Information on Grandfather & Grandmothers brother

I'm very interested in WWII and have been reading a lot on this era, I'm looking for more information on my grandfather who served in a blackshirts battallion (He was from Predappio in the Emilia Romagna region) during the Italian balkancampaign in WWII. I hope that someone can help me with more info on this division. Furthermore my grandmothers brother fought in the red army during WWII and was enlisted from Stalingrad untill the Battle of Berlin (incredible how he survived those 3 years). My grandmothers keeps all his medals and rewards and I will ask her one of these days for more info because it is unclear in which division he served. I can imagine that the last question is somewhat difficult to answer

Thanks in regards and hope that someone can help me....

David

 

Wow interesting stuff... Welcome Aboard

 

That is some history and i can safely say we all await your grandparents stories welcome to the forum

 

There were number of Links on google for Black shirt battalions, but
heres what i found on the Wikipedia entry for Blackshirt Battalions.


The Italian Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo (Italian, Divisione CC.NN. "23 Marzo") was an Italian MVSN Blackshirt militia unit formed for the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. During the Second World War it was encircled at Bardia and surrendered to the British forces in January of 1941. It was named 23 Marzo (Italian, 23 March) in honor of the founding of the Italian Fascist Party in 23 March 1919.



Order of Battle 1935-36

"23 Marzo" Blackshirts Division - Gen. Ettore Bastico, (23/4/35 - 20/11/35), Gen. S.A.R. Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia (20/11/35 - 29/2/36)

• 135th Blackshirts Legion "Indomita"
  • 135th Blackshirts Battalion "Indomito"
  • 88th Blackshirts Battalion "Cappellini"
  • 135th MMG Company
  • 135th pack-artillery battery
• 192nd Blackshirts Legion "Francesco Ferrucci"
  • 190th Blackshirts Battalion "Pisa"
  • 192nd Blackshirts Battalion "Francesco Ferrucci"
  • 192th MMG Company
  • 192th pack-artillery battery
• 202nd Blackshirts Legion "Cacciatori del Tevere"
  • 202nd Blackshirts Battalion "Cacciatori del Tevere"
  • 204th Blackshirts Battalion "Trotti"
  • 202nd MMG Company
  • 202nd pack-artillery battery
• 1st Blackshirts MMG Bn
• 1st Artillery Battalion (65L17 - Army)
• 1st Special Engineers Company (mixed Blackshirts and Army)
• 2 x Replacements Battalions

Notes:

• Additionally the Division had a Medical Section, Logistics Section, and transport of a Pack-Mules unit (1600 mules), and a Mixed Trucks unit (80 light trucks)

[edit] Order of battle 1940

"23 Marzo" Blackshirts Division

• 219. CCNN Legion
  • 114. G. Veroli CCNN Battalion
  • 118. Volsca CCNN Battalion
  • 119. N. Ricciotti CCNN Battalion
• 233. CCNN Legion
  • 129. Adriatica CCNN Battalion
  • 133. Lupi di Matese CCNN Battalion
  • 148. Tavogliere CCNN Battalion
• XLI Light Tank Battalion
• 1. CCNN Anti-tank Company
• 201. MG Battalion
• 201. Artillery Regiment
• 201. Mixed Engineer Battalion

[edit] Source

• Ettore Lucas and Giorgio de Vecchi, "Storia delle Unità Combattenti della MVSN 1923-1943", Giovanni Volpe Editore, 1976. pages 63 to 116 plus errata

[edit] External links

• Regio Esercito: Divisione CC.NN. "23 Marzo"

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Thanks Keystone! I will dive into this info, my italian grandfather served in the Albanian/Greek campaign an luckily survived the campaign. What I heared is that the greater part of his battalion was killed during their transport back to Italy due to a Submarine attack near the harbour of Brindisi. I found some books on the Blackshirt battalions and I know for sure he wasn't serving in a militia battalion nor did he serve in Africa. He was one of the few survivors of his battalion. And I will visit my granny soon for the info on her brother in the russian army.

Thanks for the info! And will post as soon as I find some more info