Italian Army Africa at 2nd ALAMEIN (CSO)

Italian Army Africa (CSO) Corps Scale Orbat

(Marshal Ettore Bastico)
(Note: other than the Pistoia Division and rear-area troops, the Italian Army HQ in Africa had only administrative control over Italian formations. All Italian formations were under the tactical control of Rommel’s Panzer Armee Afrika.)

Model of a a comfortable hotel somewhere in TRIPOLI with a grand balcony for reviewing parades*.

Grey not modeled in CSO Orbat

16 Motorised Division Pistoia

(Major General Giuseppe Falugi) – Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo Truck (L3,Con,Ld), POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant, Ld)

  • 35th Inf Regt – Comd (C3,Con,Lad),  2 Rifle Infantry Trucks @ (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 36th Inf Regt – Comd (C3,Con,Lad), 2 Rifle Infantry Trucks @ (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 3rd Fossalta Arty Regt (mot) – Tow +  105mm Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 16th Recce Battalion – Autoblinda 41 (R3,Reg,Lad)
  • 16th Mortar Battalion – 81mm Mortar + Tractor (S3,Reg,Lad)
  • 16th Atk Coy – Light Truck Limber + 47mm PaK (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 51st Engineer Battalion – Engineer Truck + 2 Engineer (E3,Reg,MaLd)

136 Infantry Division Giovani Fascisti  (Att to Pz Armee Afrika)

Comd car (C3,Reg,Lad), Signal van (C3,Reg,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Reg,Ld)

  • 136 Motor Infantry Regiment – Comd/mortar  in Truck (C3,Reg,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Reg,Lad)
  • 136 Arty Regt (mot) – 100/17 Portee (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 125 Engineer Battalion – Engineer Truck + 2 Engineer (E3,Reg,MaLd)
  • Lancierri de Monferrato –AB40 (R3,Reg,Lad)

Italian X Corps

(Lieutenant General Edoardo Nebba; Major General Enrico Frattini in temporary command to October 26)

Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 9th Bersaglieri Regiment – Comd (C3,Vet,Lad) 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Vet,Lad)
  • 16th Corps Arty Gp –  100mm M14 How Lancia R3o (S3,Reg,MaLd)

100-17 Lancia 3Ro

(Major General Brunetto Brunetti) – Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 19th Inf Regt – Comd/81mm Mor (C3,Con,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 20th Inf Regt – Comd/81mm Mor (C3,Con,Lad), 3 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 1st Mobile Artillery Regiment – Comd/Limber + 100/14 M17 Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 27th Mixed Engr Regt – 2 Engineers (E1,Reg,MaLd),
  • Engr Truck (E1,Reg,MaLd)

17 Infantry Division Pavia

(Brigadier General N. Scattaglia) – Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 27th Inf Regt – Comd/81mm Mor (C3,Con,Lad), 2 (F3,Con,Lad) Rifle Trucks
  • 28th Inf Regt – Comd/81mm Mor (C3,Con,Lad), 2 (F3,Con,Lad) Rifle Trucks
  • 26th Arty Regt – Comd/Limber + 75/27 M6 Gun (S3,Con,MaLd)
  • 17th Mixed Engr Bn – Engr Truck + 2 Engineers (E3,Reg,MaLd)

185 Parachutist Division Folgore

(Major General Enrico Frattini)

  • Divisional HQ and HQ Company – Comd (C3,Vet,Lad), Signals (C3,Vet,Lad), Recce (R1,Vet,Lad)

     

  • 186th Para Inf Regt – Comd /47/32 M35 cannon (C3,Vet,Lad), 3 (F3,Vet,Lad)
    Para Rifles

  • 187th Para Inf Regt – Comd /47/32 M35 cannon (S3,Vet,Lad), 4 (F3,Vet,Lad)
    Para Rifles

  • 185th Para Arty Regt – Comd/Limber + 47/32 M35 cannon (S3,Vet,Lad)

  • VIII Parachute Engineer Battalion – 3 (E1,Vet,HaLd) Para Engrs

  • 185th Medical Section – Medical (L3,Vet,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 20th Mortar Company – 81mm Model 35 mortar + Limber (S3,Vet,Lad)

  • 185th Transportation Unit – Truck (L3,Vet,Ld)

XX Motorized Corps

(Lieutenant General Giuseppi de Stephanis) – Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 8th Army Ary Gp (part) – Truck + 90/53 towed or SP Gun (S3,Reg,HaLd)
  • 90th Engr Coy – Engineer (E1,Reg,MaLd)

132 Armoured Division Ariete

Ariete 132 Armd Div CSO Orbat

Ariete 132 Armd Div CSO Orbat

(Major General Francesco Arena) – Comd car (C3,Reg,Lad), Signal van (C3,Reg,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Reg,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 132nd Armoured Regiment – Comd car (C3)
    • IX, X, XII Tank battalions (roughly 100 Fiat M14/41 tanks total) – 3 M14/41 (F3,Reg,MaLd)

