132nd Sezione Sanità

[132sanita]

I am looking for any information on the 132nd Sezione Sanità. My grandfather was a pharmacist within the section and was captured near Gambut December 7th 1941 according to his Stato di Servizio. I have a few photos of his at the Caserma Vittorio Veneto, Florence in 1939 prior to being assigned to the Ariete Division, photos on maneuvers in 1940 and then in Libya up to October 1941.
Would anyone have any breakdown of how the section was organized in Dec 1941 or some information related to capture of Medical personal on that date in a war diary? (Either Axis or Allied) I only have access to online information so it is very difficult to access info in archives in Italy or UK.

 

[jwsleser]

Benvenuto to the forum.

As you have indicated, the 132ª sezione sanità was part of the divisione corazzato «Ariete». Looking at the situation on 7 Dec, Gambut was quite a distance from where the «Ariete» was operating. «Ariete» on 7 Dec was just north of Bir el Gobi. During Crusader, the «Ariete» never operated directly east of Tobruk. So I am puzzled why part of the 132ª sezione sanità would be in that area. That being said, anything can happen in the desert.

Andreas, a member here, does have «Ariete's » war diary. Hopefully he will offer anything the diary offers. The official history doesn't indicate any part of the division being overrun or captured on or near that date.

If you wish, I know the members here would be interested in your nonno's service. If you are wiling to share, please start a thread in the Men and Women of World War 2. I would certainly enjoy reading about for nonno's service.

 

[132sanita]

Hi Jeff;

Thank-you for your reply. The ariete division, although based at Bir el Gobi and El Adem was send all over the western desert following Rommel's orders in attempts to free up the garrisons on the frontier. The second document in this link states that the Sezione Sanita had multiple "reparti" and only one stayed behind at Bir el Gobi (the only one that was not captured during Crusader). The others, (we don't know how many there were) probably followed the armed regiments. It seems likely that in the last order to move back to Bir el Gobi for the 2nd battle, the Sezione Sanita got left behind somewhere East of El Adem, (still a ways off from Gambut). It would be great to find out about these "reparti" and where they were.
http://www.qattara.it/Documents/132° ariete.pdf

I am glad that this forum and website are back up and running. I've tried to join for over a year now. I will surely add a new post about his service and subsequent years as a POW, (what I know) and a few pics. My avatar (although hard to see) is actually the stamp of the 132a Sezione Sanità per Divisione Corazzata "Ariete" which was on the back of a few photos.