Military unit
The 2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro" (Italian: 2ª Divisione celere "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro") was a cavalry or "Celere" (Fast) division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division was mobilised in 1940. It did not take part in the Italian invasion of France, but did serve in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and remained in Yugoslavia as part of the occupying forces.[1] In March 1942 the division's 6th Bersaglieri Regiment was sent to the Soviet Union attached to the 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta".[2] In May 1942 the division started converting to an armored division, however, the conversion was cancelled and it returned to the cavalry format. In December 1942, the division moved to France as part of the Italian occupying forces where it was based in Toulon. The division remained in France until the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 and was then disbanded by the invading Germans.
History
The division was formed on 17 April 1930 as 2nd Fast Division in the city of Bologna. Although not officially sanctioned the division is considered to be the heir of the 2nd Cavalry Division of Veneto, which fought in World War I and consisted of the III and IV cavalry brigades. On 15 June 1930 the II Cavalry Brigade, with the regiments Regiment "Genova Cavalleria" (4th), Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th), and Regiment "Cavalleggeri Guide" (19th) entered the division. On 1 October 1934 the 2nd Artillery Regiment for Cavalry Division was formed and assigned to the division.[3]
On 1 January 1935 the division and brigade received the name "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro". On the same date the brigade was reorganized and consisted now of the cavalry regiments Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th), Regiment "Lancieri di Firenze" (9th), and Regiment "Lancieri Vittorio Emanuele II" (10th), the 6th Bersaglieri Regiment, the 2nd Fast Artillery Regiment "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro", and II Light Tank Group "San Marco". In November of the same year the "Lancieri di Novara" left the division for the newly raised 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta". On 1 February 1938 the II Cavalry Brigade "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro" was dissolved and its units came under direct command of the division.[3]
World War II
In March 1941 the division had to transfer its 2nd Fast Artillery Regiment "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro" with the II and III motorized groups to Libya, where it was assigned to the German 90th Light Infantry Division. The 2nd Cavalry Division participated in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and returned to its garrison in Bologna in July 1941. On 23 June the division lost its last artillery group, which was transferred to the 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" to form a horse artillery regiment for the latter division's upcoming deployment to the Eastern front. On 20 January 1942 the division also had to cede the 6th Bersaglieri Regiment to the 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta", which had been bled dry in the Soviet Union. As replacement the division received the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment.[3][4]
134th Armored Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"
On 10 March 1942 the Regiment "Lancieri di Firenze" (9th) left the division and was sent to Albania. As replacement the division received the Regiment "Piemonte Reale Cavalleria" (2nd). On 1 May 1942 the division was renamed as 134th Armored Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro". The division consisted of the Armored Regiment "Lancieri Vittorio Emanuele II" (10th), 134th Motorized Artillery Regiment and the XXXV Mixed Engineer Battalion.[3] On 19 June 1942 the Regiment "Lancieri di Montebello" (8th) joined the division as its armored reconnaissance regiment. However already on 1 August the division returned to its old designation and lost the regiments "Lancieri di Montebello" and "Lancieri Vittorio Emanuele II". As replacements the division received the cavalry regiments Regiment "Nizza Cavalleria" (1st), Regiment "Piemonte Reale Cavalleria" (2nd), and Regiment "Genova Cavalleria" (4th). The division returned to Yugoslavia in October 1942.[3][4]
Case Anton
On 13 November 1942 the division moved to Southern France, which had been occupied by German forces three days earlier. The division initially garrisoned Nice, before assuming coastal defense duties between Antibes and Saint Tropez. In December the division moved further East and replaced the 58th Infantry Division "Legnano" along the coast from Antibes to Menton.[3]
On 4 September 1943 the division was recalled to Italy in preparation for the Armistice of Cassibile and the expected German reaction. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division blocked German attempts to enter Turin on 9 September, and the next day moved towards the Val Maira and Val Varaita valleys in an attempt to keep the retreat route for the Italian units in Southern France open. With no orders from the King or government the division dissolved on 18 September in the area of Cuneo.[3]
Organization
The division had undergone a level of mechanization and fielded two cavalry regiments, a Bersaglieri regiment, a motorized artillery regiment, and a light tank group. The squadrons of the cavalry regiments were horse-mounted and, other than a motorcycle company, the Bersaglieri were issued with bicycles. The light tank group had a total of 61 L3/35s and L6/40 tanks.[5]
2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro", in Ferrara[4]
Commanding officers
The division's commanding officers were:[3][4]
References
Further reading
