| 23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara" | |
|---|---|
 23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara" insignia | |
| Active | 1939–1943 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Bari |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | GeneralLicurgo Zannini |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |       Ferrara Divisiongorget patches |
The23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara" (Italian:23ª Divisione di fanteria "Ferrara") was ainfantrydivision of theRoyal Italian Army duringWorld War II. The Ferrara was classified as a mountain infantry division, which meant that the division's artillery was moved by pack mules instead of the horse-drawn carriages of line infantry divisions. Italy's realmountain warfare divisions were the six alpine divisions manned byAlpini mountain troops. The division was named for the city ofFerrara and based inBari. The division's men were mostly recruited fromBari and in theAltopiano delle Murge region.[1][2]
The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Ferrara" established on 1 October 1859 with the 25th and 26th infantry regiments of the Army of theUnited Provinces of Central Italy. On 25 March 1860 the Brigade "Ferrara" entered theRoyal Sardinian Army three days after theKingdom of Sardinia had annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy. Already before entering the Royal Sardinian Army the brigade's two infantry regiments had been renumbered on 30 December 1859 as 47th Infantry Regiment and 48th Infantry Regiment.[3]
The brigade fought on theItalian front inWorld War I. On 30 September 1926 the brigade command and the48th Infantry Regiment were disbanded, while the47th Infantry Regiment "Ferrara" was transferred to the XXIII Infantry Brigade. The XXIII Infantry Brigade also included the9th Infantry Regiment "Regina", which was based on the island ofRhodes, and the 10th Infantry Regiment "Regina" located inBari. The brigade was the infantry component of the 23rd Territorial Division of Bari, which also included the14th Artillery Regiment.[1][4] Since 1924 the 9th Infantry Regiment "Regina" was based inRhodes in theItalian Islands of the Aegean. The regiment's commander was also the commander of the Royal Army Troops Command Italian Islands of the Aegean (Italian:Comando Truppe Regio Esercito delle Isole Italiane dell'Egeo).[5]
In 1934 the 9th Infantry Regiment "Regina" left the division and was assigned to the newly formed Aegean Military Command, which was responsible for the defense of theItalian Islands of the Aegean. On 1 October 1934 the division raised the 39th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" inSalerno as replacement.[6] The same year the division changed its name to 23rd Infantry Division "Murge".[1]
On 7 April 1937 the 10th Infantry Regiment "Regina" left the division and moved toRhodes.[7] As replacement the division raised the 48th Infantry Regiment "Ferrara" on 1 July 1937.[8]
On 28 March 1939 the XXIII Infantry Brigade was dissolved, with the infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division. The division participated in theItalian invasion of Albania as part of theXXVI Army Corps. The division's first troops landed inDurrës on 7 April 1939 and in the next two days moved toVlorë,Fier,Tepelenë, and thePatos-Marinza andKuçova oil fields. On 25 April 1939 the division headquarter arrived inGjirokastër with the division's units taking up residence inBerat,Tepelenë,Këlcyrë andPërmet in southern Albania. The division had left the 39th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" in Italy, which was transferred to the25th Infantry Division "Bologna" on 27th April 1939. On 24 May 1939 the division changed its name to 23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara", a name change that included the 14th Artillery Regiment.[1] On 15 September 1939 the47th Infantry Division "Bari" was raised inBari as replacement for the Ferrara, which was to be based permanently in theItalian protectorate of Albania.[9] Consequently the Ferrara's maindepot in mainland Italy was moved from Bari toFoggia.
