renamed as Division Command Mantova.

In the 2013 Army reform it was decided to abolish the corps level in the Italian Army and it was decided to rename the Mantova Division as Friuli Division.

Notes
Footnotes
  1. The division never had the required level of Motor Transport to move all its units at the same time, so it is referred to as an Auto-transportable Division
  2. An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two companies), an Anti Tank Company, a Blackshirt Legion of two Battalions was sometimes attached. Each Division had only about 7,000 men, The Infantry and Artillery Regiments contained 1,650 men, the Blackshirt Legion 1,200, and each company 150 men.[1]
Citations
  1. Paoletti, p 170
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-98505-9.
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