8th Marching Division (Italy)

The 8th Marching Division was a short-lived division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. In the Italian military the term "Marching" refers to temporary units based in Italy to manage replacements for the operational units at the front.

History

In summer 1942 Italy sent the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia with three divisions to the Eastern Front and the corps' replacements were managed by the Complementary Troops Command of the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia. In summer 1942 Benito Mussolini decided to increase the Italian participation in the Eastern Front and ordered that the CSIR be expanded to a field army with ten divisions. Subsequently the 8th Marching Division was formed in Bolzano on 1 July 1942 to manage replacements for the Italian Army in Russia.

Organization

The 8th Marching Division was made up of three brigades and eleven marching regiments. The list below provides the names of the marching regiments and the ARMIR units they provided replacements for.8th Marching Division, initially in Bolzano, then in Verona

* I Marching Brigade, in Milan
** 8th Marching Regiment
*** CCIX Mortar Replacements Battalion
*** CCLII Mortar Replacements Battalion
*** CVI Anti-tank Replacements Battalion
** 9th Marching Regiment
*** LXXIX Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LXXX Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LXXXIII Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** CLVI Fusilier Replacements Battalion
** 30th Marching Regiment
*** III Bersaglieri Replacements Battalion
*** VI Bersaglieri Replacements Battalion
*** VI Bersaglieri Motorcyclist Replacements Battalion
*** VII Bersaglieri Anti-tank Replacements Battalion
** 52nd Marching Regiment
*** LXXXI Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LXXXII Fusilier Replacements Battalion
* II Marching Brigade, in Bologna
** 2nd Marching Regiment
*** LIII Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LIV Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LXXXIV Fusilier Replacements Battalion
** 3rd Marching Regiment
*** XXXVIII Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** LXXXV Fusilier Replacements Battalion
** 5th Marching Regiment
*** LXXXIX Fusilier Replacements Battalion
*** XC Fusilier Replacements Battalion
** 7th Marching Regiment
*** CC Mortar Replacements Battalion
*** CCIII Mortar Replacements Battalion
*** CCV Anti-tank Replacements Battalion
* III Marching Brigade, initially Bergamo, then in Udine
** 102nd Alpini Marching Regiment
*** V Alpini Replacements Battalion
*** VI Alpini Replacements Battalion
** 103rd Alpini Marching Regiment
*** VIII Alpini Replacements Battalion
*** IX Alpini Replacements Battalion
** 104th Alpini Marching Regiment
*** I Alpini Replacements Battalion
*** II Alpini Replacements Battalion
* 1123rd Transport Section
* 41st Supply Section
* 107th Carabinieri Section
* 124th Field Post Office

Operation Little Saturn

Between 12 December 1942 and 18 February 1943 the Italian Army in Russia was destroyed during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn. What little remained of the Italian divisions was repatriated in March and April 1943. As a result the 8th Marching Division and its units were either disbanded or reassigned.

I Brigade: The 52nd Marching Regiment was disbanded in April 1943, while the brigade command was reorganized as XXVIII Coastal Brigade and sent to Dalmatia. The 8th Marching Regiment became the 183rd Coastal Infantry Regiment and remained with the brigade, while the 9th Marching Regiment was transferred to Albania to manage replacements for Italian units there. On 30 June 1943 the 30th Marching Regiment was disbanded and its personnel used to fill the ranks of the 6th Motorized Bersaglieri Regiment.
II Brigade: The brigade command was reorganized as XXIX Coastal Brigade and sent to Palermo in Sicily with two of its regiments, while its remaining units were disbanded.
III Brigade: In April 1943 the brigade was assigned to the XXIII Army Corps for anti-partisan duties in the area of Tolmin and Cerkno on the Italian-Yugoslav border. The 102nd Regiment and the 104th Regiment were disbanded on 1 May 1943 and used to begin the process of reforming the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina", respectively the 4th Alpine Division "Cuneense". On 31 August 1943 the brigade and the 103rd Regiment were disbanded and the remaining personnel assigned to the three reforming alpine divisions.

230th Coastal Division

The 8th Marching Division was disbanded on 20 May 1943 and on 1 June 1943 the command of the 230th Coastal Division was formed with the 8th Marching Division's personnel.

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officer was:

Generale di Divisione Egisto Conti

The II Marching Brigade commanding officer was:

Generale di Brigata Arturo Benigni