Italian 1940 Mobile (Celere) Division
| Div HQ | Comd in Fiat staff car (C3), Signals Vehicle (C3), AA (S3) in truck, or towed (same in CSO) |
| Cavalry Regt x 2 |
Comd + MMG (CS2), 4 Cavalry (F4)
Cavalry stand (F3) |
| Bersaglieri RHQ | Comd + 47mm Atk + 81mm Mortar (CS3)
Comd + 47mm Atk or 81mm Mortar (CS3) |
| Bersaglieri Bn x up to 3 | Comd + MMG + Truck (CS3), 3 Rifles (F3) everyone fits in the truck! Rifle stand (F3) |
| Light Tank Gp | HQ tank (C3), 3-5 CV33 or M11 Carro Armati (@F3) CV33 or M11 Carro Armati (F3) |
| Bersaglieri M/C Coy |
2 Motorcycles (@R1), HMG Motorcycle (R1) |
| Anti-Tank Company | 47mm Anti-tank gun may be Semovente L/40 da 47/32 (S3) + Limber (L3) 47mm Anti-tank gun or Semovente L/40 da 47/32 (S3) + Limber (S3) |
| Arty Regt | Comd (C1), FOO (O1), 100mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3), 75mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3) 100mm Howitzer or 75mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3) |
| Engineer Coy |
2 Engineers (@E1), Truck (L3) with optional Bridging Trailer (L3) 2 Engineers + Truck (E3) |
Italian Mobile (Celere) Division
Celere Divisions were assentially cavalry divisions that had been mechanised. The Bersaglieri were some of Italy’s best troops, and would rate as being regular or veteran. They are in the foreground of the picture above. From somewhere, the armoured group has been able to acquire a Semovente SP artillery piece for the artillery regiment. Perhaps in compensation, the cavalry regiment is nowhere to be seen.
Divisional HQ represented by a die-cast taxi and railway model Citroen
Bersagliari RHQ – Peter Pig Italians, American tank crew and AK47 personality
Bersagliari Bn – Peter Pig Bersagliari and Italian infantry
M11 Tank Regiment – Converted Peter Pig T-26s
The 75mm, Self Propelled and AA components of the Artillery Regiment
The Engineer Battalion with rather cramped transport! – Peter Pig and QRF
J. Ellis cites in Russia : 3rd (Principe Amedeo Duca d’Aosta)(Jul’41-Jan’43) Celere Division. Perhaps that accounts for the rather splendid coachwork on the Signals Van in the Divisional HQ.
It fought in Army Group South (Later Army Group B) as part of 8th Italian Army. Mostly being destroyed and withdrawn to Italy after the battles that cut off Stalingrad.
Wickipedia gives the following Celere divisions:
Celere Divisions
- 1 Cavalry Division Eugenio di Savoia (Yugoslavia, Yugoslavian occupation)
- 2 Cavalry Division Emanuele Filiberto (Yugoslavia, Yugoslavian occupation)
- 3 Cavalry Division Amedeo Duca d’Aosta (Yugoslavia, USSR)
TO&E
Command Fiat staff car, 1 Signals Vehicle, AA (truck, or towed), 1 HMG Motorcycle, 6-7 Command stands (of which, 1 may be cavalry), 1 FOO, 14-20 Rifle stands (of which, 4 may be cavalry), 4-5 MMGs (of which, 2 may be cavalry), 2 47mm Atk guns, 1 81mm Mortar, 2 Motorcycles, 1 HMG Motorcycle, 4-8 Trucks, 1 Ammo Truck, 1 Workshop Truck, 1 Fuel bowser, 1 HQ tank , 2-5 Tanks (CV33 or M11 Carro Armati), 1 100mm Howitzer, 1 75mm Howitzer, 3 Artillery Limbers, 2 Engineer stands, 0-1 Trailer.
Not Quite Mechanised 