At the beginning ofGreco-Italian War on 28 October 1940, the Ferrara was stretched fromAoös valley to Mal Stugarë mount. It was ordered to advance in theGjirokastër-Kalpaki-Ioannina direction. On 30 October 1940 the division entered a few hundred meters into a Greek territory nearKakavia and stopped at the Fitóki Potamós stream (a tributary of theDrino). Advancing by road it was able to capture the railroad junction atKalpaki, but failed to dislodge the town's garrison. Greek resistance, initially weak, grew rapidly, and the Ferrara's advance came to a halt due to enemy resistance and the weather turning the few passable roads and trails into muddy traps. On 1–3 November a battle was fought on the division's right flank for control of the Mesovuni mountain chain, after which the outnumbered Greeks retreated to theThyamis river. On 5 November 1940 Italian forces fought their way across the Thyamis and into the town ofChrisorrachi a few kilometres to the South ofKalpaki, but were stopped 500 metres from city center on 6 November 1940.[1]
The Greek, reinforced by aviation and artillery, counter-attacked on 6–7 November 1940 and on 10 November the defence of the Ferrara failed in several places. By 14 November parts of the division were nearly surrounded, and the Ferrara started to retreat on 16 November 1940. The division moved back to theDelvinaki-Fitóki Potamós line. Attacks and counter-attacks continued with the increasing odds against Italians, until the entire left flank of the Ferrara was defeated 20 November 1940. At this point, the remnants of division held only a small sliver of Greek territory near Vesania and were ordered to retreat from the increasingly untenable positions in the Pontikates area. On 26 November 1940 these positions were abandoned too and the remnants of the Ferrara were pushed southwards and out of Greece towards theDrino river. The division made a stand atRadat, but suffered a severe defeat there on 27 November 1940, and was relieved from front line duty by the37th Infantry Division "Modena" on 3 December 1940.[1]
The Ferrara was relocated toGjirokastër, but soon had to return to the front as rearguard for the defeated Modena division. On 6–7 December 1940 the Ferrara fought a defensive battle south ofTepelenë, at the confluence of theAoös andDrino rivers. On 14–16 December 1940 the Greeks captured the dominant height of Maja e Buzë Derrit, forcing the Ferrara to undertake costly counter-attacks until the height was re-captured. Until 10 January 1941 the fighting remained dynamic, although no particular gains were recorded on either side. Following a successful skirmish on 10 January 1941 the Greeks renewed their onslaught on 21 January 1941 and until the58th Infantry Division "Legnano" arrived on 27 January the Italians lost a number of positions. The arrival of Italian reinforcements stabilized the situation and resulted in a gradual reduction of military activities during February 1941.[10]
On 7 March 1941 Greek forces tried to attack atLekël, but were repulsed. On 16 April 1941, the Ferrara started a general advance near the height of Maja e Buzë Derrit. The division quickly captured positions in theDrino valley, reaching soon theGjirokastër-Libohovë line where it stayed until August 1941. Afterward it was transferred toVlorë-Tirana-Elbasan area. In the beginning of January, 1942, the Ferrara division was tasked with coastal defence duty in a sector from ranging from theSeman river toDurrës.[1]
In April 1942 the division was transferred toMontenegro, with headquarters inNikšić (later moved toCetinje), and detachments inDanilovgrad,Podgorica, andŠavnik. Between 14 May and 16 June 1943 the Ferrara participated in OperationCase Black againstYugoslav partisans. A particularly bloody clash was recorded on 16 May 1943 nearŽupa, in border region ofBosnia and Herzegovina. After the announcement of theArmistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the Ferrara surrendered toinvading German forces and was officially dissolved on 25 September 1943.[1]
23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara", inBari until 1939, afterwards depot inFoggia and headquarter inGjirokastër,Italian protectorate of AlbaniaAttached from the end of 1940 until early 1942:[2]
Attached during the division's stay in Montenegro:[2]
For their conduct during theGreco-Italian War thePresident of Italy awarded on 31 December 1947, respectively on 26 December 1951, to the regiments of the 23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara" Italy's highest military honor, theGold Medal of Military Valor.
47th Infantry Regiment "Ferrara" on 31 December 1947[12] 48th Infantry Regiment "Ferrara" on 31 December 1947[13] 14th Artillery Regiment "Ferrara" on 26 December 1951[14]The division's commanding officers were:[1][2]
The names of twelve men attached to the division can be found in theCentral Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects (CROWCASS) set up by the Anglo-AmericanSupreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in 1945. The names can be found at:Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects from the Kingdom of Italy.