44th Infantry Division "Cremona"

During World War I the brigade fought on the Italian front, for which its two regiments were each a awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valour.[4]

On 28 December 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XX Infantry Brigade and received the 88th Infantry Regiment "Friuli" from the disbanded Brigade "Friuli". The XX Infantry Brigade was the infantry component of the 20th Territorial Division of Livorno, which also included the 7th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 20th Infantry Division "Curtatone e Montanara".[1][5][6][7][8]

On 15 September 1939 the Curtatone e Montanara transferred all its regiments, except the 88th Infantry Regiment "Friuli", to the newly activated 44th Infantry Division "Cremona" in Pisa. The Curtatone e Montanara was subsequently renamed 20th Infantry Division "Friuli".[1]

On 10 June 1940 Italy entered World War II by invading France. The Cremona was in the second echelon near Ventimiglia behind the 5th Infantry Division "Cosseria". The Cremona provided some fire support during hostilities.

In February 1941 the division was ordered to transfer to northern Sardinia. While the Cremona was in Sardinia its regimental depots in Tuscany raised most units of the 80th Infantry Division "La Spezia": the 126th Infantry Regiment "La Spezia" was raised in Pisa on 5 November 1941 by the 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona",[9] while the 80th Artillery Regiment "La Spezia" was raised in Pisa by the 7th Artillery Regiment "Cremona". In parallel the regimental depot of the 88th Infantry Regiment "Friuli" of the Friuli division raised the 125th Infantry Regiment "La Spezia" in Livorno on 5 November 1941.[10]

On 8 November 1942 Allied forces landed in French North Africa and Germany and Italy reacted by occupying Vichy France. On 11 November 1942 the Cremona was ferried from Sardinia to southern Corsica, while its sister division Friuli was ferried from Livorno to northern Corsica. The two divisions, together with the 225th Coastal Division and 226th Coastal Division, were assigned to the Armed Forces Command Corsica / VII Army Corps. On Corsica the Cremona had its headquarter in Ajaccio.[1]

After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the Italian forces and French partisans on Corsica fought the German Sturmbrigade Reichführer-SS, 90th Panzergrenadier Division, and Italian XXII Paratroopers Battalion/ 184th Infantry Regiment "Nembo",[11] which had crossed over from Sardinia and retreated through Corsica towards the harbor of Bastia in the island's north.

On 13 September elements of the Free French 4th Moroccan Mountain Division landed in Ajaccio to support the Italian efforts to stop the 30,000 retreating German troops, but during the night of 3-4 October the last German units were evacuated from Bastia leaving behind 700 dead and 350 POWs. After the end of operations on Corsica the Cremona was transferred with all other Italian units from Corsica to Sardinia. On November 1943 90th CC.NN. Legion was renamed as 321st Infantry Regiment "Cremona".[12]

Now part of the Italian Co-belligerent Army the division was reorganized on 25 September 1944 in Altavilla Irpina as Combat Group "Cremona". The group consisted of 21st and 22nd infantry regiments, 7th Artillery Regiment, and CXLIV Engineer Battalion. The group was commanded by Major General Clemente Primieri. Equipped with British weapons and materiel the group entered the front on 12 January 1945 as part of British V Corps. When allied forces achieved a major breakthrough during the 1945 spring offensive the Cremona advanced towards Venice and liberated the city on 30 April 1945.[12]

After the war the combat group was garrisoned in Turin and on 15 October 1945 the group was renamed Infantry Division "Cremona". For the Cremona's history after World War II see: see Motorized Brigade "Cremona".