17th Infantry Division Pavia

History

The Pavia Brigade originated during the Risorgimento on 1 March 1860, and was formed of two Infantry Regiments (the 27th and 28th). The Brigade participated in the Third Italian Independence War (1866), the First Italo-Ethiopian War (1896) and the First World War, when it was awarded the Ordine Militare d'Italia. In 1926 it become the XVII Pavia Infantry Brigade and in August 1939 was transformed into the 17th Pavia Division (reinforced with the 26th Artillery Regiment Artiglieria a Cavallo). Until 1939, the headquarters of the Division were in Ravenna, while the 27th Regiment had its barracks in Cesena. In 1940 the Division was deployed in Tripolitania and fought until November 1942, when it has surrendered near the El Alamein. After the Second World War the 28th Infantry Regiment was reorganized with its headquarters in Pesaro. The Regiment is still in existence and is now specialized in PsyOps.

Advance from Tunisia to Tobruk

The Pavia division was originally deployed 10 June 1940 on the Tunisian-Libian border and stayed on the same positions until 25 June 1940, when it was ordered to move to the Tripoli, Libia to perform the coastal defence in the Sabratha-Surman sector. By March, 1941, it was transferred closer to the Benghazi to participate in the Axis counter-attack of March–April 1941. Under Major-General Pietro Zaglio it attacked via the Balbia coast road from Ajdabiya on 31 March 1941, driving the Australian rearguards back to Mechili; on the 6th the town was surrounded. The "Fabris" and "Montemurro" Bersaglieri Motorised Battalions came up in support, along with the advance elements of the German 5th Light Division. On 8 April General Michael Gambier-Perry surrendered to Axis forces. In the aftermath of the counter-attack, the elements of the Pavia division were placed in Sirte area to defend an airfield near the Wādī Thāmit. The bulk of forces has continued an advance to reach the Derna, Libya and Martuba by 22 May 1941. In June, 1941, it started to participate in the Siege of Tobruk, and was involved in often intense action from highly aggressive Australian probing attacks.

Allies counter-attack under Tobruk

On 19 November 1941 a British column of tanks tried to move westwards towards the track that ran up from Bi’r al Ghabī to Al Adm, but encountered infantry of the Pavia Division and were forced to turn back. 23 November 1941, the British 70th Infantry Division, supported by 60 tanks broke through part of the nearby 25 Semi-Motorised Division Bologna. The Pavia containing the enemy breakthrough. However, on the 27th, the 19th Battalion spearheading the 6th New Zealand Brigade, finally linked up with part of the British 70th Division at El Duda., weakening the position of Pavia division. Further British attacks were launched on the positions of the Pavia division 3–4 December 1941. On the 4 December, Rommel ordered a withdrawal to the Gazala Line which entailed giving up Tobruk. During the withdrawal, the Pavia served as a rearguard at El Adem where the Pavia managed a brief but competent defence. The heavy rearguard action has continued from 7 December 1941, until 16 December 1941. The Pavia division rearguard was annihilated 14 December 1941, when the New Zealand 22 Battalion encountered weak resistance from the Pavia Division, apart from two brief counterattacks, and under the cover of darkness took the rearguard position and 382 Italian prisoners at a cost of 3 killed and 27 wounded. On 15 December, the bulk of the Pavia on the Gazala Line fought against the attacking 2nd New Zealand Division and Independent Polish Brigade, managing to hold their lines after a poor initial beginning, losing hundreds who surrendered. allowing a strong German armoured force to counterattack and overrun the 1st Battalion, The Buffs, (Royal East Kent Regiment).

From this point, retreat of the Pavia division has become faster. 17 December 1941, it fought at Timimi 70 km west of Tobruk, then on the Mechili-Derna, Libya line. The retreat route has passed through the Marj, Benghazi, Ajdabiya, finally reaching El Agheila 24 December, from south-west of which it began to fortify at Bir es Suera on the southern bank of Al Wādī al Fārigh. At this point, the British advance was halted due logistics problems following a rapid advance, giving the Pavia division a quiet time.

From Libya to Egypt

The Pavia division has started to advance gradually from late January, 1942, reaching the initial positions west of Tobruk 26 May 1942. 28–29 May 1942, it helped to encircle residual British forces at Tobruk and `Ayn al Ghazālah. During the Battle of Gazala, the Pavia were used in a mopping up role, taking charge of 6,000 Allied prisoners on 16 June 1942. 27 June 1942, it reached Bardīyah and continued to advance for Al Sellum and ultimately Sidi Barrani. 1 July 1942, the Pavia division has reached the Dayr al Abyaḑ, south of El Alamein. The division was the part the First battle of El Alamein as part of the Italian X Corps. During the initial phase of the fighting Pavia served as a rearguard for the Ariete Division where it had an isolated, limited defensive success. A few elements of the Pavia along with the Brescia put up a stubborn defence on Ruweisat Ridge on the night of 14–15 July, allowing a German armoured force to arrive in time the next day to deliver a counterattack against the attacking New Zealand infantry and British armour. Captain Amalio Stagni and Corporal Ugo Vaia of the Pavia would each win the Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare for their leadership during the action on Ruweisat Ridge. The advance when stalled until 30 August 1942, but attempts to advance were largely beaten back as the Italian supplies has dwindled.

During the Second Battle of El Alamein, one battalion of the Pavia Division fought alongside the Folgore Parachute Division. It has commenced an attack 24 October 1942, on Qārat al Ḩumaymāt, taking over Naqb al Ralah over the steep El Diffa plateau edge, but failed to hold the majority of the plateau positions after the Allied counter-attack. The British attacks intensified and 3 November 1942, the Pavia division was ordered to retreat from the plateau to the Qattara Depression. At the end of the battle, the Pavia along with the other two divisions of the Italian X Corps were abandoned without transport (mostly useless anyway because of the harsh landscape on the division retreat route) by the rest of the Axis forces as they retreated from El Alamein to Fūkah and Mersa Matruh on 4 November 1942. The Pavia division has tried to follow the suit, but lost its rearguard at Deir el Nuss to the Allied armoured units. As the result, the Pavia division has suffered heavy losses while on march to the Fūkah. At Mersa Matruh, where several of the survivors of the Pavia had regrouped, including its commander, the remnants of the division had no option but to surrender 7 November 1942. The Pavia division was officially dissolved 25 November 1942.

Order of battle

As of May 1941

from June 1942, the 17th Mixed Engineer Battalion was added.