HQ Company Dispatched from the 186th Regiment was a 47mm ATG company to accompany two gun and two mortar platoons, who assumed positions in the center of this section. Regimental Command and HQ Company Additionally a seventh battery was formed with surplus materiel found by the division during its transfer to the front. In the summer of 1942, during the Second World War, a group of young paratroopers from the Folgore Division, after having been subjected to a long and tiring training in Italy, was transported by air to the Libyan desert to cover the Italian-German front. The Italian cemetery is a mausoleum containing 5,200 tombs. I feel that the battle accounts are similar to the ones in Montanari’s The Three Battle of Alamein. They were the equivalent to the German Assault Engineers. Months before finding themselves locked into one of the greatest battles of the war, the Folgore Division were to participate in the planned assault on the island fortress of Malta. Only the advanced and finely honed mine clearing techniques the British had developed during the war allowed their forces to make steady if slow progress through these fortified areas once the battle commenced. Regimental Command and HQ Company The time spent and the invaluable contributions are much appreciated. During the battle of Alam El Hafla, the Italian Airborne Division Folgore (185.a Divisione Paracadutisti “Folgore”) had been positioned to guard the left flank of the German 90th Light Division and the Ramcke Brigade and was successful in driving off an attack by New Zealand Infantry during a fierce encounter between the 3rd and 4th of September. You reserve for the martyrs and Heroes. Thanks to the tip from Manteuffel: "The heroic behavior of the Folgore Division during the Second battle of El Alamein in resisting the attacks of six British divisions (two armored and four infantry) inspired the respect and admiration of its enemy. It was designed to break through the Italian-held southern sector of the El Alamein line, where the Bologna, Brescia, Pavia and Folgore Divisions anchored the Axis right flank. [8] On 15 March 1942 the 3rd Paratroopers Infantry Regiment with the battalions VIII, IX, and X was raised in Tarquinia.[6]. While Montgomery’s main thrust targeted the northern section of the whole Axis front, the fighting in the south would be just as intense. It was designed to break through the Italian-held southern sector of the El Alamein line, where the Bologna, Brescia, Pavia and Folgore Divisions anchored the Axis right flank. The 185th artillery found itself dispersed among all the Tactical Groups. The advance had gained far too little ground in comparison to the number of casualties stretched out on the desert floor before the Italian positions. Artieri Arresto 11/08/1942 ANDREATTA Attilio Fante 61° Fanteria Trieste 01/11/1942 ANDREATTA Ferruccio Autista 216° Osp. The placement of the Folgore along the line at Second Alamein consisted of three main sectors; north, central and south. The Italians had routed the French forces, and their British counterparts from the 44th Division fared little better. The main focus for the Allied assault on the southern part of the Axis line during the Lightfoot operation sought the supposedly “weak” Italian-held areas. The attack on Malta was canceled once Hitler persuaded Mussolini to give his blessing in favor of allowing Rommel the chance to continue his advance. On Amazon: The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II. (2004) [1st. Deployment of Forces on October 23rd, 1942 during the Second Battle of El Alamein. The history of the 185th Division "Folgore" spans from late 1930s, when its immediate ancestors were established, to 1945, when its immediate successor was disbanded. Highly skilled soldiers of the heavy AA/AT artillery battalion of the “Ariete” Armored Division manned the 88s. On the 26th, the British attempted to concentrate their attack on the southern portion of the Italian line. 55:29. God of the Armies, On Amazon: Pendulum of War: Three Battles at El Alamein On 30 April 1941 the Italian paratroopers were deployed for the first time when the II Paratroopers Battalion jumped onto Cephalonia. [2], The 2-months[2] Instructors course began in March 1940. Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore (185. They immediately took him and several of his aides captive at gunpoint. Rommel’s extensive use of mines in both number and depth at the Second Battle of Alamein earned these lethal patches of the earth the nickname of “the Devil’s Garden” by the advancing British forces. Visitors can also go to the Italian and German military cemeteries on Tel el-Eisa Hill outside the town. Once inside the Italian lines, small groups of Folgore would burst out of camouflaged positions. During his subsequent interrogation by Rommel, General Clifton requested confinement at a German POW camp instead of an Italian one. Folgore 04/10/1942 EL ALAMEIN - ELENCO DEI CADUTI ITALIANI TUMULATI NEL SACRARIO (Dal libro "ALAMEIN 1933 - 1962" di Paolo Caccia Dominioni) ANDOLINA Paolo Geniere 14° Comp. The focus then shifts upon the Folgore's major engagement of the campaign during the Battle of El Alamein: 'Operation Lightfoot', which was launched by General Montgomery on 24 October 1942. By 6 November, only a handful of the original 5,000 Folgore remained. [2] By early 1940 an Italian paratroopers battalion was also established. The first step, known as Operation Lightfoot, initiated with an artillery bombardment, the like of which that had never before seen during the entire North African Campaign. The Regiment traces its origins back to the 185th Artillery Regiment "Folgore", framed within the "Folgore" Division established in 1941. At the onset of the Axis attack, the Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee forces had indeed played into Montgomery’s hand during their attempted flanking maneuver to the south. Realizing that even these small gains in the lines would potentially give the British a toehold for further operations, the Italians launched a counter-attack spearheaded by the 7th Btg to drive off the enemy. 6th Parachutists Rifle Company, 4th Parachutist Infantry Battalion, with: 260th Field post office Italian Paratrooper Badge. Under the command of General Enrico Frattini, the division was doing its best to rest and reorganize after their victorious but grueling battles against the Allied forces the previous month. See 25 Experiences. History of the Second World War; United Kingdom Military Series. The British could not break through as planned. After the end of the Cold War the Italian Army decided to rename the battalions in the brigade as regiments for historical reasons. El Alamein Battlefield. 19 talking about this. Regimental Guns Company (47/32 mod.35), 5th Parachutist Infantry Battalion, with: il cammino dell’onore e della gloria. Colonel Camosso ordered his surrounded soldiers to destroy their weapons before the surrender. El Alamein War Cemetery. The 88s (and the similar 90/53) did not belong to any specific group but used as mobile assets dispersed to the various groups during different phases of the battle. For its conduct during the Second Battle of El Alamein the division as whole was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor. Map. HQ Battery 185th Transports unit This upcoming confrontation, The Second Battle of El Alamein, would be considered one of the critical turning points of the entire war. [3] School personnel was drawn from the Air force, while personnel to instruct consisted of Royal Italian Army officers and sub-officers. Dio degli Eserciti, Italian troops overwhelmed Montgomery’s forces once again. The German allies greatly respected the Italians’ performance in this clash, so much so that Wehrmacht leaders awarded 11 Iron Crosses to Folgore soldiers for their heroics on the battlefield. However, the four divisions attacking the Folgore positions in the south had also been given breakthrough objectives. In the OOB, those numbers have been “translated” in standard Arabic numerals to avoid confusion. Military cemeteries Germany. “Bechi” Tactical Group (2nd and 4th Battalions) Folgore nella Battaglia di El-Alamein. The first Folgore troops arrived on the scene in July 1942. 25th Parachutists Rifle Company He felt both angry and embarrassed at being captured by Italians. Many Folgore gave their lives in the desert that year. 1 National (i.e. 3rd Battalion/1st “Celere” Artillery Regiment (75/27 mod.06 – from the “Brescia” Division) HQ Company This time they were opposed by the British 131st Infantry Brigade, which boasted heavy artillery and a contingent of tanks supplied by the Scots Greys, attached to them to provide support against the Folgore. (PL), 2nd Cavalry Division Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro, 3rd Cavalry Division Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta, 21st Infantry Division Granatieri di Sardegna, 22nd Infantry Division Cacciatori delle Alpi, 40th Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa, 65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=185th_Paratroopers_Division_Folgore&oldid=997798488, Military units and formations established in 1941, Military units and formations disestablished in 1943, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. One must pass through the arched entrance to enter the grounds of the memorial. Dedicato all'amico Luca A. Documentario con le testimonianze dei soldati italiani reduci dalla battaglia di El Alamein. Brigata Folgore a El Alamein. Reports state the Folgore destroyed nearly 30 British tanks on the 25th alone. Instead of a sea of gravestones, you find yourself at the beginning of a long path. The “Carabinieri” is the Italian Military Police Corps. Egypt Historic Sites; WW2 Sites; Related Places . 