View source for 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"

{{Short description|WW2 Royal Italian Army formation}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"}}
{{infobox military unit
|unit_name=3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"
|image=3a Divisione Celere Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta.png
|image_size = 160
|caption= 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" insignia
|dates=1934 – 1943
| country                 = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
| branch                  = {{army|Kingdom of Italy}}
|type=[[Cavalry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure=[[Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia]]<br>[[Eighth Army (Italy)|8th Army]]
|garrison= [[Milan]]
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|battles=[[World War II]]
* [[Invasion of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]
* [[Stalino]]
* [[Battle of Nikolayevka|Nikolayevka]]
|anniversaries=
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||identification_symbol=[[File:World War II - Mostrina - "Savoia Cavalleria".png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina - "Lancieri di Novara".png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina - Bersaglieri.png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina - Gruppi carri veloci di divisione celere.png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina Artiglieria.png|30px]] [[File:World War II - Mostrina Genio.png|30px]]<br/>Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta Division [[Italian Army gorget patches#Royal Italian Army|gorget patches]]
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The '''3rd Cavalry Division "[[Amadeo I of Spain|Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta]]"''' ({{langx|it|3ª Divisione celere "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"}}) was a [[Cavalry]] or "Celere" (Fast) [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Royal Italian Army]] during [[World War II]]. The division was formed in 1934, and during World War II was mobilized in June 1940. As a cavalry division it took part in the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]] and was part of the [[Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia]]. Annihilated during the [[Red Army]]'s [[Operation Little Saturn]] in December 1942, the survivors returned to [[Italy]] in spring 1943.
== History ==
The division was formed on 1 November 1934 as 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" in [[Milan]]. Although not officially sanctioned the division is considered to be the heir of the 3rd Cavalry Division of Lombardy, which fought in [[World War I]] and consisted of the V and VI cavalry brigades and was based in Milan. The division consisted of the III Cavalry Brigade "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" and the [[3rd Artillery Regiment for Cavalry Division]]. The cavalry brigade consisted of the cavalry regiments [[Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd)]] and [[Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th)]], the [[8th Bersaglieri Regiment]], and the III Light Tank Group "San Giorgio". On 1 February 1938 the III Cavalry Brigade "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" was dissolved and its units came under direct command of the division.<ref name="Regio Esercito">{{cite web |title=3ª Divisione Celere "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/redivcelere3.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
=== World War II ===
In March 1941 the division had to transfer its [[3rd Fast Artillery Regiment "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"]] with the II and III motorized groups to [[Italian Libya|Libya]], where it was assigned to the [[17th Infantry Division "Pavia"]] to replace the 26th Artillery Regiment, which had been destroyed by British forces during the [[Battle of Beda Fomm]] on 6–7 February 1941. The division participated in the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]] and returned to Milan on 31 May 1941. There the division received on 23 June the two remaining horse artillery groups of its two sister divisions [[1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia"]] and [[2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"]], which allowed the "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" to form the [[3rd Horse Artillery Regiment]] for the division's upcoming [[Italian participation in the Eastern Front|deployment to the Eastern front]].<ref name="Regio Esercito"/><ref name=ax2/>
=== Eastern Front ===
On 13 August 1941 the division reached Dniprodzerzhynsk (today [[Kamianske]] on the [[Dnipro (river)|Dnipro]] in central [[Ukraine]], where the division took up position to the right of the [[9th Infantry Division "Pasubio"]]. On 28 September the Pasubio forced the river and the division's of the [[Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia]] went on the offensive, which brought them to Stalino (today [[Donetsk]]) by 13 October. After a month of fierce combat Stalino and nearby [[Horlivka]] were taken. The divisions continued their slowing offensive until 25th December, when the Soviets launched a determined counterattack in the [[Christmas Battle (1941)|Christmas Battle]]. The Italians repulsed the attack and the front stabilized afterwards for January.<ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
