| 25th Infantry Division "Bologna" | |
|---|---|
 25th Infantry Division "Bologna" insignia | |
| Active | 1939–1943 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | XXI Army Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Naples |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |      Bologna Divisiongorget patches |
The25th Infantry Division "Bologna" (Italian:25ª Divisione di fanteria "Bologna") was aninfantrydivision of theRoyal Italian Army duringWorld War II. The Bologna was named after the city ofBologna and classified as an auto-transportable division, meaning it had some motorized transport, but not enough to move the entire division at once.
The Bologna had its recruiting area andregimental depots inCampania and its headquarters inNaples. Its 39th Infantry Regiment was based inSalerno until 1939 and then inCaserta, while the 40th Infantry Regiment and the 10th Artillery Regiment were based in Naples. The division'sregimental depots were shared with the60th Infantry Division "Sabratha", which was based inGharyan inLibya and recruited its men from and trained them in Campania. Shortly after its formation the division was sent toBir al-Ghanam inLibya. It participated in theWestern Desert campaign and was destroyed during theSecond Battle of El Alamein.[1][2]
The division's lineage begins with the XII Brigade established in summer 1859 with the 21st and 22nd infantry regiments of the Army of theUnited Provinces of Central Italy. On 1 October 1859 the brigade received the name "Bologna". On 25 March 1860 the Brigade "Bologna" 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 39th Infantry Regiment and 40th Infantry Regiment.[3]
The brigade fought on theItalian front inWorld War I. On 14 November 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XXV Infantry Brigade with the 15th Infantry Regiment "Savona", 31st Infantry Regiment "Siena", and40th Infantry Regiment "Bologna". The brigade was the infantry component of the 25th Territorial Division of Naples, which also included the 10th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 25th Infantry Division "Volturno". On 27 April 1939 the division transferred the 15th Infantry Regiment "Savona" to the newly activated55th Infantry Division "Savona" and the 31st Infantry Regiment "Siena" to the newly activated51st Infantry Division "Siena" and received the 39th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" from the23rd Infantry Division "Ferrara". On the same date the XXV Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the two regiments came under direct command of the division, which changed its name to 25th Infantry Division "Bologna".[1][4][5]
After the outbreak ofWorld War II the Bologna was sent toLibya, where it was garrisoned inBir al-Ghanam south-west ofTripoli. During theItalian invasion of France from 10-25 June 1940 the Bologna was deployed along theFrench Tunisian-Libyan border. After the signing of theFranco-Italian Armistice on 24 June 1940 the Bologna returned to its garrison in Bir al-Ghanam.[1]
After the BritishWestern Desert Force had crushed the10th Army in Eastern Libya duringOperation Compass in late 1940 the Bologna's 10th Artillery Regiment "Bologna" and some of its support troops were sent in early January 1941 to shore up the new Italian frontline atDerna andMechili. The 10th Artillery Regiment fought on theMechili-Derna line on 25–29 January 1941. After attempts to stop the British offensive failed the Italian forces, including the remnants of the 10th Artillery Regiment, retreated throughMarj andBenghazi, but were encircled and destroyed north ofAjdabiya on 5 February 1941.[6][1] In April 1941 the205th Artillery Regiment "Bologna" arrived in North Africa as replacement for the destroyed 10th Artillery Regiment "Bologna".[1]
In March 1941 the Bologna and elements of the17th Infantry Division "Pavia" moved toSirte and in late May 1941, after the Axis' successful offensiveOperation Sonnenblume the Bologna advanced to Tobruk in Eastern Libya.
The Italian troops during theSiege of Tobruk were the132nd Armored Division "Ariete" and101st Motorized Division "Trieste" of the ItalianXX Army Corps, and the17th Infantry Division "Pavia", the Bologna division, and the27th Infantry Division "Brescia" of theXXI Army Corps. However all attempts to take the city during the months-long siege failed.[1]
During the British offensiveOperation Crusader the Bologna repulsed on 21 November 1941 an attempt by the70th Infantry Division (2nd/King’s Own, 2nd/Black Watch, 2nd/Queen’s, and4th Royal Tank Regiment withMatilda tanks) to overrun its positions atSidi Rezegh.
On 23 November the Bologna withstood another British attack atBir Garsa, which aimed to break through to Sidi Rezegh. The Bologna's success bought sufficient time to allow the17th Infantry Division "Pavia" to mount a counter-attack and defeat the British assault. The Bologna's front now extended some 8 miles and on 25 November the thinly spread-out division was assaulted atBalhamed by British forces, which were supported by 50 tanks. The British managed to break through the Bologna's line and were able to establish contact with the besieged forces in Tobruk. The continued British pressure forced the Bologna gradually back to the "Leopard strongpoint", with the division covering its retreat with mines and machine-gun nests. The Bologna's commander ordered a retreat and the division's units cut off to the east of Tobruk broke through British lines towards Al ‘Adam (nowGamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base). On 5 December 1941 the Bologna began to retreat toGazala and then toDerna, where the division arrived on 11 December. From there the division retreated toAjdabiya andEl Agheila, over 400 km from Tobruk.[1]
During the first half of 1942 the Bologna was deployed atAjdabiya and around Qārat al Ghazālah. During theFirst Battle of El Alamein the Bologna was summoned to theEl Alamein front on 15 July 1942. Lacking vehicles, the division was forced to march some 400 miles, being reviewed by Mussolini on the way. On 18 July the division enteredEgypt. During the night of 25–26 August, the Bologna came under heavy artillery attack, and the New ZealandMāori Battalion, under the cover of darkness, breached part of the Bologna's perimeter. The Māori later reported that there were 100 Italian, dead, wounded or captured during the attack, for 25 killed, wounded and missing New Zealand troops. On 30 August 1942 the Bologna participated in theBattle of Alam el Halfa, during which the division and the German 433rd Infantry Regiment attacked several Indian, South African and New Zealand units on Ruweisat Ridge, and managed to capture Point 211 with the Italians reporting 70 British POWs.[7] but the attackers were later driven back by a counterattack.[8] The division then was stopped by British counter attacks, which continued until 7 September.[1]
During the initial phase of theSecond Battle of El Alamein allied forces subjected the Bologna between 23 and 31 October 1942 on repeated air and ground attacks. On 2 November the Bologna retreated to the western edge of Deir el Beida and after a further resistance on 4 November the division tried to escape the allied forces, which were about to encircle it. The retreat failed and the division's units were overtaken, surrounded by motorized British units and then annihilated one-by-one. Remnants of division fought on 5 November 1942, in Ra’s al Ḩikmah, and on 6 November inFukah and then inMersa Matruh, where they were all defeated by 21 November 1942. The Bologna was officially dissolved on 25 November 1942. Some of the Bologna's remaining units were attached to other divisions, which were retreating towardsTunisia, but by February 1943 all of the Bologna's remaining units had been disbanded.[1]
25th Infantry Division "Bologna", inNaples[1][2]Units attached to the division:[2]
The division's commanding officers were:[1][2]