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55 artillery regiment Brescia division in Northafrica

Oasis

New Member
I am looking for any informations regarding the 55 rgt art 1939 to its dismission.
Thanks in advance
Toni
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Toni

Not much to tell. The regiment was formed on 25 August 1939 as the 55º Reggimento Artiglieria « Brescia » . Standard organization: I gruppo da 100/17, II e III gruppi da 75/27, and a btr. da 20mm, all motorized. In December 1940, it reinforced the d.f. « Sirte » as part of the Tobruk garrison. Disbanded after the surrender on 23 January 1941.

Pista! Jeff
 

Andreas

New Member
The Germans still have the regiment on paper, as located in Naples, in September 1941, with a composition of:
- Staff 55
- I and II Gruppo with 75mm guns
- III and IV Gruppo with 100mm howitzers (symbol used is that for German lFH18)

Each Gruppo consisting of staff and three batteries with four guns each.

All the best

Andreas
 

Oasis

New Member
Toni

Not much to tell. The regiment was formed on 25 August 1939 as the 55º Reggimento Artiglieria « Brescia » . Standard organization: I gruppo da 100/17, II e III gruppi da 75/27, and a btr. da 20mm, all motorized. In December 1940, it reinforced the d.f. « Sirte » as part of the Tobruk garrison. Disbanded after the surrender on 23 January 1941.

Pista! Jeff
Hi Jeff,

as far as I know, the reinforce of Sirte DF in Tobruk with 55° art was with Savona Df. artillery.

Brescia 55 art (as far as I know):
I Grp 100/17 was sent on 25 jul 1940 to Raggruppamento Artiglieria di Manovra and on 6 jan 1941 was on the line Berta-Derna and then destroyed (Tobruk? Beda Fomm?)
II-III Grps 75/27 in force with Brescia, on 6 jan 1941 were sent to Berta-Derna line; on 25-29 jan their survivors were present on the Derna-Mechili line, then withdraw through Barce and Bengasi to be surrounded and destroyed on 6 feb 1941.
27 cp 47/32 was at Sidi Daud (Tobruk) and 27 btr a.a. 20/65 in Tobruk too, both of them destroyed there.

But the sources are really scarce ... so I try to find more light...
 

Oasis

New Member
The Germans still have the regiment on paper, as located in Naples, in September 1941, with a composition of:
- Staff 55
- I and II Gruppo with 75mm guns
- III and IV Gruppo with 100mm howitzers (symbol used is that for German lFH18)

Each Gruppo consisting of staff and three batteries with four guns each.

All the best

Andreas
Andreas,

maybe the remnants of 55° art were sent back to Italy in 1941? To be reassembled? Did they have a role in subsequent events?

Ciao
Toni
 

Andreas

New Member
I'm not aware. The German OOB has issues, so isn't a 100% reliable source, but maybe worth starting a dig around that?

All the best

Andreas
 

Oasis

New Member
Toni

Not much to tell. The regiment was formed on 25 August 1939 as the 55º Reggimento Artiglieria « Brescia » . Standard organization: I gruppo da 100/17, II e III gruppi da 75/27, and a btr. da 20mm, all motorized. In December 1940, it reinforced the d.f. « Sirte » as part of the Tobruk garrison. Disbanded after the surrender on 23 January 1941.

Pista! Jeff

I'm not aware. The German OOB has issues, so isn't a 100% reliable source, but maybe worth starting a dig around that?

All the best

Andreas
really do not know where to dig more... about Brescia division so little has been written... I am writing now following my father's war diary about 1 Rgt Artiglieria Celere and Brescia division. It will take some more time.

Ciao

Toni
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Andreas

What are your sources?

Mine are:
Montanari - vol I p.285.
La Prima offensive britannica - p.179, pp.181-182, and schizzo 18 showing all three gruppi at Tobruk
L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol 2, tomo II p. 151.
L'Esercito e i suoi corpi - vol 3, tomo I p.118.

« Savona » artillery was the 12º regg. art. and none of my sources list that regiment at Tobruk- L'Esercito e i suoi corpi - vol 3, tomo I p.258

Toni

The 1 regg. art. celere replaced the 55º regg. art. in ‘« Brescia » after the latter was destroyed.

Pista! Jeff
 
Last edited:

Andreas

New Member
Panzergruppe files, February 1942 but almost certainly referring to a September 1941 (pre-CRUSADER) OOB. As noted, these files have issues, and information should be verified by another source.

All the best

Andreas
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Toni

maybe the remnants of 55° art were sent back to Italy in 1941? To be reassembled? Did they have a role in subsequent events?

AFAIK, the 55º regg. art. wasn't reformed. L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol 2, tomo II p. 151 states that it was disbanded. The depot of the regt. located in Vibo Valentia was disbanded in August 1944.

v/r Jeff
 

Oasis

New Member
Andreas

What are your sources?

Mine are:
Montanari - vol I p.285.
La Prima offensive britannica - p.179, pp.181-182, and schizzo 18 showing all three gruppi at Tobruk
L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol 2, tomo II p. 151.
L'Esercito e i suoi corpi - vol 3, tomo I p.118.

« Savona » artillery was the 12º regg. art. and none of my sources list that regiment at Tobruk- L'Esercito e i suoi corpi - vol 3, tomo I p.258

Toni

The 1 regg. art. celere replaced the 55º regg. art. in ‘« Brescia » after the latter was destroyed.

Pista! Jeff
Jeff,
you are correct mentioning your sources, but the last history of 55 art leaves me a little perplexed, that's why:

25 jul 1940:

I/55 12x100/17 is directly dependent from Supercomando, Raggruppamento Artiglieria di Manovra

Btrys XIX and XX armi accompagnamento sent to XXI CdA

27th coy 8x47/32 sent to Sidi Daud, XXXII sector, Tobruk

XXVII btry 20mm sent to 22° Rgpt Artiglieria, XXII CdA

Grps II-III/55 remain with Brescia

6 jan 1941:
Start siege of Tobruk, 7th arm div cuts Balbia west of Tobruk and controls the southern area: no real possibility for I-II-III/55 to reach the fortress

II-III/55 sent from Brescia to Berta-Derna sector

I/55 probably already present in Berta-Derna sector

12 jan 1941: Tobruk definitely encircled

15 jan 1941: recon 11th Hus near Mekili, Derna, Martuba

19 jan 1941:

4th arm div has the total control of Balbia until near Derna, 1 Hus controls Trigh Capuzzo

21-22 jan 1941:

Schizzo 18 reports folw groups in Tobruk (how did 55 art Brescia reach the fortress between 6 and 21 january?? Is this schizzo correct??):

1/55 western sect B with II/70

2/55 western sector A with I/70

3/55 eastern sector B with alq 31 sect cop GaF

A source (will find and cite it) reported the three groups received from Savona (maybe wrong the citation of Savona for 55 art or the nr 55)

23 jan 1941: British forces in front of the Derna-Mekili line.

I/55 destroyed on Berta-Derna line (or in Tobruk?)

27 coy 47/32 and XXVII btry 20mm destroyed in Tobruk

II-III/55 in defence Derna-Mechili line then withdraw through Barce and Bengasi, then rounded and destroyed on 6 feb in direction Beda Fomm
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Toni

but the last history of 55 art leaves me a little perplexed, that's why:

This is what makes studying Italian military history interesting.

What book/source is 'the last history' of the 55º regg. art.? L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 is the official history/lineage of Italian units.

Is this schizzo correct??):
I don't know. All my sources track that the regiment was in Tobruk.

A source (will find and cite it) reported the three groups received from Savona (maybe wrong the citation of Savona for 55 art or the nr 55)

Certainly possible. I have found similar errors in this volume. However those errors were identified using the same sources and some internal inconsistencies in La Prima offensive britannica. In this case, the other sources support the 55º being at Tobruk and La Prima offensive britannica is internally consistent. Montanari does list the 12º regg. art. at Beda Fomm (p.368). La Prima offensive britannica list two gruppi of the 12º with the brigata corazzata on 5 febbraio (p.255).