On 15 March 1942 the division was radically reorganized: it received the [[6th Bersaglieri Regiment]] from the [[2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"]], the [[120th Motorized Artillery Regiment (Italy)|120th Motorized Artillery Regiment]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=205441|title = Finding All Possible Italian Tanks from 1900 to 1980 - Axis History Forum}}</ref> the LXVII Armored Bersaglieri Battalion (two companies of [[L6/40]] light tanks), the IX Mortar Battalion, the XIII Squadrons Group/ [[Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th)]], with two squadrons of [[Semovente 47/32]] [[self-propelled gun]]s, and an expanded complement of mortars and anti-tank weapons. The division's two cavalry regiments, the horse artillery regiment and the III Light Tanks Group "San Giorgio" were removed from the division and formed the independent Horse Troops Grouping under direct command of the [[8th Army (Italy)|8th Italian Army]]. With the new units and equipment the 3rd Cavalry Division was now structured similar to Italian motorized divisions.<ref name=ax1>{{cite web|title=Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia|author=Bohannon, Shawn|access-date=2009-09-04|publisher=Axis History|url=http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=6262}}</ref><ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
In April 1942, the division was further reinforced when the [[Light Transport Brigade|Croatian Light Transport Brigade]] arrived at the front and was attached to the "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta".<ref name=ax1/> From 30 July to 9 August the two [[Bersaglieri]] regiments eliminated the Soviet bridgehead at [[Serafimovich (town)|Serafimovich]] and later that month, with the support of German tanks, the Bersaglieri repelled a Soviet attack during the first defensive battle of the Don.<ref>Italian Ministry of Defence, 1977a. Valori, 1951</ref><ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
By late autumn 1942, the 8th Italian Army was placed on the left flank of the [[6th Army (Wehrmacht)|German 6th Army]] between the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] and [[Romania]]n forces. The [[6th Army (Wehrmacht)|German 6th Army]] was then investing Soviet General [[Vasily Chuikov]]'s 62nd Army in Stalingrad. The [[Italian Army in Russia|Italian front line]] stretched along the [[Don River (Russia)|Don]] river for more than {{convert|250|km|mi}} from the positions of the [[Hungarian Second Army|Hungarian 2nd Army]] in [[Kalmiskowa]] to the positions of the [[Third Army (Romania)|Romanian 3rd Army]] in [[Veshenskaya]].
=== Operation Little Saturn ===
On 17 December the Soviets began [[Operation Little Saturn]] and under immense pressure of superior Soviet armored forces the Italian divisions had to retreat from the Don the next day, but the motorized Soviet formations overtook the Italians and therefore repeatedly the Italians had to fight their way through Soviet defensive lines on their way towards [[Poltava]] and [[Dnipropetrovsk]]. After three weeks in the icy desert of the [[Steppe]] the survivors crossed the [[Donets]] river. The few remaining troops formed a [[Kampfgruppe]] and continued to fight until February 1943. The last troops were withdrawn to Italy in March 1943 and garrisoned in [[Bologna]] and [[Imola]], where the process of rebuilding the division began.<ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
After the announcement of the [[Armistice of Cassibile]] on 8 September 1943 the division and its units were disbanded on 15 September 1943 after brief resistance against the [[Operation Achse|invading German forces]].<ref name=ax2>{{cite web|title=Italian Army|author=Wendal, Marcus|access-date=2009-09-04|publisher=Axis History|url=http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=8571}}</ref><ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
== Organization ==
=== August 1940 ===
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 [[L3/35]]s and [[L6/40]] tanks.<ref name="Mollo, p.87">Mollo, p.87</ref>
* [[File:3a Divisione Celere Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta.png|25px]] '''3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"''', in [[Milan]]<ref name="Ufficio Storico">{{cite book |title=Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=199 |url=https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/bollettino-ii-n.3-4-2002-testo |access-date=19 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="Regio Esercito"/>
