6th Infantry Division "Cuneo"

The brigade fought on the Italian front in World War I. On 1 November 1926 the brigade assumed the name of VI Infantry Brigade and received the 67th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" from the disbanded Brigade "Palermo". The brigade was the infantry component of the 6th Territorial Division of Milano, which also included the 27th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 6th Infantry Division "Legnano". On 24 May 1939 the division ceded its name and the 67th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" to the newly activated 58th Infantry Division "Legnano". On the same day the division took its traditional name "Cuneo", dissolved the VI Infantry Brigade, with the two remaining infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division, and the 27th Artillery Regiment was given the name "Cuneo".[4][5][6]

During the invasion of France, the Cuneo division was assigned to the Limone Piemonte area on 10 June 1940, from where it advanced to Tende by 21 June 1940. However the Franco-Italian Armistice was signed on 4 June 1940 before the division entered combat.

During the Greco-Italian War the Cuneo was sent as reinforcement to Albania arriving in early January 1941. The division was tasked to recapture Himarë from Greek forces, but failed to reach the assault positions in time.[7] The Cuneo participated in the defensive battle at LLogara pass, which had started on 28 December 1940 and lasted until 31 January 1941. The battle was fought in appalling mountain winter conditions,[8] with troops frequently dying from exposure. In February 1941 the units of the Cuneo were dispersed along the front in support of other units from Vuno to Berat.

On 29 March 1941 the Cuneo was withdrawn from the front line to the west bank of Drin river in Albania, to counter the threat of the Yugoslavian army after the anti-axis coup in Yugoslavia. The Cuneo reinforced the gap between the 41st Infantry Division "Firenze" and the IX Army Corps in the defensive line at the Yugoslav border.[9] After Germany entered the war against Greece on 6 April 1941, the Cuneo moved to its original position and started an offense toward Himarë on 14 April 1941. On 16 April 1941 the Greek frontline collapsed and by 17 April 1941 the Cuneo had advanced through Himarë towards Porto Palermo. On 19 April 1941 the Cuneo had captured a Piqueras village in Lukovë municipality, then took Sarandë by combined land and amphibious assault, and finally captured the southernmost Albanian town of Konispol on 23 April 1941.

The Cuneo remained in Greece as part of the Axis occupation force, first in Igoumenitsa and Paramythia, later in Missolonghi and finally in the Cyclades - garrisoning the islands of Naxos and Icaria (by garrison and coastal batteries), Samos (division headquarters), Andros, Santorini and Syros (garrison only).[10]

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division fought German forces with British support from 9 September until 21–23 November, when its remaining forces were evacuated to Kuşadası in Turkey. The remnants of the division were transferred to the Middle East, where the allies employed the troops in support roles.[2]