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8th Marching Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943 |
Country | Kingdom of Italy |
Branch | Royal Italian Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Garrison/HQ | Bolzano |
Engagements | World War II |
The 8th Marching Division (Italian: 8ª Divisione di marcia) was a short-lived division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. In the Italian military the term "Marching" refers to temporary units based in Italy to manage replacements for the operational units at the front.[1][2]
In summer 1942 Italy sent the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia (CSIR) with three divisions to the Eastern Front and the corps' replacements were managed by the Complementary Troops Command of the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia (Italian: Comando Truppe Complementi del Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia). In summer 1942 Benito Mussolini decided to increase the Italian participation in the Eastern Front and ordered that the CSIR be expanded to a field army with ten divisions. Subsequently the 8th Marching Division was formed in Bolzano on 1 July 1942 to manage replacements for the Italian Army in Russia (ARMIR).[1][2]
The 8th Marching Division was made up of three brigades and eleven marching regiments. The list below provides the names of the marching regiments and the ARMIR units they provided replacements for.[1][2]
Between 12 December 1942 and 18 February 1943 the Italian Army in Russia was destroyed during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn. What little remained of the Italian divisions was repatriated in March and April 1943. As a result the 8th Marching Division and its units were either disbanded or reassigned.[1]
The 8th Marching Division was disbanded on 20 May 1943 and on 1 June 1943 the command of the 230th Coastal Division was formed with the 8th Marching Division's personnel.[2]
The division's commanding officer was:[2]