212th Coastal Division
Active1942 – 1943
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQCatanzaro
EngagementsWorld War II
Insignia
Identification
symbol
212th Coastal Division gorget patches

The 212th Coastal Division (Italian: 212ª Divisione Costiera) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.[1] Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. They were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.[2]

History

The division was activated on 15 November 1941 in Catanzaro by reorganizing the XII Coastal Sector Command.[3] The division was assigned to XXXI Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of southern Calabria.[1] The division was responsible for the coastal defence of the coast of central Calabria: on the Tyrrhenian Sea side from Capo Vaticano to the outskirts of Serra d'Aiello, on the Ionian Sea side from Badolato to Cropani.[4]

In early September 1943 the division prepared to fight the British XIII Corps, which had landed on 3 September 1943 in southern Calabria in Operation Baytown and was advancing towards the 212th Coastal Division's positions. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division remained at its positions and surrendered to the British XIII Corps. Afterwards the division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army, but did not participate in the Italian campaign. The division was dissolved in summer 1944.[4]

Organization

Attached to the division:[1]

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were:[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 368. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ^ Jowett p 6
  3. ^ Circolare n. 19440 del 22/10/1941 dello S.M.R.E. Uff. Ordinamento - 2a Sezione. "Cronistoria dei reparti costieri". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 12 November 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c "212a Divisione Costiera". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Treni Armati della Marina". Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021.


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