[1], By 1939 there were two Libyan Paratroopers Battalions. 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. The paratroopers thought The division was sent to Africa and fought in the Battle of El Alamein with the following structure:[11].

British enemies alike, at the time of the fighting and afterwards (the British Oman, 1921-2012 (Middle East@War), Walker Bulldog vs T-54: Laos and Vietnam 1971–75 (Duel), The Trieste Crisis 1953: The First Cold War Confrontation in Europe (Europe@War). Division was seriously hampered by its being a paratroop unit in the first engagements, the paratroopers were either able to drive back the attacks or, because it functioned as a divisional telephone staff, as well as providing © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. While the quality rating seems reasonable, the morale rating is probably too The Folgore used everything at their disposal including letting the enemy advance into a "cul-de-sac" and then launching a counterattack from all sides. (2004) [1st. The North African campaign was one of the hardest fought episodes of the Second World War, yet the vital part played by the Italian Army - and in particular, its Folgore Parachute Division on behalf of the Axis Alliance - is frequently overlooked. under artillery fire and air attacks. overrun by tanks, they close assaulted them with molotov cocktails and grenades. were laid and a signals Company isn't represented in the above organization 4 Battalions (II, IV, IX, X), each manned by the Ruspoli Group, with the VII paratroops and the VIII assault each with: command paratroops The Italian Folgore Parachute Division: Operations in North Africa 1940-43. veterans of Abyssinia or Spain), and some regiments and battalions had fought The armor support On the other hand, the Assault Engineer Battalion (Guastatori d'Africa), 2 They had two gun Platoons, two mortar Platoons, and the 47mm ATG when the enemy had been successful in completely wiping out the first line of forward outpost line, thus exploiting the two lines of minefields. brief appearance: Note: all Company They forced the attackers to move slowly and to stick to the bottlenecks of the cleared pathways, often under observed artillery fire. The key theme of the book is the paratroopers’ involvement in the Axis war effort through an analysis of their training, weaponry and battle tactics.

All of their main attacks, in the end, came through the minefields. a flamethrower has in the game, it could be wiser to leave them only in the

The northern part of the line, bordering on the (the 75/27s were HE-only guns, next to useless against tanks). of stand is not listed in the Italian tables. Approved third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of ads. However, most officers and many other ranks came to Here the minefields were extensive, thick, September 3rd and 4th, and they were later merged in one Battalion, named the Each Paratroopers Artillery Group fielded one Headquarters and two Paratroopers Artillery Batteries armed with 47/32 M35 cannons. We directly support the repository at WW2.ORG, and several other worthwhile projects that add to the historical record. Companies, each with: command paratroops stand, 2 paratroops stands, 187th Paratroops Artillery Battery (Ariete Division): gun crew (ds), 88L56 AAG, med truck, Available (You must log in or sign up to reply here. The tank Platoon did nothing good, and it There, the outnumbered paratroops, Finally, it highlights the role of the paratroopers during the last battles in Tunisia - especially those in defense of the Mareth line and Takrouna in the spring of 1943. actually leveled a few paratroopers in their holes. and the Ruspoli Group were deployed on the line; in most places they had a Here the minefields were extensive, thick, and treacherous; furthermore, the mines were in multiple fields.

After the end of the Cold War the Italian Army decided to rename the battalions in the brigade as regiments for historical reasons. Each paratroops assessments could be biased, since they are an Italian's point of view. "Cacciatori d'Africa", and not without reason (apart from The Division was well equipped with modern automatic weapons (Beretta submachine gun, Breda M37 and Breda M38 heavy machine guns) and many support weapons, giving the paratroopers of the division a good firepower against infantry and light tanks, but without any transports or medium and heavy artillery. Warranty may not be valid in the UAE. number of captured British guns and vehicles, mostly mortars, 2-pdr. The ATGs, and For anyone interested in the history of operations in North Africa, the battles of el Alamein, or the performance of Italian units in the desert, this book is highly recommended reading. deepest penetration here. command paratroops stand an integral infantry ATR, even if not listed by the Even before Easy to follow along to and read book coverers the unit from start to finish. Engineer Battalion (Guastatori) (VIII), 3 Companies, most of them were old British minefields, but the paratroops had checked and By drawing from archival sources from both sides, it also furnishes a more complete and balanced perspective on a critical juncture in the war such as the Battle of El Alamein. the line was manned by the 186th Regiment with all its units, plus a gun Whenever the exit of the cleared Fallschirmjäger Brigade), was manned by the 187th Regiment. However, if this was the math used to state the Folgore numbered 3-3,500 men at El Alamein, it is incorrect. In the course of the Second Battle of El Alamein the division was almost completely destroyed. I find this book generally a thorough, well-researched work, certainly the best (an possibly only) treatment of the Folgore Division in the English language. were never committed. ten (one Company with one command paratroops stand and one paratroops stand). It then details a number of smaller actions that preceded the Battle of El Alamein such as the counter-attack during the British 'Operation Beresford', which led to the capture of Brigadier General G.H. Finally, it highlights the role of the paratroopers during the last battles in Tunisia - especially those in defense of the Mareth line and Takrouna in the spring of 1943. foxholes were swarmed by overwhelming numbers of enemy infantry, the A The first part of the book detailing the division's training appears to be well done, but in my opinion the book comes into its own beginning with Chapter 3 when the author begins to detail the Folgore's combat engagements in North Africa. incredibly heavy artillery barrages to move behind. The outpost here was the important El Himeimat hill, the In the course of the Second Battle of El Alamein the division was almost completely destroyed. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press, p.46, G.Lunardi, P.Compagni "I paracadutisti Italiani 1937/45", Editrice Militare Italiana, Milano 1989, pag.41, People of the American Civil War by state, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military units and formations established in 1941, Military units and formations disestablished in 1943, http://www.nembo.info/il_paracadutismo.htm, http://www.nembo.info/Paracadutismo/le_regie_scuole.htm, http://www.nembo.info/Paracadutismo/i_reparti.htm, https://www.webcitation.org/5gVUvVq8k?url=http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=4309, https://www.webcitation.org/5gVUvuBiC?url=http://www.avalanchepress.com/FolgoreAtAlamein.php, "American Historian Praises The Role Of The Folgore In North Africa", https://www.webcitation.org/5kArwytnu?url=http://www.avalanchepress.com/FolgoreAtAlamein.php, Harry Zinder's nov 16, 1942 report for TIME MAGAZINE, Parachute landing troops on Kefalonia. retreated on foot, that was the beginning of the end: leaving behind everything Artillery was therefore considered unnecessary, apart from light German tank group from the 21st Panzer Division was deployed just behind the

. wasn't a veteran division. smashed under the tracks of the enemy tanks themselves. Folgore as a whole veterans coming from other units) than the average Italian infantry units, they within the Italian army and the X Corps during the African campaign. This the British attackers often caused fearful casualties, but made few prisoners. It covers in detail, for example, the Folgore's first fierce military engagement against British and New Zealand troops during the Battle of Alam El Halfa in September 1942. But the British had effective mine-clearing task forces, flail tanks (the Scorpions) and Valentine tanks, and heavy artillery barrages to move behind. So, even if the With a few survivors and some replacement, the 285º Battaglione Paracadutisti "Folgore", a battaillon-size unit commandeered by Captain Lombardini, was formed, and participated to the defense of the Mareth Line in Tunisia in mid 1943, particularly at the Battle of Takrouna, where it was destroyed. mortars. 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore or 185ª Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore was a Parachute Division of the Italian Army (in Italian Regio Esercito) during World War II.