57th Infantry Division Lombardia

The 57th Infantry Division Lombardia was a regular infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. It was formed on 24 May 1939 in Pula and disbanded on 8 September 1943.[2]

57th Infantry Division Lombardial
57th Infantry Division Lombardia Insignia
Active1939–1943
CountryItaly
BranchItalian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Casale
EngagementsWorld War II
Battle of the Neretva
Commanders
Notable
commanders		General Giovanni Esposito[1]

Action
Coat of Arms of the 74th Infantry Regiment "Lombardia", 1939

By 10 June 1940, Lombardia was entrenched on the eastern border in the mountains flanking Ilirska Bistrica, with headquarters in Pula. The Lombardia Division took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia as part of the Italian V Corps, starting combat on 8 April 1941. On 11 April 1941 it broke opposing Yugoslavian forces and crossed the border at the Sora river valley. On 12 April 1941, the Lombardia division captured Podkilavac, Grobnik (near Čavle and Jelenje. By 13 April 1941 it reached Krasica and Škrljevo, at which point the Yugoslavian army ceased to offer resistance. On 15 April 1941, garrisons in coastal towns of Novi Vinodolski, Ledenice, Crikvenica, and as far south as Žuta Lokva were established. The Lombardia division participated in Operation Uzice on the Serbian-Croatian border from 9 October 1941 to 9 November 1941. By 1942, garrisons were in Gerovo, Delnice, Ogulin and other places. It also took part in the Battle of the Neretva in early 1943. Partisan activity had grown in frequency and scale, and by September 1943 partisans routinely performed battalion-sized attacks on Italian checkpoints and railways. After the Italian surrender to the Allies on 8 September 1943, the Lombardia division was disbanded by the Germans.[3][4]

Order of battle
  • 73. Lombardia Infantry Regiment
  • 74. Lombardia Infantry Regiment
  • 57. Artillery Regiment
  • 137. CCNN Legion
  • 57. Mortar Battalion
  • 57. Anti-Tank Company
  • 57. Signal Company
  • 37. Pioneer Company
  • 57. Medical Section
  • 40. Supply Section
  • 40. Field Bakery
  • 134. Field Hospital
  • 135. Field Hospital [nb 1][3]

C.R.O.W.C.A.S.S.

The names of 14 men attached to the Lombardia Division can be found in the CROWCASS List established by the Anglo-American Allies of the individuals wanted by Yugoslavia for war crimes:

  • (Name) ALZETTA - (C.R. File Number) 146104 - (Rank, Occupation, Unit, Place and Date of Crime) Lt., Italian Army, Lombardia-Div., Slovenia Croatia (Yugo.) 1943 - (Reason wanted) Murder - (Wanted by) Yugo.[6]
  • BERANI - 149618 - Lt. Army, Lombardia-Div., 73 Regt., 3 Bn., (Yugo.) 1943 - Murder - Yugo. [7]
  • BESTA Fabio - 149613 - Col., Army, Lombardia-Div., 73. Inf. Regt. (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [8]
  • D'ORO - 150890 - Capt., Italian Army, Div. Lombardia, Fuzine (Yugo.) 1942 - Murder - Yugo. [9]
  • FACCIN - 148316 - Col., Commander, Army, Inf. Regt. 73, Lombardia-Div., 41-43 - Murder - Yugo. [10]
  • FERRONI - 148310 - Col. Commander, Army, 74 Inf. Rgt., "Lombardia" Div. (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [11]
  • FLORENTINI - 148307 - Major, "Lombardia"-Div., 73 Rgt., 3 Bn. (Yugo.) - Murder - Yugo. [12]
  • GALLINI - 147285 - Major, Italian Army, 73 Inf. Rgt. "Lombardia" Div. (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [13]
  • GAROLFO (or GAROFOLO) - 147281 - Lt., Italian Army, Lombardia Div., 73 Rgt., 1 Bn. (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [14]
  • LUZENTE - 145419 - Major, Lombardia Div., 73., Rgt., 1 Bn., Slovenia Croatia (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [15]
  • PALPINELLI - 179073 - Lt., Italian Army, "Lombardia" Div., 73 Rgt., 3 Bn., Slovenia Croatia (Yugo.) - Murder - Yugo. [16]
  • PITAU - 149087 - Lt. General, Ital.Army, "Lombardia"-Div. (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [17]
  • VILIERO - 148388 - Chief, Lt.Col., Staff, "Lombardia"-Div., (Yugo.) 43 - Murder - Yugo. [18]
  • ZATTI (or ZATI) - 144988 - Lt. General, Italian Army, Lomardia-Div., Fuzine (Yugo.) 1943 - Murder - Yugo. [19]

Notes
Footnotes
  1. 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, each company 150 men.[5]
Citations
  1. Enrico Tagliazucchi and Franco Agostini. "Royal Italian Army". World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  2. http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/rediv57.htm
  3. Marcus Wendal. "Italian Army". Axis History. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  4. "Operation Weiss". Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  5. Paoletti, p 170
  6. The Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, Consolidated Wanted Lists (1947), Naval & University Press, Uckfield 2005; Part 2 - Non-Germans only, p. 57 (facsimile of the original at the National Archives in Kew/London).
  7. Ibid., p. 58
  8. Ibid., p. 58
  9. Ibid., p. 62
  10. Ibid., p. 62
  11. Ibid., p. 63
  12. Ibid., p. 63
  13. Ibid., p. 63
  14. Ibid., p. 64
  15. Ibid., p. 66
  16. Ibid., p. 69
  17. Ibid., p. 70
  18. Ibid., p. 74
  19. Ibid., p. 74

References
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-98505-9.

Further reading
  • Jowett, Phillip. The Italian Army 1040–45 (3): Italy 1943–45. Osprey Publishing, Westminster. ISBN 978-1-85532-866-2.

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