There is also this primary document. La Prima offensive britannica - pp.331-334, is the Relazione del Gen. Rostagno, già capo di S.M. del XXII corpo d'Armata 'Forze della piazza di Tobruch nei giorni 9 e 10 Dicembre 1940'. Listed in reinforcements are the II e III/55º gruppi da 75/27. (p.333)

I feel it is very likely that some have confused the 55º regg. art. with the 55º d.f. « Savona » and not correctly as part of the 27º d.f. « Brescia ».

Pista! Jeff
 

Oasis

New Member
Hi Jeff

your sources are unexceptionable, but as you teach me there are always shadows and inconsistencies between them too.

I have consulted most of those you mentioned, but none defines me with certainty when and how the three groups of 55 were able to reach Tobruk, which was surrounded on 6 January, when instead they should have been traveling on the Berta-Derna line (being II and III detached from Brescia on that date!).

According to Rostagno, on 9 and 10 December the groups II-III were in Tobruk (and I/55?), and this could be possible by denying the sources that give II-III with Brescia at least until 6 January - and later in retreat from the Berta line and then destroyed in Beda Fomm ( they could have left Tobruk only before January 6th!).

There is also little mention of group I, this too sent to Berta and then destroyed.

Unfortunately my father's war diary (7 btry 20mm 1 rgt Articelere) starts in February 1941 and is not useful to me for the previous period.

Of course I thank you (!) for your valuable informations, but I will have to investigate further, perhaps by going through the documents in the archive in Rome, but naturally any further contributions will be welcome.

Toni
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Toni

I have consulted most of those you mentioned, but none defines me with certainty when and how the three groups of 55 were able to reach Tobruk, which was surrounded on 6 January, when instead they should have been traveling on the Berta-Derna line (being II and III detached from Brescia on that date!).
I have not addressed when and how the gruppi reached Tobruk.

According to Rostagno, on 9 and 10 December the groups II-III were in Tobruk (and I/55?), and this could be possible by denying the sources that give II-III with Brescia at least until 6 January - and later in retreat from the Berta line and then destroyed in Beda Fomm ( they could have left Tobruk only before January 6th!).
You still haven't told me which sources you are using. What sources are in conflict to Rostagno's document? I can't believe that you have a primary source that contradicts Rostagno. If you do, please offer it here. Its was that man's job to know what forces were inside the fortress. At this point I would recommend you challenge your sources.

All I know is this. All the accounts written by the USSME state that the regiment was inside Tobruk when the fortress surrendered. We now have a primary source that the II and III gruppi were in Tobruk on 10 December. I don't know how or when they got they got there, but they were there. How or when the I gruppo arrived in Tobruk, I don't know. It appears it didn't arrive until after 10 December.

If you don't have a primary source that challenges Rostagno, then your other sources are wrong. If they are second hand sources, the confusion between the 12º and the 55º is a possible reason for the error. Check your sources for the movement of the 12º.

25 jul 1940:

I/55 12x100/17 is directly dependent from Supercomando, Raggruppamento Artiglieria di Manovra

Btrys XIX and XX armi accompagnamento sent to XXI CdA

27th coy 8x47/32 sent to Sidi Daud, XXXII sector, Tobruk

XXVII btry 20mm sent to 22° Rgpt Artiglieria, XXII CdA

Grps II-III/55 remain with Brescia

This is likely correct.

6 jan 1941:
Start siege of Tobruk, 7th arm div cuts Balbia west of Tobruk and controls the southern area: no real possibility for I-II-III/55 to reach the fortress

II-III/55 sent from Brescia to Berta-Derna sector

I/55 probably already present in Berta-Derna sector
I have issues with this. Brescia itself as still in the Tripoli area. Bits and pieces have been detached to reinforce units in the Cirenica but they were still way short of the Derna-Mechili line. Savona's artillery was with the brigata corazzata on the Derna-Mechili line on 6 January (La Prima offensive britannica pp.155-156). None of my sources place the 55º at Beda Fomm, but do place the 12º there. I feel your sources are mixing the two regiments.

