ITALIAN GROUND FORCES IN GREECE, 25 APRIL 1943-Through Italian staff maps Part 1 – Epirus and the Ionian Islands, by Alexis Mehtidis

WW2, WW2 in Greece

Text and research by Alexis Mehtidis 

div. Modena in the area covering south of Igoumenitsa ( bay of Plataria ) – Ioannina – west of the Tomaros (Olytsikas) – Louros – Preveza – coast to south of Igoumenitsa
Corfu : – 3 / CX ( compagnia mitraglieri, motorized – i.e. on trucks – ; CX battaglione mitraglieri di Corpo d’Armata )
Ioannina ( Janina ) :
– XXVI ( Corpo d’Armata )
– Comando Divisione Fanteria Modena
– 87 / V.T…( Tappa ? )
– Battaglione Alpini V. Leogra
– Battaglione 518 T.M.
– Comando 26o ( raggruppamento artiglieria di corpo d’armata ):
– CXV ( gruppo artiglieria di Corpo d’Armata obici da ) 149/13
– two sezioni cannoni da 20mm
Fillippiada ( N. Filippias ) :
– CXVI da 149/13 (gruppo artiglieria di Corpo d’Armata obici / 26o raggruppamento artiglieria di corpo d’armata ) Lishari ( Nikopolis ? ):
XXXII / 26 ( raggruppamento artiglieria di corpo d’armata ) :
– 2 / XXXII ( 105 / 28 )
On the coast from Preveza to Parga ( on Paralia Kastrosykias ) :
1 & 2 / XXXII ( 105 / 28 )
Preveza ( Prevesa ) :
CLIV ( 149/13 )
104 Batteria cannoni da 20 mm ?
Aktion :
362 / 188 ( 155 / 14 )
On the end of the road leading to the pier for the island of Leukas :
two sezioni cannoni ( da 20mm )
Paliabella and around ( Vonitsa ):
CXIX ( 149/13 – 17 ? – ) :
– 1 / CXIX ( 149/13 )
 – 3 / CXIX ( 149/13 )
Lefkas ( Leukas ) :
– 1 sez ( 70/15 ) – pack artillery with mules – at Nydri ( or a little to the north of it )
– 1 sez ( 70/15 ) – pack artillery with mules – to the north of Agios Nikitas
Kefalonia ( Cefalonia ) :
– Comando Divisione Acqui at Argostoli
– 4 / CX Compagnia Mitraglieri ( motorized – i.e. on trucks – ) at Sami, Poros, south of Poros ( Skala ? ) and between Poros and Argostoli ( Pesada ? ) – a section each ? –
– Lixouri :
2 / CX Compagnia Mitraglieri ( motorized – i.e. on trucks – )
/ VII ( 103/28 ) half a gruppo d’artiglieria
– Argostoli :
III C.K. ( 75/27 ) gruppo d’artiglieria
VII ( 105/28 ) gruppo d’artiglieria
CLXXXVIII ( 155/15 ? ) :
359
360
361

 

SOURCES

T-812 R-143/IT1220 (section)

T-821 R-247 Italienische Dokumente Aktensammelstelle mit Sitz in Sud Bavaria u. Munich 1932-1944

 

NOTES :

 

  • Formations/units there were under German operational control
  • First place names are in modern Greek. Italian follow in parentheses.
  • This is actually in note form. A lot of the questions arose when this was first researched years ago. Most are now clear, but it would take an inordinate amount of time to fix these, so I preferred to keep the order-of-battle as it was.

 

 GLOSSARY/ABBREVIATIONS

a.c.a. : anti-aircraft artillery

accompagnamento ( acc. ) : accompanying ( i.e. escort; in infantry gun companies )

alb. : Albanian

  1. / alp. / alpina : alpine ( i.e. mountain )

amb. / ambul. / ambulanza or ambulatori : ambulance or surgery amministrazione : administration

anticendi : firefighters

armata : army

artiere ( plural artieri ) : pioneer

  1. / art. / artigl. / artiglieria : artillery assalto : assault

aut./autonomo : independent

autoambul. / autoambulanza : ambulance ( as a vehicle and a unit )

autobotti : water tank sections

autobus : bus

autoc. / autocarrato : lorried

autocarretto : light lorry

autogruppo : vehicles group

autom. / automobile : car – vehicle

autoraggr. / autoraggrupamento : vehicle group

autorep. / autoreparto : car / vehicle detachment / unit

autosez. / autosezzione : car / vehicle section

avena : oats

  1. / bers. : bersaglieri

bardature : animal harness

batteriol. / batteriologico : bacteriological

bomb. / bombarda ( plural bombarde ) : howitzer

bonif. / bonifica : cleanse ( medical term )

btg. / battaglione : battalion

btr. / batteria : battery

buoi ( plural ? ) : beef ( ? ) ( parco buoi : butchery )

campo : field

  1. / cannoni ( plural cannoni ) : cannon

C.A. / Corpo d’Armata : Army Corps

carr. / carregio : cart

carr. : tank

carristi : tankmen

carro ( plural carri ) : tank

casermaggio : barracks

  1. / cav. / cavalleria : cavalry

cavallegg. : light cavalry

CC.NN. : Camicie Nere ( Blackshirts )

CC.RR : Carabinieri Reali ( Royal Military Police )

chim. / chimico : chemical

chirurgico : surgical

cinematografista ( plural cinematografisti ) : cinematographer

colleg. / collegamento : signals

colombaie : field pidgeon units

com. / comando : command – HQ

commissariato : supply

con : with

consumo : consumption

convalesc./ : recuperate

convalescenziario : convalescence hospital

contraereo ( plural contraerei ) : A.A.

cor. / cr. : corazzata ( armoured )

corazzata : armoured

  1. / compagnia : company

C.S.T.A. : Comando Superiore Truppe Albania ( High Command for Troops in Albania )

delegazione : representation – delegation

dep. – depos. / deposito ( plural depositi ) : depot – magazine / storehouse

d.f. : divisione fanteria ( infantry division )

difesa : defence

dipendenti : dependent on (attached)

direttamente : directly

direzione : department

disinfez. / disinfezione : disinfection

distrib. / distribuzione : distribution

  1. / div. / divisione : division

div.le / divisionale : divisional

e : and

elementi : elements

elettr. / elettrico : electrical

equip. / equipaggiamento or equipaggio : equipment or supplies

  1. / ftr./ fanteria : infantry
  2. / forze : forces

fieno : hay

forestale : forestry

formazioni : formations

forno ( pl. forni ) : ovens

fraz. / frazione : section

fuciliere : fusilier (the traditional name of an infantryman)

G.a.F. / Guardia alla Frontiera : Border Guard

gassati : gas

genio : engineers

G.d.F. / Guardia della Finanza : Customs

gran : granatieri ( grenadiers )

gruppo : group

idrici : waterworks

impiant. / impianto : installation

inferm. / infermeria : hospital for convalescence

intendenza : commissariat / intendance / quartermaster

ippico : of horses

ippotrainato ( plural ippotrainati ) : horse-drawn

labor. / laboratorio ( plural laboratori ) : laboratory

lancieri lancers

lavoratori : labour

lavoro ( plural lavori ) : labour

leg. / legione : CC.NN. legion

legg. / leggero : light

legna : wood ( for fire )

littorale : coastal

locale : local

  1. : mobile

mtr./ mitr. : machine gun

mob. : mobile

mod. : modello ( model )

mot. : motorised

motoc. : motorcyclists / motorcycle

mtr. : mitralliatrice ( machine gun )

mag. – magazz./ magazzino : magazine

materiale ( plural materiali ) : material

marconisti : signalsmen

mecc. : mecchanico ( mechanical )

meno : without

mezzi ; means

M.F.A. : Milizia Fascista Albanese ( Albanian Fascist Militia )

militare : military

milizia : militia

min. : minatore ( miner – sapper – )

misto ( female mista ) : mixed ( i.e. composite )

mitraglieri : machine guns

mortai : mortars

motomitraglieri : machine guns on motorcycles

movim. – mov. to / movimento : traffic

( in ) muratura : in a building (indoors)

nave : boat

nucleo : cadre / cadres

O.A. : Osservazione Aerea ( Air Observation )

odontoiatr. / odontoiatrico : dental

off. / officina : workshop

Q.G. : Headquarters

osp. / osped. / ospedale ( plural ospedali ) : hospital

pan. / panettieri : bakers

panifico : bakery

parco :park

passerelle : bridges

per : for

pes. / pesante : heavy

  1. / plotone : platoon

pompiero ( plural pompieri ) : fire-fighter

pnt. / ponte ( plural ponti ) : bridge

pontieri : bridge-layers

posz. / posizione : position / positional – i.e. static –

postale : post

posto : post

pres. / prsid. / presid. / presidiario : security / defence ( of ) LOC (Line-of-Communications)

principale : main – principal

quadrup. / quadrupedo ( plural quadrupedi ) : quadruped ( i.e. animal )

radio : wireless

radiologica : radiological

raggr./ raggrupp.to : raggrupamento ( group )

recovero : recovery

rep. / reparto ( plural reparti ) : detachment / unit

reggimentale : regimental

R.G.F. (Regia Guardia di Finanza) : custom guards

rgt. / reggimento : regiment

rinforzato : reinforced

riparazione ( plural riparazioni ) : repair

riserva : reserve

salmeria : pack (animal)

san. / sanita : medical

sciatori : skiers

secondario : secondary

senza : without

servizio ( plural servizi ) : services

sez. / sezzione : section

soccorso : aid

speciale : special

  1. / squad. / ( squadrone ) : squadron

staccato : detached – detachment

strad. / stradale : road ( of the )

sup. / superiore : higher

sussits. / sussistenza : supply

tappa : L.O.C. (line-of-communications)

tattico : tactical

telegrafisti : telegraphists

tempor. / temporale : temporary

  1. / terr. / territ. / territoriale : territorial

T.M. : territoriale mobile ( mobile territorial )

tossicologico : toxicological

trasp. : trasporto ( transportation )

truppe : troops

uff. / ufficio ( plural uffici ) : office

unita : unit

vest. / vestito ( plural vestiti ) : clothes

veter. / veterin. / veterinario : veterinary

volontari : volunteers

zapp. / zappatore ( plural zappatori ) : sapper