Unlucky Italians

Every year when we are close to Christmas and to New Year's celebration preparation my mind is always going back to Stalingrad. To the cruel fight which took place in the banks of Volga and change not only the conditions of the WW2 but also the opinions and believes about the human limits.
Usually in these days I'm reading a book about the attack and the encirclement. I'm very interesting in the unknown stories, in the stories of the unknown soldiers and now i want to share with you one.
The story of an unlucky Italian company.
It was a motorized company of the Italian Army which was sent to assist the elite regiment 'Savoia'.
The men of the motorized company do not like at all to be called 'elite'.
During November they have been sent to Stalingrad in order to help in the construction of the wooden 'houses' of the officers of the Savoia regiment.
They search the ruins of Stalingrad but they could not found any wooed material to help them to built anything.
Suddenly the Russian circle closed and the company could not leave Stalingrad on time. They forced to stay (by the circumstances) in the siege zone, inside the city. The company did not have any documents to allow them to evacuate the area and did not also have any orders to justify their presence inside the zone. This was worst because they were not in any list of supplies receivers. So none could justify the supply of food to the company. On top of that the company did not will to fight and refused to take part in any action as they were not there to fight. The Italian officers outside of the zone, who had sent the company to find the wooden construction material considered the company as missing in action and their mission as 'not accomplished'. On 16 of December the company inside Stalingrad (40 men only were left)decided to departed for western territories and to the salvation. They had a serious fight with a supply unit they met. They attacked to the supply unit and took by force as much as possible supplies they could. Then they continued their way to west.
On January they have been arrested by German military units. They passed from court marshal. They tried to clarify company' strange status and to justify themselves and their actions inside the encircled area. But in vain. None believed them from the members of the court marshal. They condemned to death and they have been shot.

 

One of the little unknown stories of the sometimes absurdity of war. Thank you for posting

 

In Russia was a famous writer - Valentin Pikul. He wrote historical novels, but based on the documents. His last novel was "Operation Barbarossa" (he did not have time to finish it because he died). This novel is dedicated to the defense of Stalingrad. There his father was killed. Valentin has fought too, but in the Navy, in Murmansk.
So, in this novel has been written about the involvement of Italians in the Battle of Stalingrad. Mostly they did not really want to fight, and the peaceful Russian people often feed them and helped them.

I would recommend any books of this author for those who want to know the history of Russia (not only WWII). As far as I know they were published in English.

 

What a crazy story, a truley messed up war. Thanks for sharing Pelekys

 

That sounds like something that would have happend under Schörner's command.....and more than once

 

It would be interesting to know from which resource Peleky´s story is ... I never read that there was the Savoia regiment encircled in Stalingrad? So how could it be true that there was a company being send there to assist this unit?? Inside the Kessel of Stalingrad were only a few hundred italian soldiers, but no complete regiments ... although I nice story

 

I think you mis-understand. The Savoia Regiment was not in the pocket or Stalingrad itself before the kessel, the motorized company was sent into the city to look for usable timber for the construction of winter quarters for Savoia's officers who were stuck in the open plains to the north.

 

There is a lot on AHF about this, Savoia was a long way off and these replies do not mention it but for your info I present some highlights.

"an italian army historical office book reports that after November 19th, 1942 a detachment of 8° Autoraggruppamento d'Armata formed by 2 officers, 72 soldiers and 50 trucks rested blocked in Stalingrad.
Interesting the same source reports it was the last of an entire series of logistic support for Stalingrad started in September and employing italian army support units until 400 trucks at a time.

the source was "I Servizi Logistici delle Unità Italiane al fronte russo"
the 8th Autoraggruppamento d'Armata was formed by LVII and LVIII Autogruppo pesante on four autocentri pesanti each"

"which italian units were left stranded in Stalingrad , the source of information is the interesting book " Tutti i Vivi all' Assalto " by Alfio Caruso and states that when Stalingrad was surrounded , inside the besieged ring there were , detached for duty with the german services :
- 127th Autieri Group (drivers) at the orders of Under Lieutenant Walter Poli
- 248th Autieri " " " " " " " Giusberti
for a total of around 50 soldiers

Also caught in Stalingrad was the italian medical unit , also detached with Germans , of Dr.Cattaneo ( an eyes specilaist) with some male nurses and medical assistants . This unit was located in a village (unamed ) outside the city .

