| 10th Infantry Division "Piave" | |
|---|---|
 10th Infantry Division "Piave" insignia | |
| Active | 1939– 23 September 1943 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Padua |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | GeneralFrancesco Zingales GeneralErcole Roncaglia |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |       Piave Divisiongorget patches |
The10th Infantry Division "Piave" (Italian:10ª Divisione di fanteria "Piave") was aninfantrydivision of theRoyal Italian Army duringWorld War II. At the beginning ofWorld War II Piave was classified as an auto-transportable division, meaning it had some motorized transport, but not enough to move the entire division at once. On 15 July 1941 the division reorganized to a fully motorized division and was renamed10th Motorized Division "Piave" (Italian:10ª Divisione motorizzata "Piave"). The division was named after the riverPiave, where duringWorld War I Italy and Austria fought three major battles. The division had its recruiting area inVeneto and its headquarters inPadua. Its two infantry regiments were based inVicenza (57th) and Padua (58th), with the division's artillery regiment also based in Padua.[1]
The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Abruzzi" established on 16 April 1861 with the 57th and 58th infantry regiments.[2]
The brigade fought on theItalian front inWorld War I. On 31 December 1926 the brigade was disbanded and its two regiments were transferred to the other brigades: the57th Infantry Regiment "Abruzzi" to theIX Infantry Brigade and the 58th Infantry Regiment "Abruzzi" to the X Infantry Brigade. The X Infantry Brigade, which also included the 56th Infantry Regiment "Marche" and the 71st Infantry Regiment "Puglie", was the infantry component of the 10th Territorial Division of Padua, which also included the20th Artillery Regiment. On 1 January 1928 the X Infantry Brigade exchanged the 56th Infantry Regiment "Marche" for the 55th Infantry Regiment "Marche" of theXIII Infantry Brigade. In 1934 the division changed its name to 10th Infantry Division "Piave".[3][4][5]
On 22 February 1939 the 55th Infantry Regiment "Marche" was transferred to the newly raised32nd Infantry Division "Marche" and on 15 May 1939 the 71st Infantry Regiment "Puglie" was transferred to the newly raised38th Infantry Division "Puglie". On the same date the 57th Infantry Regiment "Abruzzi" returned to the division, the X Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the two infantry regiments came under direct command of the division, and the 57th and 58th infantry regiments and 20th Artillery Regiment changed their names to "Piave".[3]
On 10 June 1940 the Piave division was mobilized for war, but did not participated in hostilities. In early February 1941, it moved toSicily in the area ofCasteltermini,Canicattì,Aragona andMussomeli. At the time it was subordinated to theXII Army Corps. In February 1941 it received additionalmateriel to become a "motorized division". On 27 March 1941 the Piave was sent to theprovince of Udine on the Italian-Yugoslav border in preparation for theInvasion of Yugoslavia, which commenced in April 1941. By 16 April 1941 the division had advanced to thePivka area. Once hostilities ended the division moved toLiguria betweenSavona andGenoa, where it arrived in May 1941. Between 21 June and 15 July 1941 the division was fully motorized and changed its name on the latter date to 10th Motorized Division "Piave".[1]
In spring 1942 theregimental depots of the Piave raised the infantry and artillery units of the105th Infantry Division "Rovigo". On 12 November 1942 the Piave moved to the area betweenSaint-Tropez andGrimaud in Southern France as part of theAxis occupation of France.[3]
Between 1–10 January 1943 the division returned to Italy, where it was assigned to theCorpo d'Armata Motocorazzato, whose duty was to guard the southern approaches toRome from a possible allied invasion. The division stayed inVelletri-Sezze-Priverno until August 1943 when the Italian focus shifted to prevent a possible German invasion. The division therefore moved to the North of Rome to the area aroundVia Cassia andVia Tiburtina. AfterArmistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the Piave received orders to move toPalombara Sabina, but was ambushed on the way byGerman detachments at Ponte del Grillo, north ofMonterotondo. The division counterattacked and forced the German forces to retreat to Monterotondo.[6] After negotiations with the German command, the Piave was transferred to the control of the municipal council of Rome and performed police duties in the city until the Germans dissolved the division on 23 September 1943.
10th Infantry Division "Piave" /
10th Motorized Division "Piave", inPadua[1][3]During its reorganization as fully motorized division the Piave was augmented between 21 June and 15 July 1941 with the following units:[1]
In November 1941 the two infantry replacement battalions entered the newly activated 10th Infantry Replacements Grouping and the division received an anti-aircraft artillery group:[1]
In October 1942 the division received one more unit:[1]
In 1943 the division received two more units:[1]
The division's commanding officers were:[3][1]
10th Infantry Division "Piave":
10th Motorized Division "Piave":