203rd Coastal Division (Italy)

The 203rd Coastal Division was one of three Coastal infantry divisions of the Italian Army during World War II in Sardinia until Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943.
Coastal divisions were second line divisions, usually formed from older men intended to perform laboring and second line duties. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement. Their equipment was also second rate. The Prime Minister of Italy, Benito Mussolini had hoped to obtain large quantities of arms and equipment from the disbanded Vichy French army, but these arms were usually sabotaged and often arrived with no ammunition.