131st Armored Division "Centauro"

The 131st Armored Division "Centauro" (Italian: 131ª Divisione corazzata "Centauro") was an armored division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in April 1939 by expanding the I Armored Brigade (Italian: I Brigata Corazzata). The division's name came from the mythological race of half human-half horse creatures named Centaurs. The division participated in the invasion of Albania, Greco-Italian War, and invasion of Yugoslavia. In August 1942 the division was sent to Libya to participate in the Western Desert Campaign. After the Axis defeat at the Second Battle of El Alamein the division retreated with the German-Italian Panzer Army to Tunisia, where the division participated in the Tunisian Campaign. On 18 April 1943 the division was disbanded due to the losses suffered in the Battle of El Guettar.[1]

This article is about the historic Royal Italian Army 131st Armored Division "Centauro". For the historic Royal Italian Army namesake division, see 136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro". For the historic Italian Army division and later brigade, see Armored Brigade "Centauro".
131st Armored Division "Centauro"
131st Armored Division "Centauro" insignia
Active20 April 1939 - 18 April 1943
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
TypeArmored
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQSiena
EngagementsWorld War II
Greco-Italian War
Invasion of Yugoslavia
Tunisian Campaign
Insignia
Identification
symbol
WWII Centauro gorget patches

History

On 1 June 1936 the I Motor-mechanized Brigade was formed in Siena, which consisted of the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment and other minor units. On 15 July 1937 the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment was formed in Siena and assigned to the brigade.[2] On the same date the brigade was renamed I Armored Brigade. On 20 April 1939 the 131st Armored Artillery Regiment was formed in Cremona and assigned to the brigade, which on that date was renamed 131st Armored Division "Centauro".[1][3]

Greco-Italian War

In April 1939 Italy invaded Albania and formed the Italian protectorate of Albania. In summer 1939 the division moved to Tirana. On 28 October 1940 the division participated in the Italian attack on Greece with started the Greco-Italian War. The main body of the division advanced towards Kalpaki in Epirus but Greek resistance stopped the division before reaching its goals. On 23 November 1940 the Greek launched an offensive, which drove the Italian units back into Albania. The Centauro unsuccessfully tried to stop the Greek advance at the Battle of Klisura Pass and then in Tepelenë. Due to the heavy losses the division was taken out of the line on 4 February 1941 to be rebuilt.[1] The 31st Tank Infantry Regiment was reinforced with the IV Tank Battalion "M" from the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment, while the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment was replaced by the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment.[2][4][5]

Invasion of Yugoslavia

In late March 1940 the division moved in preparation for the Invasion of Yugoslavia to Shkodër in northern Albania. After the war's start on 6 April 1940 the Centauro together with the 18th Infantry Division "Messina" and 32nd Infantry Division "Marche" defeated a Yugoslav attack towards Shkodër. On 16 April 1940 the division crossed into Yugoslavia north of Koplik and advanced to Kotor, Cetinje and Podgorica. On 17 April the Centauro reached Trebinje, where it met up with units of the 133rd Armored Division "Littorio", which had advanced southward from Istria. On 11 May 1941 the division began the return transfer to its bases in Tuscany.[1] On 31 July 1941 the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment returned to the division and relieved the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment.[5]

North Africa

Due to the experience of fighting in the Western Desert Italian armored Divisions were re-organized in 1942 and consisted on paper of three tank and three infantry battalions, a large artillery regiment, two battalions of self-propelled guns, one anti-aircraft battalion, one reconnaissance grouping, and a mixed engineer battalions. In October 1942 the Centauro was transferred to Libya. The division did not participate in the Second Battle of El Alamein and the first units of the division arrived at the front during the retreat from Egypt in late 1942.[1]

On 13 December 1942 the units of the division already in Libya and the Tactical Group "Ariete" forced the British 7th Armoured Division to retreat during the Battle of El Agheila. The division retreated with Axis forces from Libya to Tunisia, where the division ceded part of its units to the L Special Brigade and part of its materiel to other divisions. During the Battle of the Kasserine Pass troops of the Centauro overran the part of the US forces defending Highway 13.[6]

The division participated in the Battle of El Guettar, where it was severely decimated. From 7 April 1943 the division's remaining personnel and equipment were assigned to the 16th Infantry Division "Pistoia". On 18 April 1943 the Centauro was declared lost due to wartime events.[1]

136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro"
Main article: 136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro"

On 15 August 1943 the Royal Italian Army activated the 136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro", which continued the tradition of the 131st Armored Division "Centauro". After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the 136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro" was disbanded by the invading Germans on 12 September 1943.[7]

Post War

On 1 April 1951 the Italian Army raised the Armored Brigade "Centauro" in Verona, which on 1 November 1959 was expanded to Armored Division "Centauro".

Organization

Organization in Italy
  • 131st Armored Division "Centauro"[1]
    • 5th Bersaglieri Regiment[4]
      • Command Company
      • XIV Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
      • XXII Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Battalion (reorganized as XXII Bersaglieri Support Weapons Battalion in September 1941)
      • XXIV Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion (joined the regiment in 1940)
      • 5th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; entered the XXII Bersaglieri Support Weapons Battalion in September 1941)
      • 5th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists (formed in September 1941)
    • 31st Tank Infantry Regiment
      • Command Company
      • I Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes; disbanded in October 1941)
      • II Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes; disbanded in October 1941)
      • III Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes; disbanded in September 1941 to form the LI Tank Battalion "M")
      • IV Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes; disbanded in September 1941 to form the LI Tank Battalion "M")
      • IV Tank Battalion "M" (M13/40 tanks; arrived from the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment in February 1941; transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment in February 1942)
      • XII Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks; arrived from the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment in October 1941; transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment in November 1941)
      • XIII Tank Battalion "M" (M13/40 tanks; arrived from the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment in October 1941; transferred to the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment in summer 1942)
      • XIV Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks, joined the regiment in spring 1942)
      • XV Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks, joined the regiment in spring 1942)
      • XVII Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks, joined the regiment in spring 1942)
      • LI Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks; formed in September 1941; transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment in February 1942)
    • 131st Tank Infantry Regiment (Assigned to the division from 27 July 1941 to 2 January 1942)
    • 131st Motorized Artillery Regiment "Centauro"
    • 131st Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
    • 141st Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; transferred to the 9th Infantry Division "Pasubio" for the deployment in the Soviet Union)
    • 131st Mixed Engineer Company
    • 131st Medical Section
    • 131st Supply Section
    • 131st Transport Section
    • 106th Carabinieri Section
    • 131st Field Post Office

Organization in North Africa

Attached to the division during the Tunisian campaign:[1]

  • XVIII Carabinieri Battalion

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were:[1]

References
  1. Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 327. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. "31° Reggimento Carri - La Storia". Italian Army. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  3. "131° Reggimento Artiglieria "Centauro"". Italian Army. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  4. "5° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  5. "1° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  6. "Murphy in America". WWII Magazine. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  7. Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 338. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  8. F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 551.
  9. "Reggimento "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" 15°". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 22 December 2021.

Bibliography
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
  • George F. Nafziger - Italian Order of Battle: An organizational history of the Italian Army in World War II (3 vol)
  • John Joseph Timothy Sweet - Iron Arm: The Mechanization of Mussolini's Army, 1920-1940
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