Fate of Italian armour leaders 1940-41
- Thread starter Ptolemy59
- Start date
Welcome to the forum.
Hummm, not an easy task. I would need to see if I or others can identify the battalion commanders. They are not normally named or are those details usually provided. It is highly likely that all were captured or killed given the nature of the fighting.
Valentino Babini. A quick look at the books I have don't provide any details of his capture. Several indicate that he was captured with generale Bergonzoli, but it is unclear what it means. I can't determine whether they mean he was with Bergonzoli and both were captured together, or that they were both captured/surrendered at Beda Fomm on 7 Feb. but not necessarily together. Given that Bergonzoli was directing the battle, it is possible they were together at the end. But that is a SWAG.
The capturing unit is likely the Rifle Brigade. Any comments about capturing prisoners refers to that unit, but that is still uncertain.
Pista! Jeff
Hummm, not an easy task. I would need to see if I or others can identify the battalion commanders. They are not normally named or are those details usually provided. It is highly likely that all were captured or killed given the nature of the fighting.
Valentino Babini. A quick look at the books I have don't provide any details of his capture. Several indicate that he was captured with generale Bergonzoli, but it is unclear what it means. I can't determine whether they mean he was with Bergonzoli and both were captured together, or that they were both captured/surrendered at Beda Fomm on 7 Feb. but not necessarily together. Given that Bergonzoli was directing the battle, it is possible they were together at the end. But that is a SWAG.
The capturing unit is likely the Rifle Brigade. Any comments about capturing prisoners refers to that unit, but that is still uncertain.
Pista! Jeff
Ptolemy59
New Member
So the info I have (much of it supplied in previous postings by yourself) is:
I Btgl. Carri M Maggiore Victor Ceva
II Btgl. Carri M Maggiore Eugenio Campanile
III Btgl. Carri M Tenente Colonnello Carlo Ghioldi
V Btgl. Carri M Tenente Colonnello Emilio Iezzi
VI Btgl. Carri M ????
One thing I'm trying to get a handle on is how many of the Italian armoured leaders were killed at Beda Fomm (or earlier), captured or escaped.
Appreciate any insight you might have. I primarily research German armoured units, so this is my first foray into Italian tank units
I Btgl. Carri M Maggiore Victor Ceva
II Btgl. Carri M Maggiore Eugenio Campanile
III Btgl. Carri M Tenente Colonnello Carlo Ghioldi
V Btgl. Carri M Tenente Colonnello Emilio Iezzi
VI Btgl. Carri M ????
One thing I'm trying to get a handle on is how many of the Italian armoured leaders were killed at Beda Fomm (or earlier), captured or escaped.
Appreciate any insight you might have. I primarily research German armoured units, so this is my first foray into Italian tank units
Well I hadn't realized that I have posted that info. I am sure it was totally accidental as those posts were mean to highlight other information. 
I did a quick check of those individual on the net. No luck in finding any additional information. Several of them earned valor awards. IIRC, there is a website where one can look-up the citations of Italian awards. It might provide some additional information. I thought I had bookmarked the site, but I can't find it. Something I will keep trying to find.
I did a quick check of those individual on the net. No luck in finding any additional information. Several of them earned valor awards. IIRC, there is a website where one can look-up the citations of Italian awards. It might provide some additional information. I thought I had bookmarked the site, but I can't find it. Something I will keep trying to find.
Ptolemy59
New Member
Thanks, found a helpful list of valor awards for Italian tankers at www.assocarri.it, which I assume is the association of Italian tankers. According to the large PDF there, on awards, Capitano Giuseppe Sciacchitano (XXI Btgl Carri M) was KIA at Beda Fomm and Iezzi was wounded. All battalion commanders in 1940 received awards for valor, except Ornano and Campanile.
M.B.V.M.
CAMPANILE Eugenio, di Enrico e di Forti Adele, da Napoli, maggiore, 4° reggimento fanteria carristi; II battaglione carri M 11/39. Comandante di un battaglione carri, impiegato in aspro e vittorioso combattimento contro preponderanti forze blindo-corazzate, con alto spirito combattivo spronava con l’esempio i combattenti, contribuendo efficacemente a respingere il nemico ed a raggiungere gli obbiettivi prefissi. Alam el Quatrani (Africa Settentrionale), 5 novembre 1940.
CAMPANILE Eugenio, di Enrico e di Forti Adele, da Napoli, maggiore, 4° reggimento fanteria carristi; II battaglione carri M 11/39. Comandante di un battaglione carri, impiegato in aspro e vittorioso combattimento contro preponderanti forze blindo-corazzate, con alto spirito combattivo spronava con l’esempio i combattenti, contribuendo efficacemente a respingere il nemico ed a raggiungere gli obbiettivi prefissi. Alam el Quatrani (Africa Settentrionale), 5 novembre 1940.