  • 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (motorised) – Comd car (C3,Vet,Lad)
    • V & XII Bersaglieri mot rifle bns –  2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Vet,Lad)
    • III Bersaglieri sp wpn bn – Cannone da 47/32 or 81mm Mor (S3,Vet,Lad)
  • 132nd Arty Regt (mot) – Comd car (C3), FOO (R1)
    • I & II bn (75/27 fd guns) – Truck + 75/25 Gun (S3,Vet,MaLd)
    • III bn (105/28 how) – Truck + 105/28 How (S3,Vet,MaLd)
    • IV mixed AA bn 90/53 & 20mm guns – Cannone da 90/53 + limber (S3,Reg,HaLd), 20/65 modello 35 + limber (S3,Reg,Lad)
    • V & VI bns Semoventi M40 da 75/18 (roughly 10 Semoventi and Carri Commando each) – Semovente 75/18 + Carri Commando (S2,Reg,Mad)
    • I/24 howitzers battalion (in reinforcement) +
    • 88/56 battalion – Cannone da 88/56 + Tow (S3,Vet,HaLd)
  • 3rd Bn Nizza Cavalleria (AB 41 A/c) – Autoblinda 41 (R3,Vet,Lad)
  • 32nd Mixed Engr Bn (mot) – Engr Truck + 2 Engr (E1,Vet,MaLd)

Italian 133 Armoured Division Littorio

Littorio 133 Armoured Division CSO Orbat

Littorio 133 Armoured Division CSO Orbat

(Major General G. Bitossi) – Comd car (C3,Reg,Lad), Signal van (C3,Reg,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Reg,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 133rd Tank Regiment – Comd Car (C3,Reg,Lad)
    • IV, XIII, LI tank bns (M14/41) – 3 M13/41 (F3,Reg,Lad)
  • 12th Bersaglieri Inf Regt – Comd/47/32 or Mor (C3,Vet,Lad), 2 Rifle truck (F3,Vet,Lad)
  • 3rd Arty Regt – Tow + 75mm/27 or 100/17 Gun (S3,Vet,MaLd)
  • 133rd Arty Regt (part) – Semovente 75/18 + Carri Commando (S2,Vet,Mad),
  • 3rd Tank Group Lancieri di Novara (Fiat L6/40 lt tk) – L6 (R3,Reg,Lad)

101 Motorised Division Trieste

Trieste 101 Motorised Division

Trieste 101 Motorised Division CSO Orbat

(Brigadier General Francisco La Ferla) – Comd car (C3,Reg,Lad), Signal van (C3,Reg,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Reg,Ld), Truck + 2 Engr (E3,Reg,MaLd), Autoblinda 41 (R3,Reg,Lad), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • XI Tank Battalion (M14/41) – M13/41 (F3,Reg,Mad)
  • 65th Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 6th Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 21st Arty Regt – Comd/Limber + 100/17 Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 8th Armd Bersaglieri Bn (AB 41 Armoured cars) – AB41 (R3,Vet,Lad)
  • 52nd Mixed Arty Bn – Tow + 75/27mm Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)

XXI Corps

(Lieutenant General Enea Navarini; Major General Alessandro Gloria in temporary command to October 26)

Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 7th Bersaglieri Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Vet,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Vet,Lad)
  • 24th Corps Arty Gp – 100/17 How + limber (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 8th Army Arty Gp (part) – Truck + 152/37 Gun (S3,Reg,HaLd)

102 Motorised Division Trento

(Brigadier General Giorgio Masina)

Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Workshop (L3,Con,Lad), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 61st Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 3 Rifle Trucks (F3),Con,Lad
  • 62nd Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 3 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 46th Arty Regt – Comd/Limber + 100/17 Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 51st Pioneer Bn – Engineer Truck, 2 Engineer (E3,Reg,MaLd)

25 Infantry Division Bologna

(Major General ??) – Comd car (C3,Con,Lad), Signal van (C3,Con,Ld),  Ammo/POL Truck (L3,Con,Ld), Medical (L3,Reg,Noncombatant,Ld)

  • 39th Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 2 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 40th Inf Regt – Comd/mortar (C3,Con,Lad), 3 Rifle Trucks (F3,Con,Lad)
  • 205th Arty Regt – Comd/Limber + 75/27 M6 Gun (S3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 25th Engr Bn – Engineer Truck, 2 Engineer (E3,Reg,MaLd)
  • 51st Pioneer Bn – Engineer Truck, 2 Engineer (E3,Reg,MaLd)

Notes,

Artillery types listed should not be taken literally. All divisions had a mix of types (see Nierhorster), so count regimental artillery as light in effect, divisional as medium, and corps as heavy.

Sources

The main framework is a direct Wickipedia cut and paste, moderated by Nierhorster

I  have abbreviated inconsistently as necessary to gain the most compact list possible.

*This picture is of course nothing of the sort, having a Russian, an American and several hairy Serbs or Croats crowded onto the balcony.

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