Fate of all these italian soldiers is unkown as not one of them returned home after the war ."


"two of the italians surrounded at Stalingrad returned home after the war .

Under Lieutenant Poli from 127th group
Soldier driver Furini from the 248th

and the officer taken to hospital was under Lt Giusberti who died when hospital was destroyed in the last days of fighting .

Their story is told in a brilliant book " Noi Moriamo a Stalingrado " by Alfio Caruso , author also of " Tutti i Vivi all' assalto " .


The 248th had two dead during the siege , one soldier in undetailed circumstances and under Lt. Giusberti in the hospital fire .
All other soldiers survived the battle but all except Furini died during transportation to camps , Furini was the only one to walk out of the cattle truck at the end of the journey which took them to imprisonment .

127th had no casulaties during battle and at least some of the soldiers ( Poli was separated early after capture form them being an officer ) arrived at prison camps in asian soviet union , there they died within spring 43 of sickness and epidemic ( for some of themtere are written records of their death ) .

There was one more Italian in stalingrad , a sergent mayor from an eminent tuscany family , detached as a translator (his mother was german and he spoke the language fluently ) with a german unit trapped around Stalingrad . He received a german uniform and had to fight alongside german comerades duirng the siege . Taken prisoner survived till april 43 when died of typhus in a camp .

 

http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Zeitzeugen/Zeitzeuge_Kallweit_/Zeitzeuge_Deimel_/Zeitzeuge_Patzsch/Zeitzeuge_Burghardt/zeitzeuge_kruger4.html

Found this site which is in German and confirms some of the above stuff including the fact that he interviewed the survivor Furini. Google translates it a bit wierdly (including translating Kessel as boiler) but you'll still get the gist of it. Nothing suggests the Germans shot any of them but they died in Soviet captivity.

 

I picked up a copy of Noi moriamo a Stalingrado at a used books stand some time ago but have just browsed through it up to now. It mentions that the units went to Stalingrad to carry German supplies and were to come back with firewood, so the OP post may be based on the same group, AFAIK there is no link between Savoia, that was a cavalry unit stationed quite far from Stalingrad, there was a Rumanian Army deployed between the Italian 8th and the German 6th, and the two army level truck detachments, going as far a Stalingrad just to to get wood makes no sense.

 

My knowledge of the Eastern battles is sparse...I know of the main events and have read a few books and the like, but not an area I would express any major knowledge of...One day I'll take all my Eastern books off the shelves and read em...

But a few things...maybe someone can clear up for me...

Would the Italians have been volunteers for the East as in Spain before ww2?

Did their CinC have overall control over their use?

What possible reason would any Italian have for helping invade Russia and support its invasion.

My sympathies are and always will be with the people of Stalingrad not its invaders.

 

From Wiki but ties in with what I have seen elsewhere.

The 8th Italian Army was organized into three corps: The XXXV Army Corps, the II Army Corps, and the Mountain (Alpini) Corps. The XXXV Corps included the three divisions of the CSIR: Torino, Pasubio, and Amedeo Duca d'Aosta. The II Corps included the new Sforzesca, Ravenna, and Cosseria divisions. The Mountain Corps included the Tridentina, the Julia, and Cuneense divisions. The Vicenza Division was under direct command of the 8th Army and was primarily utilized behind the front on "lines of communications" duties, security and anti-partisan and to act as a reserve.
In addition to the ten divisions, the 8th Italian Army included the 298th and 62nd German divisions (the latter being sent to Stalingrad), a Fascist Croatian volunteer legion, and three legions of Italian Blackshirt Fascist volunteers (Camicie Nere, or CCNN).