I was informed during a discussion in a different thread that I had not fully assisted Plotemy59 with his query. It is now almost nearly two years later, so the information is no longer of use to him. However it might be of value to other researchers.
I have no evidence that the individual captured by the 11th Hussars on 7 Feb was the commander of the LX btg. carri. L. In fact, I didn’t have the name of the commander at the time the question was asked.
I don’t believe I had yet acquired my set of L’Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 when this thread was created. The earlier and never completed L’esercito e i suoi corpi didn’t list all the inactive units. The newer set does list those units and for the LX btg. carri L two commanders are named; Cap. Ennio Pastella and ten. col. Alberto de Matera (vol. 2, tomo I, pp.531–532). Googling those names, the search turned up Cap. f (cr) Ennio Pasella as the commander with date of 15-5-l940 – 5-1-1941. (https://www.assocarri.it/old/Unita_carriste/Btg_60_fascicolo_1978.pdf ). I assumed that di Matera briefly commanded the battalion at the end (6-1-1941 to 7-2-1941).
A brief history of the battalion at the same site states that Pasella was in command until the end. (https://www.assocarri.it/old/Unita_carriste/Btg_60_Situazione_1987.pdf)
Searches using di Matera’s name didn’t uncover any additional information.
Who was the commander of the battaglione on 7 February 41? I am still unsure. Assuming that L’Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 is correct, it is possible that de Matera had been assigned to command but had yet to physically joined the battalion. That would have left Pasella in effective command during the battle of Beda Fomm.
This is plausible as the War Diary of the 11th Hussar's states that the captured Italian officer was a colonel. This means the officer was not capitano Pasella. It is possible that di Matera had arrived in A.S. sometime after he was appointed as commander. Moving forward, he was in El Aghelia sometime around 5-7 Feb and might have expected the battalion to arrive and would take command at that time. Blocked by Combeforce, the battaglione never reached that town and de Matera was captured. This is only a supposition.
Pista! Jeff
I have no evidence that the individual captured by the 11th Hussars on 7 Feb was the commander of the LX btg. carri. L. In fact, I didn’t have the name of the commander at the time the question was asked.
I don’t believe I had yet acquired my set of L’Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 when this thread was created. The earlier and never completed L’esercito e i suoi corpi didn’t list all the inactive units. The newer set does list those units and for the LX btg. carri L two commanders are named; Cap. Ennio Pastella and ten. col. Alberto de Matera (vol. 2, tomo I, pp.531–532). Googling those names, the search turned up Cap. f (cr) Ennio Pasella as the commander with date of 15-5-l940 – 5-1-1941. (https://www.assocarri.it/old/Unita_carriste/Btg_60_fascicolo_1978.pdf ). I assumed that di Matera briefly commanded the battalion at the end (6-1-1941 to 7-2-1941).
A brief history of the battalion at the same site states that Pasella was in command until the end. (https://www.assocarri.it/old/Unita_carriste/Btg_60_Situazione_1987.pdf)
Searches using di Matera’s name didn’t uncover any additional information.
Who was the commander of the battaglione on 7 February 41? I am still unsure. Assuming that L’Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 is correct, it is possible that de Matera had been assigned to command but had yet to physically joined the battalion. That would have left Pasella in effective command during the battle of Beda Fomm.
This is plausible as the War Diary of the 11th Hussar's states that the captured Italian officer was a colonel. This means the officer was not capitano Pasella. It is possible that di Matera had arrived in A.S. sometime after he was appointed as commander. Moving forward, he was in El Aghelia sometime around 5-7 Feb and might have expected the battalion to arrive and would take command at that time. Blocked by Combeforce, the battaglione never reached that town and de Matera was captured. This is only a supposition.
Pista! Jeff
Francoquarter
New Member
Alberto de Matera is mentioned in "Il Sahara italiano nella seconda guerra mondiale" pg 368, is a directive of the Sahara HQ he was "Capo di Stato Maggiore" the 29th october 1942
Francoquarter
I am impressed you found that mention. Assuming it is the same individual (which is quite likely), it isn't the colonel captured by the British. Back to the drawing board.
The diary specifically states:
Assuming the rank and the type of unit are correct, I thought this possibly could be either Colonnello Pietro Aresca or Colonnello Antonio Trivioli. Checking what I could, Trivioli was killed on 3 Feb at Maraua and Aresca was captured at Tobruk. Are there any other colonels that were with the army at Beda Fomm?
Pista! Jeff
I am impressed you found that mention. Assuming it is the same individual (which is quite likely), it isn't the colonel captured by the British. Back to the drawing board.
The diary specifically states:
Assuming the rank and the type of unit are correct, I thought this possibly could be either Colonnello Pietro Aresca or Colonnello Antonio Trivioli. Checking what I could, Trivioli was killed on 3 Feb at Maraua and Aresca was captured at Tobruk. Are there any other colonels that were with the army at Beda Fomm?
Pista! Jeff