44th Infantry Division "Cremona"

The 44th Infantry Division "Cremona" (Italian: 44ª Divisione di fanteria "Cremona") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Cremona was formed on 15 September 1939 by splitting the 20th Infantry Division "Curtatone and Montanara" into the 20th Infantry Division "Friuli" and 44th Infantry Division "Cremona". The division was named for the city of Cremona.[1][2]

This article is about the historic Royal Italian Army 44th Infantry Division "Cremona". For the historic Italian Army brigade, see Motorized Brigade "Cremona".
44th Infantry Division "Cremona"
44th Infantry Division "Cremona" insignia
Active1939–1945
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		General Umberto Mondino
General Nino Sozzani
General Clemente Primieri (1943-45)
Insignia
Identification
symbol
Cremona Division gorget patches

History

After the Second Italian War of Independence the Austrian Empire had to cede the Lombardy region of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia to the Kingdom of Sardinia. After taking control of the region the government of Sardinian ordered the Royal Sardinian Army on 29 August 1859 to raise five infantry brigades and one grenadier brigade in Lombardy. Subsequently on 1 November 1859 the Brigade "Cremona" was activated with the newly raised 21st and 22nd infantry regiments.[3]

World War II

During the Italian invasion of France 10 June 1940, the Cremona division was stationed in second echelon near Ventimiglia behind 5th Infantry Division Cosseria, under command of XV Army Corps. The Cremona provided some fire support during hostilities. In March, 1941, the division received orders to transfer to Sardinia for garrison duty. When Italy and Germany occupied Vichy France in Operation "Anton" after the Allied landings in French North Africa the division was ferried to Southern Corsica on 8 November 1942 to occupy the island, while the 20th Infantry Division "Friuli" occupied Northern Corsica. On Corsica, the Cremona came under command of the VII Army Corps.

From 9 September 1943, in the aftermath of the Armistice of Cassibile, the Cremona started to fight the retreating German Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS and 90th Panzergrenadier Division and the Italian XII Paratroopers Battalion of the 184th Paratroopers Regiment,.[4] On the Cremona side were 20th Infantry Division Friuli and French Partisans. On 13 September elements of the Free French 4th Moroccan Mountain Division landed in Ajaccio to support the Italian efforts to stop the 30,000 retreating German troops. The Cremona division fought in Zonza and Quenza, pushing north to Golo river and Sorbo-Ocagnano. During the entire fight German forces lost 700 men and 350 were captured. The evacuation of German forces during the night of 3 to 4 October from Bastia put an end to the fight.

After the end of operations on Corsica the division was sent as to Sardinia where the 90th CCNN Legion was renamed the 321st Infantry Regiment Cremona. In September 1944 the division was reduced to two infantry (21st, 22nd) and one artillery regiment (7th), armed with British weapons and materiel and renamed as Combat Group "Cremona". The Cremona entered the front on 12 January 1945 as part of the British V Corps. When allied forces achieved a major breakthrough during the 1945 spring offensive the Cremona advanced towards Venice to liberate the city, which it did on 30 April 1945.

Organization

Order of battle (1940)
  • 21st Infantry Regiment "Cremona"
  • 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona"
  • 7th Artillery Regiment "Curtatone e Montanara"
    • 1st Artillery group da 75/27
    • 2nd Artillery group da 75/27
    • 3rd Artillery group da 100/17
  • 90th CCNN Legion "Calabria"
    •  ??? CCNN Battalion "Indomabile"
    • 143rd CCNN Battalion "C. Ricci"
    • 90th Machine Gun Company
  • 44th Mortar Battalion (da 81)
  • 144th Anti-tank Company 47/32
  • 344th Anti-tank Company 47/32
  • 144th Engineer Battalion
    • 77th Engineer Company
    • 44th Mixed Telegraph/Radio Company
  • 44th Medical Section
  • 54th Medical Section
    • 33rd Field Hospital
    • 84th Field Hospital
    • 333rd Field Hospital
  • 54th Supply Section
  • 44th Transport Company
  • 54th Transport Company
    • 350th Mixed Transport Section
    • 355th Mixed Transport Section
  • 17th Bakers Section
  • 60th Carabinieri Section
  • 251st Carabinieri Section

Order of battle (1943)
  • 21st Infantry Regiment "Cremona"
  • 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona"
  • 90th CCNN Legion "Calabria"
    •  ??? CCNN Battalion "Indomabile"
    • 143rd CCNN Battalion "C. Ricci"
    • 90th Machine Gun Company
  • 7th Artillery Regiment "Cremona"
    • 1st Artillery Group da 75/27
    • 2nd Artillery Group da 75/27
    • 3rd Artillery Group da 100/17
    • 4th 20mm Anti-aircraft battery
  • 64th Mortar Battalion (da 81)
  • 144th Anti-Tank Company 47/32
  • 13th Armoured Battalion (with a motorized machine gun company)

Temporary reinforcements
  • Alpini Battalion "Monte Granero"
  • 113th Armoured Car Battalion
  • 131st Motorized Anti-tank Battalion 47/32
  • 515th Machine Gun Battalion
    • 661st Machine Gun Company
    • 663rd Machine Gun Company
    • 696th Machine Gun Company
  • 2nd Motorized Engineers Platoon
  • 4th Motorized Engineers Platoon
  • 24th Artillery Group (105/28)
  • 7th Corps Artillery Regiment
    • 2nd Artillery Group
      • 127th Artillery Battery (149/13)
  • 437th Anti-tank Battery 75/34 Mod. 97/38

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were:[1][2]

References
  1. "44ª Divisione di fanteria "Cremona"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  2. Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 283. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  3. Voghera, Enrico (1909). Annuario militare del regno d'Italia - Volume I. Rome. p. 392.
  4. "Esercito Italiano: Divisione "NEMBO" (184^)". Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.


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