Active 1940–1943 Type Cavalry Part of XI Corps | Country Kingdom of Italy Size Division | |
Branch Royal Italian Army during World War II | ||
The 1st Cavalry Division Eugenio di Savoia was an cavalry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Eugenio di Savoia was mobilized in 1940, as a cavalry division and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia. The Division remained in Yugoslavia in the XI Corps (Ljubljana) as an occupying force on the coast of Dalmatia.
Contents
After the Italian surrender, the division was disbanded in September 1943.
Action in Yugoslavia
While in Yugoslavia, the 14 Alessandria Regiment is credited with having conducted the last cavalry charge by the Italian Army in World War II. On 17 October 1942 the regiment was encircled by a group of Yugoslav Partisans near Poloj, Croatia. That night the cavalry launched repeated saber charges against the partisans. Despite heavy casualties, the charge succeeded and broke through to safety.
Organization
The Division had undergone a level of mechanization. Each division had two cavalry regiments, a highly-mobile infantry (Bersaglieri) regiment, an artillery regiment, and a light tank group. The squadrons of the cavalry regiments were horse-mounted and, other than a motorcycle company, the Bersaglieri were issued with bicycles. The light tank group had a total of 61 tanks. The tanks were typically L3/35s or Fiat L6/40s. The Division was commanded by Lieutenant General Federico Ferrari Orsi.