| 40th Infantry Division "Cacciatori d’Africa" | |
|---|---|
 40th Infantry Division "Cacciatori d'Africa" insignia | |
| Active | 27 July 1940 – 15 May 1941 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | World War II East African Campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | GeneralGiovanni Varda |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |       Cacciatori d'Africa Divisiongorget patches |
The40th Infantry Division "Cacciatori d’Africa" (Italian:40ª Divisione di fanteria "Cacciatori d’Africa" - English: Hunters of Africa) was aninfantrydivision of theRoyal Italian Army duringWorld War II. The Cacciatori d’Africa was formed on 27 July 1940 from troops and reservists stationed inItalian East Africa. The Cacciatori d’Africa, together with the65th Infantry Division "Granatieri di Savoia" were outside the regular Royal Italian Armychain of command, and subordinated directly toPrince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, theViceroy of Italian East Africa. The division dissolved on 15 May 1941 after being decimated during theEast African campaign.[1]
The 40th Infantry Division "Cacciatori d’Africa" was to be formed in case of mobilization in Italian East Africa, with personnel recalled from leave, local Italian residents, and materiel stored there. The Cacciatori d’Africa was to take the form of a standard Italian infantry division of two infantry regiments, each with three battalions, a blackshirt legion with three battalions, a field artillery regiment with three groups, and various divisional service units.[2]
However, when the division was actually activated on 27 July 1940, it was unable to raise enough men and therefore never reached the planned organization: instead of nine infantry battalions it fielded only six, and instead of three artillery groups it managed to raise only one equipped with65/17infantry support guns.[2]
From its formation on 27 July 1940 until the end of December 1940, the Cacciatori d’Africa were limited to defending the fortified walls ofAddis Ababa. From January 1941, after the ranks of division grew due to recruitment, the division started to take additional positions outside the walls. After the disastrousBattle of Keren on 23 March 1941, the Cacciatori d’Africa transferred its 210th Infantry Regiment "Bisagno" and its artillery group to the65th Infantry Division "Granatieri di Savoia". On 31 March 1941, the 211th Infantry Regiment "Pescara" was placed under direct command of theItalian East Africa High Command, and sent toAmba Alagi mountain. On the same day, the divisional headquarters moved toDessie and the remaining units of Cacciatori d’Africa were distributed to various other units tasked with the defence of the lineDanakil Depression-Amba Alagi-Addis Ababa and the division received colonial battalions as replacements for its two infantry regiments.
AfterAddis Ababa fell to British forces on 6 April 1941, the Cacciatori d’Africa took up a defensive positions atKombolcha airbase and atBati. On 17 April 1941 these defences came under attack by the1st South African Brigade andCampbell's Scouts (Ethiopian irregulars led by a British officer). By 19 April 1941, the Italian defensive lines were in disarray due to airstrikes, allowing multiple sections to be overrun by British armoured forces on 19 to 21 April 1941. Increased shelling by British artillery forced a full abandonment of the 1st line of defences nearBati on 22 April 1941. On 25 April 1941Kombolcha airbase fell, andDessie was overrun on 26 April 1941, forcing the Cacciatori d’Africa divisional command to transfer toBati and then immediately to Tendaho in the desert to the east. By 6 May 1941, the survivors of the Cacciatori d’Africa had retreated toDanakil to make a last stand. Pressure from the Ethiopian irregulars mounted in the period 7–15 May 1941, forcing the remaining Italian forces to flee toAssab, where they remained holed up until 10 June 1941. During 10–11 June 1941, all survivors of the Cacciatori d'Africa division were either killed or taken prisoner by Indian forces inOperation Chronometer.
The Bisagno was sent to Āwash on 21 March 1941. It was then split on 1 April 1941: its I Battalion was sent toDessie, ambushed by Ethiopian irregulars and annihilated on 7 April 1941. The regiment's II Battalion was sent to the south ofAddis Ababa and reachedSidama Zone, where it came under command of the 25th Colonial Division. It continued to fight until it was destroyed on 22 May 1941 in the area ofSodo.[3]
During fall ofDessie 26 April 1941 the Pescara manned positions at Kalaga, Ethiopia. Participating peripherally in theBattle of Amba Alagi on 4–19 May 1941, it surrendered together with other Italian units 19 May 1941.[4]
40th Infantry Division "Cacciatori d'Africa", inAddis AbabaThe division's commanding officers were: