221st Coastal Division (Italy)

{{Short description|Royal Italian Army infantry division during World War II}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = 221st Coastal Division

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| dates = 1942 – 1943

| country = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}

| branch = {{army|Kingdom of Italy}}

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| size = Division

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| garrison = Pontinia

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221st Coastal Division gorget patches

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| battles = World War II

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The 221st Coastal Division ({{langx|it|221ª Divisione Costiera}}) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.{{cite book |title=Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=373 |url=https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/bollettino-ii-n.3-4-2002-testo |access-date=7 November 2021}} 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.Jowett p 6

History

The division was activated on 15 April 1942 in Latina by uniting the two coastal defense sectors "Littoria" and "Gaeta".{{cite web |last1=Circolare n. 29900 del 29/03/1942 dello S.M.R.E. Uff. Ordinamento - 2a Sezione |title=Cronistoria dei reparti costieri |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/refantcost2.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=11 November 2021}} The division was assigned to XVII Army Corps and based its headquarter in Pontinia. The division was responsible for the coastal defense of the coast of southern Lazio between the rivers Astura and Garigliano.{{cite web |title=221a Divisione Costiera |url=http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/fanteria/costieri/redivcost221.htm |publisher=Regio Esercito |access-date=16 October 2021}}

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the division was disbanded by invading German forces.

Organization

221st Coastal Division, in Pontinia
4th Coastal Regiment
3x Coastal battalions
8th Coastal Regiment
3x Coastal battalions
II Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria"
221st Carabinieri Section
Field Post Office
Division Services

If needed the artillery for the division would come from the following artillery schools located within the division's area of responsibility:

Artillery School, in Sabaudia
Coastal Artillery School, in Torre Olevola
Maritime Artillery School, in Gaeta

Commanding officers

The division's commanding officers were:

Generale di Brigata Edoardo Minaja (15 April 1942 - September 1943)

References

{{cite book|title=A Military History of Italy|author=Paoletti, Ciro|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2008|isbn=978-0-275-98505-9}}
{{cite book|author=Jowett, Philip S.|title=The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943|publisher=Osprey, Oxford - New York|year=2000|isbn=978-1-85532-864-8}}

Category:Coastal divisions of Italy

Category:Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II