Hi Jeff,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,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
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
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.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
maybe the remnants of 55° art were sent back to Italy in 1941? To be reassembled? Did they have a role in subsequent events?
Jeff,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
but the last history of 55 art leaves me a little perplexed, that's why:
I don't know. All my sources track that the regiment was in Tobruk.Is this schizzo correct??):
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)
I have not addressed when and how the gruppi reached Tobruk.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!).
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.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!).
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
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.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 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.but I will have to investigate further, perhaps by going through the documents in the archive in Rome,
Jeff,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