They were not volunteers except the Blackshirts and were inadequately equipped in motor transport, tanks, at and artillery. None of this helped when the Russians hit them hard in the Stalingrad campaign. Accounts of losses vary but about 80,000 were killed or captured and another 35,000 odd wounded (this was about half their 235,000 total).

They were there as a vanity project for Musso to show his support for his ally (there were vast numbers of satellite troops in the Stalingrad campaign with 000's of Hungarians and Rumanians serving and dying on the flanks of the 6th Army). The surviving Italians came home in early 43, few of those captured ever returned.

As far as I can see they were tactically controlled by their Army Commander but Operationally and Strategically they would have come under German Army Group control.

 

Cheers PT...no salutes left...I knew of the many foreign troops...I was waxing lyrical I suapose...But to the Black shirts..I say tough tittes...i

 

[SIZE=medium]Sorry, that I misunderstood first. But let me tell you what I find about the story (pTimms already translate alot from the website):[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]At the beginning of November - on Hitler´s orders - 5 engineer battalions, were additionally assigned to 6th[/SIZE] Army to support the attack on Stalingrad and the river Wolga. Some of these units were taken by air transport to Stalingrad, some by trucks.

[SIZE=medium]The 248 heavy Kraftfahrzeugabteilung (sorry, but I had no English expression for it) took the 162. engineer battalion to Stalingrad. The 162. engineer battalion was a unit of the 62. Infantry-division, assigned to 2nd[/SIZE] Hungarian Army at this time (outside the pocket of Stalingrad).

[SIZE=medium]49 of the truck-drivers of the 248. heavy Kraftfahrzeugabteilung were italian drivers. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]So far the story is absolutely correct, because I checked different sources for that.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]But now we a little “time”-difference between the sources I checked:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]On [/SIZE][SIZE=medium]http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Zeitzeugen/Zeitzeuge_Kallweit_/Zeitzeuge_Deimel_/Zeitzeuge_Patzsch/Zeitzeuge_Burghardt/body_zeitzeuge_kruger4.html[/SIZE][SIZE=medium] it is written that the trucks reached Stalingrad on 16th[/SIZE] of November 1942. This was a statement of the only Italian soldier who survived the battle of Stalingrad.

[SIZE=medium]But the date of the arrival couldn´t be correct: during the night from 12th[/SIZE] to 13[SIZE=small]th[/SIZE] of November the 162. engineer battalion already took part as fortification in combat section 578 of 305[SIZE=small]th [/SIZE]infantry division. This information is from the war diary of 305[SIZE=small]th[/SIZE] infantry division.

[SIZE=medium]Afterwards the soldiers of 248. Kraftfahrzeugabteilung were ordered to took wood from Stalingrad and bring it back to Millerovo (it seemed that this was a usual job, cause there were several letters of (german) soldiers who reported that they have a similar instruction).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]So it seemed that it took nearly a week to find enough wood and to start again. But it was too late: the Russian attack was probably launched before the 248. Kraftfahrzeugabteilung tried to go back to Millerovo so the unit got stuck in Stalingrad.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Probably around 100 italian soldiers were inside the pocket of Stalingrad - 2 of them survived …[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]In summary: the story is true …[/SIZE]

 

[SIZE=medium]Kraftfahrzeugabteilung: Motor Vehicle Battalion[/SIZE] (could be section, or detachment, but it usually denoted a Battalion)

 

So many good posts here that I just rated the thread 5 stars rather than use a weeks worth of salutes.
Hope you guys don't mind too much ...

 

The coincidence in the unit number make me think the Kraftfahrzeugabteilung was originally autoreparto pesante (heavy truck unit) which really means the same thing but is Italian as the 248 was an Italian unit equipped with Fiat 626 trucks and part of the 8th autoragruppamento that was one of the four transport groups attached to the Italain 8th army.
Abteilung is often translated as batallion but I believe like an Italian reparto, raggruppamento or gruppo could really be any size of unit.

