The three Battaglione in 10th Reggimento bersaglieri at that point in time were all Motorcyclisti.
That would be six motorcycle companies totaling just over 600 men. Seems kind of small. Did I make a mistake?
The three Battaglione in 10th Reggimento bersaglieri at that point in time were all Motorcyclisti.
That would be six motorcycle companies totaling just over 600 men. Seems kind of small. Did I make a mistake?
First, thanks for the reply. I'm trying to determine what troops were landed in Libya in 1940 and the 10th Bersaglieri shows only as a regiment with no given organization. A bicyclist battalion was 450 men, correct? Would autoporto number differently?Yes. The regiment was never three btg. motociclisti. AFAIK, before the war the regiment was either 3 btg. biciclisti and 1 cp. motociclisti, or 2 btg. autoporto and 1 btg. motociclisti. Given Madej's information on the 10º rgt. bers. which I think is based on prewar data, I feel that the regiment was biciclisti.
All this doesn't matter as when the regiment was sent to A.S., it was 3 btg. autoporto.
Pista! Jeff
it was structured on three tank battalions of similar composition on three companies of bersaglieri
There has never been a mystery. The regiment had three btg. autoporto.I think the mystery is solved.![]()
All the rgt. bicicilsti had three btg. biciclisti and one cp. motociclisti, not a btg. motociclisti. Better check that source again.One source states of 12 Bersaglieri regiments, all had one motorcycle battalion.
I was unable to find a truck count presented by Graziani that indicated that the 10º lacked trucks. Source?Unfortunately it contradicts Graziani's truck count for December, which, if correct, the 10th had no trucks at all.
None of the 10º rgt. bersaglieri was at Derna. The only bersaglieri unit present was the 60ª cp. bersaglieri motociclisti which was a divisional motorcycle company and not part of the regiment (and it certainly did not have 500 men). See Infantrymen of the Air pp.89–91 for an extensive discussion of the Italian forces at Derna.The Australians mentioned 500 Bersaglieri at the airport battle outside Derna but no mention of them being trucked.
It is likely correct. With a troop capacity of 20 men, the 141 trucks could transport 2,820 men. The Aug 41 FdG gives a bersaglieri rgt of two btg. autoporto and 1 motociclisti a total of 140 autocarri leggeri. That regiment has significantly greater number of heavy weapons, but no medium or heavy trucks. The Fiat 626 was a medium truck.Your 1660 troops is in line with what I read in N.A. I agree 141 trucks of model 626 is probably not correct.
No, it means that one battalion was used as an advance guard. Standard operating procedure.XVI Battalion was leading the Beda Fomm column well ahead of the XXXIV and XXXV battalions which suggests a motorcycle battalion as does its casualties.