3rd 21st April CCNN Division
DIVISION HQ
181st CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    71st Manfreda CCNN BATTALION
    81st A. di Barbiano CCNN BATTALION
    102nd Cacciatori di Tevere CCNN BATTALION
203rd CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    103rd Clitunno CCNN BATTALION
    110th Picena CCNN BATTALION
    143rd Clino Ricci CCNN BATTALION
203rd (ARMY) ARTILLERY REGIMENT
    REGIMENT HQ
    1 GRUPPO 12 x 100/17 Howitzers
    2 GRUPPOs 12 x 75/27 Guns
    2 BATTERIES 8 x 20mm AA

This Division was well below establishment and lacking many heavy weapons. It is sometimes described as equivalent in strength to a single Regiment (Legion) from another Division! In some accounts, it is not even mentioned! It arrived in Taguria, Libya in 1939. It invaded Egypt as part of 10th Army in September 1940. Retreated to Libya in December 1940 and was overrun and destroyed during the retreat.

4th 3rd January CCNN Division
DIVISION HQ
250th CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    LEGION MORTAR COY (6 x 81mm Mortars)
    LEGION GUN BATTERY (4 x 65/17 Inf Guns)
    150th G. Carli CCNN BATTALION
    154th D. Mastronuzzi CCNN BATTALION
    156th Lucania CCNN BATTALION
270th CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    LEGION MORTAR COY (6 x 81mm Mortars)
    LEGION GUN BATTERY (4 x 65/17 Inf Guns)
    170th Agrigentum CCNN BATTALION
    172nd Enna CCNN BATTALION
    174th Segesta CCNN BATTALION
204th MG BATTALION
    BATTALION HQ
    3 MG COMPANIES (each HQ & 4 Platoons - 16 HMG)
4th CCNN ANTI-TANK COMPANY
    COMPANY HQ
    4 GUN PLATOONS (each 2 x 47/32 ATk Guns)
204th (ARMY) ARTILLERY REGIMENT
    REGIMENT HQ
    1 GRUPPO 12 x 105/28 Howitzers
    2 GRUPPOs 12 x 75/27 Guns
? ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTALION (12 x Motorized 75mm)
? ARTILLERY BATTALION (12 x 105/28 Howitzers)
204th MIXED ENGINEER BATTALION
    BATTALION HQ
    ENGINEER COMPANY
    SIGNALS COMPANY
 
The Division arrived at Taguria, Libya in October 1939. Invaded Egypt as part of 10th Army in September 1940. Covered the retreat of remnants of 10th Army back to Libya in December 1940 and was destroyed at Sidi Barrani while doing so!
 
CCNN units would not return to North Africa until 1943, when the 10th Voghera "M" Battalion would be transferred from Albania to Tunisia, and attached to first the 136th Giovani Fascisti, and then later the 16th Pistoia Division. For more information, see the separate articles on CCNN "M" Units, and the 136th Giovani Fascisti Division.
 

CCNN Units in the A.O.I.

Africa Orientale Italiana - Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea). In the theatre Divisions did not operate as such, instead they served only as administrative organizations. The Brigade (or Regiment/Legion) was the operational unit in the A.O.I., the bulk of the troops being Colonial units of Ethiopians, Somalis, and Eritreans. However several units of metropolitan (European) and Colonial (Settlers) Italian troops fought in this theatre (In the case of the CCNN the latter are marked with the d'Africa notation).
 
CCNN d'Africa Division
As previously mentioned a holding and Administrative unit - Its component units operated independently.
 
Cacciatori d'Africa Division
Again this unit did not operate as a fully integrated Division. It was a regular army formation. Black shirt formations attached to it:
 
10th CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    3rd CCNN BATTALION
    15th CCNN BATTALION
 
This Division's name was later resurrected for a short period in 1942 as the cover name for the Folgore Parachute Division during its deployment to North Africa.
 
65th Savoy Grenadier Division
Again a regular army formation with the following Black shirt attachments:
 
11th CCNN BATTALION
 
Various Independent Units
The following is a list units that operated independently in the A.O.I. (including units nominally under the command of the CCNN d'Africa Division):
 
11th CCNN LEGION:
    LEGION HQ
    1st CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
    2nd CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
    3rd CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
 
44th CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
 
150th CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
 
170th CCNN d'Africa BATTALION
 

CCNN units in Greece and Yugoslavia

 
CCNN Galbiati Raggruppamento
    RAGGRUPPAMENTO HQ
    8th Cacciatori delle Alpi CCNN BATTALION
    12th Monte Bianco CCNN BATTALION
    16th Alpina CCNN BATTALION
    29th Chinotti CCNN BATTALION
 
This formation served in the Greek campaign and was disbanded at its conclusion.
 
CCNN Diamanti Raggruppamento
RAGGRUPPAMENTO HQ
28th Randaccio CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    79th CCNN MG COMPANY
    11th Monteferato CCNN BATTALION
    28th Randaccio CCNN BATTALION
108th Stamira CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    108th CCNN MG COMPANY
    102nd Cacciatori di Tevere CCNN BATTALION
    108th Stamura CCNN BATTALION
115th Cimino CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    121st CCNN MG COMPANY
    115th Del Cimino CCNN BATTALION
    121st Coriolano CCNN BATTALION
136th TreMonti CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    130th CCNN MG COMPANY
    130th L'Acquila (or Monte Sirente) CCNN BATTALION
    136th TreMonti CCNN BATTALION
152nd Acciaiata CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    152nd CCNN MG COMPANY
    152nd Acciasta CCNN BATTALION
    155th Val Bradano CCNN BATTALION
 
This formation was assigned to the XVII Corps and operated in Yugoslavia. It was disbanded at the conclusion of the Greek & Yugoslavian Campaigns.
 
Zara Garrison
107th F. Rismondo CCNN COMPANY
 
CCNN Biscaccianti Raggruppamento
RAGGRUPPAMENTO HQ
80th Alessandro Farnese CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    80th CCNN MG COMPANY
    26th Alberto da Guissano CCNN BATTALION
    67th Volontari del Reno CCNN BATTALION
109th Corridoni CCNN LEGION
    LEGION HQ
    109th CCNN MG COMPANY
    109th Fillipo Corridoni CCNN BATTALION
    116th Sabina CCNN BATTALION
93rd Giglio Rosso CCNN BATTALION
 
This unit served in Yugoslavia in the Librazhd sector.
 
Later both The 10th Voghera and 29th Arona Battalions would serve in this theatre on anti partisan duties. They would later be joined by the Raggruppamento 21 April CCNN. For more information on all these units, see the separate article on CCNN "M" Battalions.

CCNN Units that operated actively in various theatres 1940-43

The following is a brief list of CCNN units that saw active service, and are not covered elsewhere in this article. It is not exhaustive, and further units are listed in the separate article on CCNN "M" Battalions (q.v.) as well.
 
5th CCNN Legion
    LEGION HQ
    5th Valle Scriva CCNN BATTALION
    34th Premadura CCNN BATTALION
 
15th CCNN Legion
    LEGION HQ
    14th Garibaldina CCNN BATTALION
    15th Leonessa CCNN BATTALION
 
30th CCNN Legion
    LEGION HQ
    6th Lomellina CCNN BATTALION
    30th Roberto Forni CCNN BATTALION
 
63rd CCNN Legion
    LEGION HQ
    63rd Tagliamento CCNN BATTALION
    79th Cispadana CCNN BATTALION
 
1st CCNN Marine Gruppo
    GRUPPO HQ
    42nd Berica CCNN MARINE BATTALION
    43rd Alpina Piave CCNN MARINE BATTALION
    50th Trevignana CCNN BATTALION
    60th Istria CCNN MARINE BATTALION
 
Miscellaneous Independent Battalions
 
38th V. Alfieri CCNN BATTALION
 
41st Cesare Battisti CCNN ALPINI BATTALION
 
85th Apuana CCNN BATTALION
 

CCNN integration with regular army units

In Italy Black shirt "Territorial Defence" (Home Guard) Battalions were also organized, and grouped into "Zone" Commands. Each of these corresponded to the area controlled by an Army Corps. Before mobilizing, these units were identified by number (Roman Numeral) and were referred to as Cohorts, their sub units being Centuries (Companies) and Maniples (Platoons). These units would be "mobilized" as required to form "Combat" legions.
 
Meanwhile in April 1940, Mussolini discovered that the Army had been resisting the integration of the Black shirts into their divisions. The Duce responded with a new programme to force the execution of his policy! Meanwhile in North Africa, the CCNN divisions had performed poorly, principally for the reasons mentioned previously (poor equipment and senior command), and this appears to have been used as an excuse by the Monarchists in the army to further resist Mussolini's instructions. In the A.O.I. however the CCNN units performed quite adequately, probably due to the lack of mechanization on both sides (it was a cross between modern warfare and the old colonial era), which proved that the basic quality of the troops was probably acceptable - providing they had reasonable equipment and leadership that was comparable to that of their opponents.
 
The following is a list of some of the regular army divisions that incorporated Black shirt units (including many who still had Legions present at the time of the armistice in September 1943):
 

• 14th Isonzo Infantry Division (98th CCNN Legion)
• 20th Fruili Infantry Division (88th CCNN Legion - later renamed 387th Infantry Regiment when the Division served on the Allied side after the armistice in 1943)
• 21st Sardinian Grenadier Infantry Division (55th CCNN Legion)
• 22nd Cacciatori delle Alpi Infantry Division (105th CCNN Legion)
• 26th Assietta Infantry Division (17th CCNN Legion)
• 28th Aosta Infantry Division (171st CCNN Legion)
• 31st Calabria Infantry Division (177th CCNN Legion - later renamed 359th Infantry Regiment when the Division served on the Allied side after the armistice in 1943)
• 44th Cremona Infantry Division (90th CCNN Legion - later renamed 321st Infantry Regiment when the Division served on the Allied side after the armistice in 1943)
• 47th Bari Infantry Division (152nd CCNN Legion - later renamed 340th Infantry Regiment when the Division served on the Allied side after the armistice in 1943)

 
Additionally, single Black shirt Battalions were motorized and incorporated into Motorized Bersaglieri and Infantry Regiments (these formations usually had 2 Rifle and 1 Support Battalion, so the CCNN Battalion increased their infantry strength quite significantly). The organization of these units varied slightly from the normal:
 
CCNN MOTORIZED BATTALION:
    BATTALION HQ PLATOON (Cars/Light Trucks)
    BATTALION RECON/SCOUT PLATOON (Motorcycles)
    3 RIFLE COMPANIES, each:
        COMPANY HQ PLATOON (Trucks)
        2 RIFLE PLATOONS (Trucks)
 
The exact manpower of these battalions varied - from 570 in a battalion attached to a Motorized Infantry Regiment, to 614 in a battalion attached to a Motorized or Bicycle Bersaglieri Regiment. Note the Rifle Companies in some cases had 3 Platoons.
 

The "Third" Infantry Regiment idea

Experience in the Greek Campaign in 1940 quickly showed the weakness of the Italian formations, exposing the error of adopting a "Binary" organization. Italy had, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, reorganized its Infantry Divisions to a new establishment of only 2 Regiments each (hence the "Binary" term). Effectively this allowed them to significantly increase the number of Divisions, but (in retrospect) at a cost in fighting power - it was clearly proved that Infantry Divisions of only 6 Battalions simply did not have enough resources, either on offence or defence. This became evident in Greece where as soon as a Division was heavily involved and had significant casualties it was forced to pull out of the line due to lack of manpower, it was further evident in 1941 in North Africa where during the 2nd Siege of Tobruk (1941) there were not enough troops to rotate units in and out of the front line.
 
This therefore indirectly supported Mussolini's call, and it began to be envisaged that the Black Shirt Legions would become the "third" Regiment of each Division. At this time, Mussolini still envisaged the CCNN Legions as Elite Shock troops who would spearhead the attack. The "third regiment" idea eventually failed, it was 1942 before the incorporation was completed, and the mobilization effort was inadequate. Black Shirt units generally failed to reach anywhere near their official establishments (not that many regular army units were any better), and although the Army eventually conceded (admitting it had no choice due to a desperate need for manpower) it was still obstinate and unenthusiastic about the system. Furthermore the separate division idea had been somewhat discredited by the results in North Africa - which was an unfair indictment of the troops that had fought in those divisions. Although in that case, everyone ignored the fact that the fault lay just as equally with the Army (who failed to supply adequate modern equipment) and Mussolini (who forced the campaign to begin despite such obvious shortcomings)!
 
By late in 1942 there had been 41 Legions incorporated into Army Divisions, despite the fact that many were well below strength. By this time, however CCNN battalions were being withdrawn from first line divisions just as quickly. Usually because their training and leadership was not up to a suitable standard, but also occasionally because of poor performance in actual combat situations. Some were caught in an "Italian Army Merry-Go-Round" and were ceaselessly transferred from one Division to another. Finally, some of the better battalions were given independent assignments as GHQ, Army, or Corps troops, to be attached to Army units as and when required.
 

The "M" Battalions

During all this confusion the better units were being built up into respectable combat groups. They were given the designation "M" alongside their names in the Army OOB to indicate their status; that they had received specialist assault and combat training, or had proven themselves in combat and had received a "battlefield promotion" to this status. The "M" may have stood for Mussolini, since the insignia was actually designed to match the Duce's handwriting (although it has been suggested by one author it stood for Morte - Death). For further reading on the "M" units see the separate article on this website.
 