** [[Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd)]], in Milan<ref>{{cite web |title=Reggimento "Savoia Cavalleria" 3° |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/cavalleria/regcav3.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref>
*** Command Squadron
*** I Squadrons Group
*** II Squadrons Group
*** 5th Machine Gun Squadron
** [[Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th)]], in [[Verona]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Reggimento "Lancieri di Novara" 5° |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/cavalleria/regcav5.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref>
*** Command Squadron
*** I Squadrons Group
*** II Squadrons Group
*** 5th Machine Gun Squadron
** [[3rd Bersaglieri Regiment]], in Milan<ref name="3° Bersaglieri">{{cite web |title=3° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/bersaglieri/rgtbers3.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref>
*** Command Company
*** XVIII Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XX Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XXV Bersaglieri Battalion
*** 2nd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company (detached from the [[2nd Bersaglieri Regiment]])
*** 3rd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
*** 3rd Anti-tank Company ([[Cannone da 47/32|47/32]] [[anti-tank gun]]s)
** [[3rd Fast Artillery Regiment "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"]], in Milan (replaced by the [[3rd Horse Artillery Regiment]] for the [[Italian participation in the Eastern Front|campaign in the Soviet Union]])<ref name="Cavallo">{{cite book |first1=F. |last1=dell'Uomo |first2=R. |last2=Puletti |title=L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo II |date=1998 |publisher=SME - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=235}}</ref>
*** Command Unit
*** I Group ([[Cannone da 75/27 modello 12|75/27 mod. 12]] horse-drawn guns)
*** II Group ([[Cannone da 75/27 modello 11|75/27 mod. 11]] field guns)
*** III Group (75/27 mod. 11 field guns)
*** 1x Anti-aircraft battery ([[Breda Model 35|20/65 mod. 35]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s)
*** Ammunition and Supply Unit
** [[3rd Horse Artillery Regiment]]<ref name="Cavallo"/>
*** Command Unit
*** I Group ([[Cannone da 75/27 modello 12|75/27 mod. 12]] horse-drawn guns)
*** II Group (75/27 mod. 12 horse-drawn guns)
*** III Group (75/27 mod. 12 horse-drawn guns)
*** 1x Anti-aircraft battery ([[Breda Model 35|20/65 mod. 35]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s)
*** Ammunition and Supply Unit
** III Light Tank Group "San Giorgio", in Verona ([[L3/35]] and [[L6/40 tank]]s)
** IX Mortar Battalion ([[81/14 Model 35 Mortar|81mm mod. 35]] [[Mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s)
** 172nd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns, detached from the [[2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"]])
** 173rd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
** 103rd Telegraph and Radio Operators Company
** 105th Engineer Company
** 73rd Medical Section
*** 46th Field Hospital
*** 47th Field Hospital
*** 148th Field Hospital
*** 159th Field Hospital (detached from the [[2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"]])
*** 30th Surgical Unit
** 213th Transport Section
*** 36th Transport Platoon
*** 872nd Transport Platoon
*** 873rd Transport Platoon
*** 874th Transport Platoon
** 93rd Supply Section
** 59th Bakers Section
** 3rd Cavalry Division Command Transport Squad
** 355th [[Carabinieri]] Section
** [[356th Carabinieri Section]]
** 40th Field Post Office
Attached during the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]] in 1941:<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>
* [[Regiment "Genova Cavalleria" (4th)]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Reggimento "Genova Cavalleria" 4° |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/cavalleria/regcav4.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref>
** Command Squadron
** I Squadrons Group
** II Squadrons Group
** 5th Machine Gun Squadron
=== August 1942 ===
After the reorganization in August 1942 the division consisted of the following units:<ref>{{cite book |title=Quadro di battaglia dell'8ª Armata italiana in Russia |date=1977 |publisher=Ministero della Difesa Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito Ufficio Storico Roma, 1977 |location=Rome |url=https://www.unirr.it/storia/quadro-di-battaglia-dell-8a-armata |access-date=22 September 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:3a Divisione Celere Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta.png|25px]] '''3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"'''<ref name="Regio Esercito"/><ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>
