214th Coastal Division (Italy)
| 214th Coastal Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943 – 1944 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Santa Severina |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |    214th Coastal Division gorget patches |
The 214th Coastal Division (Italian: 214ª Divisione Costiera) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.[1] Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. They were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.[2]
History
[edit]The division was activated on 1 July 1943 in Bari and received units from the 212th Coastal Division and XXXI Coastal Brigade.[3] The division was assigned to XXXI Army Corps and had its headquarter in Santa Severina.[1] The division was responsible for the coastal defense of the coast of the Ionian Sea coast of Calabria between Botricello and Lido Sant'Angelo.[3]
In early September the division prepared to fight the British XIII Corps, which had landed on 3 September 1943 in southern Calabria in Operation Baytown and was advancing towards the 214th Coastal Division's positions. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division remained at its positions and surrendered to the British XIII Corps. Afterwards the division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army, but did not participate in the Italian campaign. The division was dissolved in summer 1944.[3]
Organization
[edit]- 214th Coastal Division, in Santa Severina[3][1]
- 103rd Coastal Regiment (transferred from the 212th Coastal Division)
- CCCXLII Coastal Battalion
- VI Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Lancieri di Novara"
- 148th Coastal Regiment
- 3x Coastal battalions
- CCCXCVI Coastal Battalion
- XXVII Coastal Artillery Group
- LV Coastal Artillery Group
- LXXXI Coastal Artillery Group
- CXL Coastal Artillery Group
- 403rd Mortar Company (81mm mod. 35 mortars)
- 702nd Mixed Engineer Company
- 178th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 312th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 443rd Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 447th Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 451st Anti-paratroopers Unit
- 214th Carabinieri Section
- Field Post Office
- Division Services
- 103rd Coastal Regiment (transferred from the 212th Coastal Division)
Attached to the division:[3]
- Armored Train 152/3/T, in Crotone (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 Scotti anti-aircraft guns;[4] transferred from the 212th Coastal Division)
Commanding officers
[edit]The division's commanding officers were:[1]
- Generale di Brigata Carlo Lama (1 July 1943 - ?)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 370. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ Jowett p 6
- ^ a b c d e "214a Divisione Costiera". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Treni Armati della Marina". Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
- Jowett, Philip S. (2000). The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943. Osprey, Oxford - New York. ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8.