Russia - CCNN units on the Eastern Front

In August 1941 the Gruppo Battaglioni Tagliamento CCNN arrived on the Eastern Front, followed by the Raggruppamento 23 March CCNN in February 1942, and the Raggruppamento 3 January CCNN (which incorporated the Tagliamento Gruppo) later in 1942. For more information on these units, see the separate article on CCNN "M" units. By early 1943, these units had all been destroyed during the Soviet Winter Offensive, the few survivors having returned to Italy.
 

Sicily - The last large scale use of CCNN units

When the Allies came to invade Sicily in 1943 CCNN units were a significant presence in the defending force. The following is a list of the CCNN units present:
 
Included in the 26th Assietta Division
    17th CCNN Legion, with:
        18th Constantissima CCNN Battalion
 
Detached from above division to the Campobello (or Licata) Group
    259th CCNN MG Company
    17th Cremona CCNN Battalion
 
Detached from 28th Aosta Division to the Alcamo-Partinico Group
    171st CCNN Legion, with:
        168th Ibla CCNN Battalion
        171st Vespri CCNN Battalion
 
Included in the 54th Napoli Division
    173rd CCNN Legion, with:
        (No troops)
 
Detached from the 54th Napoli Division to the Comiso-Ispica Group
    174th CCNN MG Company
    173rd Salso CCNN Battalion
 
Detached from the 54th Napoli Division to Mobile Group "G"
    169th Siracusae CCNN Battalion
 
Assigned to Reggio Calabria, Messina Naval Base
    95th CCNN Legion, with:
        94th Fedele CCNN Battalion
        95th Sante Ceccharini CCNN Battalion
 
Assigned to Pantelleria Island Garrison
    Elements of the 9th Milmart Legion, CCNN Coastal Artillery, with:
        1 Artillery Battalion
        1 AA Battalion
        1 AAMG Battalion
        20 AA/Anti Ship Batteries
 
Assigned to Lampedusa Island Garrison
    6th Milmart Independent Artillery Battalion (CCNN), with:
        6 x light AA/Anti Ship Batteries
 

Other Special Militias

The University Militia was primarily responsible for pre military training, and it was the main source of Junior Officers for Fascist units. A Legion of University Militia fought in Ethiopia, and many members of this Militia served in Spain.

The Anti-aircraft and Coast Defence Command was an HQ that controlled 2 militia organizations, the units would be assigned to local Military command and issued equipment from army stocks. This was one of the most powerful Fascist organizations, and although not of a very high (military) quality they still controlled a large quantity of weapons and equipment (The bulk of which was handed over to the Germans in September 1943). All males between 18 and 37 years of age who were unfit for normal military service were drafted into these 2 Militias.

The Anti-aircraft Artillery Militia was responsible primarily for the general AA defence of the country; they were a sort of second line force, equipped with antiquated and/or obsolete weapons (including the 75/27 and 75/46) lacking modern fire control. In mid 1943, attempts began to re-equip these units with a new generation of Italian AA weapons, including 37mm, 102mm, and 105mm weapons. Typically, each Legion would have 64 Guns and 32 HMG, divided into 2 battalions (each of 4 batteries). Total strength of this force was about 60,000 men.

The Coast Defence Militia staffed coastal batteries (other than those in port areas which were manned by the Navy). Strength unknown, but possibly around 20-30,000 men.

The Railway Militia primarily were responsible for railway security and provided guard detachments for trains and stations, however on occasions they also supplied personnel to operate the trains as well. Strength 30,000 men.

Forest Militia was responsible for logging and forestry, but also for protection of these resources (such as fighting forest fires). In Ethiopia and Greece, some specially trained Forest Militia units served as Combat Troops. Strength 5,000 men.

The Frontier Militia were used to assist the GaF (Frontier Guards) and the GdF (Finance Guards) in securing the borders, collecting customs and taxes, and so on. All members were mountaineers with a good knowledge of Italy's "wilder" frontiers. Strength was about 2,400 men.
 
Finally, there were 3 minor militias: Post and Telegraph, Roads, and the Ports Militia. The names pretty much describe the function, and all 3 combined contained less than 3,000 men.
 

Bibliography

I highly recommend Victor Madeja's "Italian Army Order of Battle" for anyone starting out on researching units of the Italian Army in WWII, while Rex Trye's book provides an excellent starting point for the Italians in general. Finally special thanks to Rex Trye (New Plymouth, New Zealand) and Arturo Lorioli (Rome, Italy) who have helped me with my Italian research and especially Arturo who has been a great source of information himself!