2nd Infantry Division "Sforzesca"

The brigade fought on the Italian front in World War I. On 1 October 1926 the brigade assumed the name of II Infantry Brigade and received the 68th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" from the disbanded Brigade "Palermo". The brigade was the infantry component of the 2nd Territorial Division of Novara, which also included the 17th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 2nd Infantry Division "Sforzesca". On 25 April 1939 the II Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the three infantry regiments came under direct command of the division, and the 53rd and 54th infantry regiments and 17th Artillery Regiment changed their names to "Sforzesca". On 24 May 1939 the division ceded the 68th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" to the newly activated 58th Infantry Division "Legnano".[3][4][5]

The Sforzesca participated in the invasion of France operating between Claviere and Cesana Torinese. It spearheaded the attack in the direction of Briançon, but encountered heavy French resistance. On 22 June 1940 the area around the Fort Bois de Praria was secured, and fighting shifted to Bois de Sestriere, with the capture of Montgenèvre commune.[6] On the southern flank, the advance stalled at La Crete (Crete de Chaussard). On 23 June 23 the Sforzesca has made a very modest advance. In the night of 23 to 24 June 1940 the Sforzesca was transferred to the reserve and replaced by the 58th Infantry Division "Legnano".

During the Greco-Italian War the Sforzesca was sent as reinforcement to Albania between 12–18 January 1941. There the 30th CC.NN. Legion was attached to the division, which entered the front in the area of Tepelenë. The Sforzesca had its first encounter with Greek army forces on 28 January on the ridge over Mali i Shendellise (Scindeli). The heavy defensive fighting, with frequent hand-to-hand combat and positions lost and recaptured several times, continued until 28 February. During the Italian offensive on 1 March 1941, the Sforzesca captured Chiaf and by 4 March, it had moved to Bregu i Buzit. After the Battle of Greece the Sforzesca remained in on occupation duty in Greece until the middle of July 1941.

Men of the 'Sforzesca' division in action on the Russian front

The Sforzesca was one of the ten Italian divisions of the Italian Army in Russia, which fought on the Eastern Front. After arriving in Ukraine the division was assigned to XXXV Army Corps and participated in the capture of the Ivanovka positions in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On 14 July 1942 the Sforzesca reached Fashchivka in Luhansk Oblast. By 18 July 1942 the Sforzesca division started mop-up operation near Krasnyi Luch. At beginning of August 1942 the division marched to the area north of Serafimovich, establishing a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Don river up to Khutor of Yarskoy 1-y. Together with 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta", the Sforzesca beat off several Soviet attacks from 12 August 1942 to 1 September 1942.[7]

Although Soviet attacks were stopped, the Italians were unable to resume their offensive or expand their bridgehead as a result. After repositioning on the southern bank of the Don, the Sforzesca was assigned to the Romanian 3rd Army, along with the 9th Infantry Division "Pasubio" and 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta". The Sforzesca was under heavy Soviet attacks from 20 November until 28 November 1942.

On 12 December 1942 Soviet forces began Operation Little Saturn and on 22 December large columns of Soviet tanks overran the Sforzesca and part of the division was destroyed, largely as a result of conflicting German orders, that caught the Italian division advancing forward near Verkhne-Chirskoy, when it should've been retreating to the new German defensive line near the Chir River.[8] The remnants of the Sforzesca fought a defensive battle in the village of Kranoyarovka, Rostov Oblast from 25 December 1942 until 28 December 1942. The division suffered heavy losses in January 1943, and the remaining units managed to break through the encirclement by the Soviet 1st Guards Army on 3 January 1943.[9] The remnants of the division were repatriated in March 1943.[3]

The Sforzesca and its units were disbanded in on 31 May 1943, but on 1 June 1943 the division was reformed with its traditional units by renaming the 157th Infantry Division "Novara" and that division's units.[1][10] The new Sforzesca was based in Divača, Sežana and Ilirska Bistrica along the border between Italy and Yugoslavia, where it performed anti-partisan duties. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the remnants of the Sforzesca surrendered to invading German forces on 9 September 1943.[3]