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214th Coastal Division (Italy)

214th Coastal Division
Active1943 – 1944
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQSanta Severina
EngagementsWorld War II
Insignia
Identification
symbol
214th Coastal Division gorget patches

The 214th Coastal Division (Italian: 214ª Divisione Costiera) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.[1] Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. They were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.[2]

History

The division was activated on 1 July 1943 in Bari and received units from the 212th Coastal Division and XXXI Coastal Brigade.[3] The division was assigned to XXXI Army Corps and had its headquarter in Santa Severina.[1] The division was responsible for the coastal defense of the coast of the Ionian Sea coast of Calabria between Botricello and Lido Sant'Angelo.[3]

In early September the division prepared to fight the British XIII Corps, which had landed on 3 September 1943 in southern Calabria in Operation Baytown and was advancing towards the 214th Coastal Division's positions. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division remained at its positions and surrendered to the British XIII Corps. Afterwards the division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army, but did not participate in the Italian campaign. The division was dissolved in summer 1944.[3]

Organization

  • 214th Coastal Division, in Santa Severina[3][1]
    • 103rd Coastal Regiment (transferred from the 212th Coastal Division)
    • 148th Coastal Regiment
      • 3x Coastal battalions
    • CCCXCVI Coastal Battalion
    • XXVII Coastal Artillery Group
    • LV Coastal Artillery Group
    • LXXXI Coastal Artillery Group
    • CXL Coastal Artillery Group
    • 403rd Mortar Company (81mm mod. 35 mortars)
    • 702nd Mixed Engineer Company
    • 178th Anti-paratroopers Unit
    • 312th Anti-paratroopers Unit
    • 443rd Anti-paratroopers Unit
    • 447th Anti-paratroopers Unit
    • 451st Anti-paratroopers Unit
    • 214th Carabinieri Section
    • Field Post Office
    • Division Services

Attached to the division:[3]

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were:[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 370. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ^ Jowett p 6
  3. ^ a b c d e "214a Divisione Costiera". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Treni Armati della Marina". Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
  • Jowett, Philip S. (2000). The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943. Osprey, Oxford - New York. ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8.
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