The 248 detachment included 50 drivers/mechanics and 33 trucks , which is consistent with lifting an understrenghth German Pioneer batallion, but only 49 reached Stalingrad and the names of only 47 are known. The italian book puts the arrival of the 248th column from Milerovo on the 14th of November or earlier as the book is mostly collected from letters home from the unit's soldiers and one dated on the 14th states he received a package which is unlikely if he was still on the road. The Pioneers were attached to the 305 division (as where the Italian drivers after the encirclement) but the Italian book states they were incorporated into the divisional Pioneer batallion (Pionier-Bataillon 305) not as a second one. .

The 127 column led by Sottotenente Poli, that was the only survivor, had 18 trucks and 25 drivers/mechanics from Voroshilovgrad loaded with ammo and arrived on the 16th so if the German source is Poli rather than Furini (the lone 248 survivor) it may be correct but misleading as the 127 was not the unit carryng the Pioneers.

Fom the info I found there were other Italian transport units involved in the Stalingtad supply effort, the 150 men strong 244 transport group was equipped with Bianchi Miles trucks and was ordered to carry it's load of ammo from Millerovo directly to the the frontline during the last German attacks, and lost it's vehicles after unloading as they got trapped in no man's land, but I found no info of what happened after that though it's likely they were out of the Kessel when the trap closed.

Those trucks could have saved lots of lives during the 8th army's retreat a few months later.

 

That inconsistency is not fully explained, "earlier than the 14th" could be the 11to or 12th but ...... somehow it doesn't sound right, must look if there are any dates on some other letters that may shed more light.

Another small mistery, one poster puts the 62 ID as attached to the Italian 8th army while you assign it to the 2nd Hungarian Army at the time, the 8th looks more consistent with rest of the story. A kampfgruppe of the 62 (Kampfgruppe Simons) is reported as supporting 14th Panzer duting Uranus which would put it inside the Kessel though the bulk of the unit remained outside it.

 

At the start of the campaign, June 42 62nd is part of 1st Panzer Armee.

On 15/11/42 62nd is in the 8th Italian,

By December 62nd Infantry is in Gruppe Hollidt which is neither and is mostly Romanian but some Italian remnants.

22 Dec 1942 at the disposal of Armeeabteilung Hollidt
• 306. Infanterie-Division (most)
Romanian II Army Corps
• 22. Panzer-Division + Romanian 7th Cavalry Division (remnants)
• Romanian 1st Armored Division
• Romanian 14th Infantry Division (remnants)
XVII. Armeekorps
• 62. Infanterie-Division
• 294. Infanterie-Division
• 306. Infanterie-Division (part)
Romanian I Army Corps
• Romanian 7th Infantry Division
• Romanian 11th Infantry Division
• Romanian 9th Infantry Division (remnants)


The Kreigsgleiderung for Jan 1st for Armee-Gruppe Hollidt shows:

XXIX Army Corps (General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder)
• Elements of SS-Brigade “Schuldt”
• Elements of the German 62nd Infantry Division
• Elements of the German 298th Infantry Division
• Elements of the 2nd Sforzesca Infantry Division
• Elements of the 3rd Celere Division “Principe Amedeo Duca d’Aosta”
• Elements of the 9th Pasubio Semi-Motorized Infantry Division
• Elements of the 52nd Torino Semi-Motorized Infantry Division
• Elements of the Romanian 7th Infantry Division
• Elements of the Romanian 9th Infantry Division
• Elements of the Romanian 11th Infantry Division


At http://www.stalingrad.net/german-hq/kampfgruppe-simons/translation_simons.htm you can find a translation of KG Simons Battle report from 11/11/42 - 12/12/42.

It is only a smallish group 800 odd men from the anti tank, motor cycle and some infantry units. By the 22/11 it is down to 359 men and although it receives some reinforcements by the 4/12 it has two companies of 40 men each.