** [[3rd Bersaglieri Regiment]]<ref name="3° Bersaglieri"/>
*** Command Company
*** XVIII Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XX Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XXV Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** 3rd Anti-tank Company ([[Cannone da 47/32|47/32]] anti-tank guns)
** [[6th Bersaglieri Regiment]]<ref>{{cite web |title=6° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/bersaglieri/rgtbers66.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref>
*** Command Company
*** VI Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XIII Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** XIX Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
*** 6th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
** [[120th Motorized Artillery Regiment (Italy)|120th Motorized Artillery Regiment]]<ref>{{cite book |first1=F. |last1=dell'Uomo |first2=R. |last2=di Rosa |title=L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Secondo - Tomo II |year=1998 |publisher=SME - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=164}}</ref>
*** Command Unit
*** I Motorized Group ([[10 cm M. 14 Feldhaubitze|100/17 mod. 14]] howitzers)
*** II Motorized Group ([[Cannone da 75/27 modello 11|75/27 mod. 11]] [[field gun]]s)
*** III Motorized Group (75/27 mod. 11 field guns)
*** 101st Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 md. anti-aircraft guns)
*** 220th Anti-aircraft Battery ([[Breda Model 35|20/65 mod. 35]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s)
** IC Mortar Battalion ([[81/14 Model 35 Mortar|81mm mod. 35]] mortars)
** XIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Squadrons Group [["Cavalleggeri di Alessandria"]] ([[Semovente da 47/32|47/32 L40]] [[self-propelled gun]]s)
** XLVII Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Battalion
** LXVII Armored Bersaglieri Battalion ([[L6/40 tank]]s)
** Anti-tank Battalion
*** 75th Anti-tank Battery ([[7.5 cm Pak 97/38|75/39]] anti-tank guns)
*** 172nd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
*** 173rd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
*** 272nd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
** 103rd Telegraph and Radio Operators Company
** 105th Engineer Company
** XIV Transport Group
*** 122nd Light Transport Section
*** 213th Medium Transport Section
*** 218th Heavy Transport Section
*** 219th Heavy Transport Section
** 73rd Medical Section
*** 46th Field Hospital
*** 47th Field Hospital
*** 148th Field Hospital
*** 30th Surgical Unit
** 93rd Supply Section
** 3rd Cavalry Division Command Transport Squad
** 355th [[Carabinieri]] Section
** 356th Carabinieri Section
** 40th Field Post Office
== Military honors ==
For their conduct during the [[Italian participation in the Eastern Front|campaign in the Soviet Union]] the [[President of Italy]] awarded the division's units six [[Gold Medal of Military Valor|Gold Medals of Military Valor]] - Italy's highest military honor. This makes the 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" together with the [[3rd Alpine Division "Julia"]] the two highest decorated Italian divisions of World War II.
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[3rd Bersaglieri Regiment]] on 31 December 1947<ref>{{cite web |title=3° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18287 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[3rd Bersaglieri Regiment]] on 30 January 1948<ref>{{cite web |title=3° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18286 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd)]] on 13 December 1948<ref>{{cite web |title=Reggimento "Savoia Cavalleria" |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18405 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th)]] on 13 December 1948<ref>{{cite web |title=Reggimento "Lancieri di Novara" |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18404 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[6th Bersaglieri Regiment]] on 26 May 1956<ref>{{cite web |title=6° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18318 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
* [[File:Valor militare gold medal BAR.svg|50px]] [[6th Bersaglieri Regiment]] on 13 December 1958<ref>{{cite web |title=6° Reggimento Bersaglieri |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18312 |publisher=President of Italy |access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref>
== Commanding officers ==
The division's commanding officers were:<ref name="Regio Esercito"/><ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>
* [[Military ranks of the Kingdom of Italy#Ranks during the Second World War|Generale di Divisione]] [[Francesco Guidi]] (20 September 1934 - 12 November 1935)
* Generale di Divisione [[Sebastiano Murari della Corte Brà]] (13 November 1935 - ?)
* Generale di Divisione [[Mario Berti]] (? - 31 March 1938)
* Generale di Divisione [[Giovanni Messe]] (1 April 1938 - 16 May 1940)
* Generale di Divisione [[Mario Marazzani]] (10 June 1940 - 1 November 1942)
* Generale di Divisione [[Ettore de Blasio]] (3 November 1942 - 15 September 1943)
== See also ==
*[[List of military units named after people]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== Further reading ==
* Dr Jeffrey T. Fowler - Axis Cavalry in World War II.
* George F. Nafziger - Italian Order of Battle: An organizational history of the Italian Army in World War II (3 vol).
* John Joseph Timothy Sweet - Iron Arm: The Mechanization of Mussolini's Army, 1920–1940.
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{{Italian Divisions World War II}}
[[Category:Cavalry divisions of Italy]]
[[Category:Divisions of Italy in World War II]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of Italy in Yugoslavia in World War II]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:3rd Cavalry Division Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta}}