So what are your sources?

but I will have to investigate further, perhaps by going through the documents in the archive in Rome,
I certainly agree that is the best thing to do. If you go and have some extra time, can I ask you to look up some documents? I am planning to go to the archives in April of next year but always am looking for more.

BTW do you have a copy of Lombardi book on the Brescia? I have a scanned copy if you need it.

Pista! Jeff
 

Oasis

New Member
Toni


I have not addressed when and how the gruppi reached Tobruk.


You still haven't told me which sources you are using. What sources are in conflict to Rostagno's document? I can't believe that you have a primary source that contradicts Rostagno. If you do, please offer it here. Its was that man's job to know what forces were inside the fortress. At this point I would recommend you challenge your sources.

All I know is this. All the accounts written by the USSME state that the regiment was inside Tobruk when the fortress surrendered. We now have a primary source that the II and III gruppi were in Tobruk on 10 December. I don't know how or when they got they got there, but they were there. How or when the I gruppo arrived in Tobruk, I don't know. It appears it didn't arrive until after 10 December.

If you don't have a primary source that challenges Rostagno, then your other sources are wrong. If they are second hand sources, the confusion between the 12º and the 55º is a possible reason for the error. Check your sources for the movement of the 12º.



This is likely correct.


I have issues with this. Brescia itself as still in the Tripoli area. Bits and pieces have been detached to reinforce units in the Cirenica but they were still way short of the Derna-Mechili line. Savona's artillery was with the brigata corazzata on the Derna-Mechili line on 6 January (La Prima offensive britannica pp.155-156). None of my sources place the 55º at Beda Fomm, but do place the 12º there. I feel your sources are mixing the two regiments.

So what are your sources?


I certainly agree that is the best thing to do. If you go and have some extra time, can I ask you to look up some documents? I am planning to go to the archives in April of next year but always am looking for more.

BTW do you have a copy of Lombardi book on the Brescia? I have a scanned copy if you need it.

Pista! Jeff
Jeff,

in my flood of papers I'm no longer finding the references to the sources you ask me for. I hope to recover them for you to have.

The notes I am trying to compose on the 55th artillery have many shadow sides and surely your and Andreas informations, substantiated by precise sources, should be the correct ones.

The reference to the detachment of groups II-III from Brescia on January 6 is certainly to be understood as an information on that date of a detachment that took place earlier, certainly in December, which would have so allowed the groups to reach the stronghold of Tobruk.

Group I was probably already in Tobruk, and not on the way to Berta.
Regarding Beda Fomm, your reference to 12 art must be the right one: in fact in my sources (at the moment ghost) they must have mistakenly considered 12 art as 55.

Certainly if I manage to go to Rome before next April I will inform you.

Regarding Lombardi's books, about “La Divisione “Brescia” – da El Agheila a El Alamein gennaio-luglio 1942, De Franco, Reggio Calabria ?1961?" I have a photocopy of it. Have you also read his 1965 book "Pipe e soldati, Cuneo 1965"? Very little has been written about Brescia and 1 Articelere regiment in particular ("Bu-Ngem" by Ten Genovesi, a fellow soldier of my father and the diary of Lt Pistoja, manuscript only, another fellow of my father): I am trying to gather all possible data to put the stories of both units online (a few years ago in Rome I photographed about 600 documents about them which are of enormous help to me and which show how certain sources considered very reliable are sometimes not so exact).

Ciao
Toni
 

Oasis

New Member
I found some of my sources with regard to 55° art.:

"on 16 june 1940 is transfered from 5a to 10a Armata the 55° Rgt art Savona"
cited in M. Montanari, Le Operazioni in A.S., vol. I Sidi el Barrani, parte prima Roma 1990 (two citations on page 67 and one in note 24 p. 159).

With regard to I/55 Brescia (detached to Supercomando) it results destroyed on 23 jan in force to the Raggruppamento di Manovra (I suppose south of Tobruk or onto Berta-Derna front ?).

II-III/55 Brescia sent on 23 january to Derna-Mechili line, retreat to Marje and Bengasi on 25-29 january and then are encircled and destroyed north of Agedabia. (https://www.no-regime.com/ru-it/wiki/27th_Infantry_Division_"Brescia").
 
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