4th Parachutists Artillery Battery (47/32 mod.35), 3rd Parachutist Artillery Battalion, with : they did show to the Italians, in the good and bad luck, Their actions against incredible odds won the praise of the German allies and respect from the advancing Allies. [6], In 1942 the division was further augmented: on 15 January the II Paratroopers Artillery Group was raised, followed by the III Paratroopers Artillery Group on 10 March. The few survivors, who managed to withdraw, were reorganized into the 285th Formation Battalion and fought in Tunisia, where they surrendered to the Allies in 1943.[10][11][13]. So this was the day that all organized resistance from the Folgore was to end. On 23 October 1942, Montgomery began his much anticipated Allied offensive. On 30 August 1942, General Erwin Rommel unleashed Operation Brandung, a concentrated attack undertaken by his Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee (ACIT – Armata Corazzata Italo-Tedesca) against the tired yet stout British and Commonwealth forces, designed as a follow-up engagement launched on the heels of the recently concluded First Battle of El Alamein . Browse more videos. History. Accept Read More, Italian Folgore at El Alamein: Unbreakable, Rommel’s Desert War: Waging World War II in North Africa, 1941-1943 (Cambridge Military Histories), Iron Hulls Iron Hearts: Mussolini’s Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa, The Path to Victory: The Mediterranean Theater in World War II, Pendulum of War: Three Battles at El Alamein, The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II, Italian Armor in German Service during WW2, Operation Vigorous and Operation Harpoon (1942). The "Folgore" (Lightning bolt) paratroop Division was a chosen unit within the Italian army and the X Corps during the African campaign. Their belief that the limited handling capacity of Axis controlled ports and the limited supply trucks available were not enough to sustain operations so far from logistic supply heads. During the latter division put up a fierce defense against attacking Commonwealth forces, managing to drive repeated attacks conducted by tanks and infantry. Intervista al sottotenente Renato Migliavacca, 185° Reggimento Artiglieria Folgore. It was during the Second Battle of El-Alamein that the Folgore would earn their fame. The Second Battle of El Alamein lasted from 23 October 1942 to 11 November 1942. The Folgore Division [paratroopers] at the Second Battle of El Alamein. The 187th Regiment handled the northern sector on the far left of the Italian position, which butted up against the line held by the German Ramcke Fallschirmjager Brigade. Additional support in this sector was provided by allocated mortar and gun platoons. 1st Parachutists Artillery Battery (47/32 mod.35) The Axis initiative in the North African campaign was lost, as was any chance they had to achieve ultimate victory in the desert. Special thanks to Arturo Filippo Lorioli for providing both historical information and content, not to mention the finely constructed OOB. The vast material, fuel, and air advantage he held were about to be brought to bear against Rommel’s entrenched defenders. They therefore attempting a retreat on foot through the desert with only limited supplies, water, and ammo. the best flower of a people and a fighting army. "FOLGORE" in Italian means Lightning. FOLGORE: ITALIAN PARATROOPERS AT EL-ALAMEIN . In the early morning darkness of 2 November 1942, the next phase of Montgomery’s plan, Operation Supercharge, began. For the Italian Cold War mechanized division, see, Playfair I.S.O. The 185th Artillery, 186th Paratroopers and 187th Paratroopers regiments received a second Gold Medal for specific actions during the Second Battle of El Alamein. Caduti per un’idea, senza rimpianto, onorati nel ricordo dello stesso nemico, 13th Parachutists Rifle Company After the war the combat group became the Mechanized Division "Folgore", which was disbanded on 31 October 1986. Like most Italian ‘infantry’ units fighting in North Africa, the Folgore possessed limited transport. Upon making contact with the Italians, the British were impressed with what they saw. HQ Company The fighting raged into the early morning of 24 October 1942 as each side fought hard in this ferocious encounter. 30th Parachutists Rifle Company, 187th Parachutist Infantry Regiment, with: