1936
Note) All Italian officers were under an alias while in Spain and this is followed in parentheses after their rank and name
M.M.I.S (Missione Militare Italiana in Spagna, Italian Military Mission in Spain)
Major-General Mario Roatta (alias comm. Colli, alias Generale Mancini), who was also chief of the S.I.M. (Servizio Informazioni Militari, Military Information Service). Chief of its staff was Lieutenant-Colonel Emilio Faldella (Ferrari) and, later on, other S.I.M. and C.S. (Contro Spionaggio, Counter-espionage) officers of various ranks were attached to it. The mission also had a Carabinieri Reali detachment under Colonel Balsamo (Del Balzo).
Raggruppamento Artiglieria Contraerei (Anti-aircraft Artillery Group) was formed in Italy for employment in Spain with Milizia artiglieria Contraerei (Anti-aircraft artillery Militia) volunteers from Rome, Milan, Bologna and Napoli. Its four batteries were named according to the towns they came from. The Raggruppamento consisted of two groups, under Colonel Conti and was equipped with 75/27 CK anti-aircraft guns on Ceirano trucks.
1937
I brigata mista (Mixta in Spanish; also referred to as brigata volontari); (CO colonel Mario Guassardo-alias Gusberti-)
-4o gruppo banderas (comm. Console Francesco Gidoni
I brigata volontari under Major-General (Brigadier-General?) Edmondo Rossi (comm. Gian Gualtiero Arnoldi).
5.o Gruppo banderas autonomo (comm. Console Enrico Francisi).
-Artillery (under Colonel Zanotti)
-Armoured forces.
--1a Compagnia (Captain Oreste Fortuna),
--2a Compagnia (Captain Paolo Paladini),
-Engineer Battalion (Major Recupero)
-II brigata mista ‘Frecce Nere/Flechas Negras’ (CO colonel Alessandro Piazzoni)
Battle of Malaga (5 to 8 February 1937 )
Operational command under Major-General Mario Roatta, subordinate to the Spanish general Queipo de Llano. C.C.N.N. Inspector was Console Generale Arconovaldo Bonnacorsi, Chief of Staff Colonel Emilio Faldella.
-1a Colonna ( Colonna di Destra, partially lorried colonel Carlo Rivolta):
-2a Compagnia carri ‘L’ (1.o Capitano Paolo Paladini)
-2a Colonna Colonna di Centro, lorried, Major-General Edmondo Rossi – alias Arnaldi)
-distaccamento della colona di Centro (Central Column detachment, under 1o Seniore Broggi):
-4a Colonna (in reserve, became lorried when it was employed, see below, Colonel Constantino Salvi – alias Antonio Ramaglio-):
-2o Gruppo Banderas (Colonel Salvi ) :
M.M.I.S. headquarters was at Iznajar and had in its disposal for Lines of Control duties 5o gruppo battaglioni CC.NN under Console Generale. Enrico Francisci.
I brigata volontari (formed at El Burgo de Osma, Major-General Amedeo Guido Coppi):
II brigata volontari (formed in the area of La Viss-Esteban, Major-General Luigi Nuvoloni ):
Battle of Guadalajara, CTV, 18 February
CO: general Mario Roatta
General Staff Chief (capo di stato maggiore): lieutenant-colonel Emilio Faldella
Operations and Intelligence Unit Chief (capo reparto operazioni e informazioni): lieutenant-colonel Giacomo Zanussi
Operations department Chief (capo ufficio operazioni): lieutenant-colonel Emilio Molteni Intelligence department Chief (capo ufficio informazioni): major Umberto Beer
Services department Chief (capo ufficio servizi): lieutenant-colonel Giorgio Morpurgo
1a divisione Dio lo vuole
CO: major-general Edmondo Rossi (Arnaldi) Second-in-Command: colonel Giovanni Bocchio Chief-of-Staff: lieutenant-colonel Roberto Nassi
1o gruppo banderas (C.O. lieutenant-colonel Aristide Frezz):
2o gruppo banderas (C.O. Colonel Costantino Salvi – Antonio Ramaglio -):
3o gruppo banderas (C.O. Colonel Mario Mazza) :
2a divisione ‘Fiamme Nere’
: major-general Guido Amerigo Coppi Chief-of-Staff: major Giuseppe Bodini
6o gruppo banderas (C.O. Console Mario Pittau):
7o gruppo banderas (C.O: Console Marino Marino):
8o gruppo banderas (C.O: Console Fausto Vandelli):
Two corps maneuver artillery groupings were available to the divisions destined to take part in the Guadalajara Offensive. All artillery was under general Ugo Zanotti:
1° Raggruppamento (Lieutenant-Colonel Benvenuto Pettinare):
2° Raggruppamento (??)
4o gruppo banderas (C.O. : console Franco Gidoni ) :
-524a bandera ‘Bufalo’ (1o Seniore Piero Bologna)
-535a bandera ‘Toro’ (1o Seniore Mario Bertoni)
-551a bandera ‘Bisonte’ (1o Seniore Fiorentini)
5o gruppo banderas (C.O. console Enrico Francisci):
-530a bandera ‘Implacabile (???)
-530a bis bandera ‘Lupo’ (Seniore Nello Brogi)
-538a bandera ‘Ardente’ (Seniore Spangaro)
3a divisione ‘Penne Nere’
CO: major-general Luigi Nuvoloni Chief-of-Staff: major Bruno Lucini
Adjutant to Chief-of-Staff: major Massimo Ivrea
9o gruppo banderas (C.O console Azeglio Bulgarelli):
10o gruppo banderas (C.O console Giovanni Martini).
11o gruppo banderas (C.O console Alberto Liuzzi):
Genio (general Michele Molinari):
Comando reparti specializzati (colonel Carlo Rivolta:
March 1937
4a divisione ‘Volontari del Littorio’
CO: major-general Annibale Bergonzoli Second-in-Command : colonel Gualtiero Gabutti
Chief-of-Staff : lieutenant-colonel Tullio Giannotti
1o reggimento fanteria ‘Onore non onori’ (C.O.: colonel Davide Pescarolo, at S. Maria de la Huerta):
2o reggimento fanteria ‘Osa l’inosabile’ (C.O. : colonel Ugo Sprega, then colonel Dante Ferrara, at Cetina ) :
Divisional machine-gun battalion (C.O. : major Antonio Luciano ) :
3° Reggimento Artiglieria ‘ Littorio ’ (C.O. : colonel Giuseppe Amico, at Montegudo ):
10o Reparto Lanciafiamme-Chimico (C.O.: Captain Re cav. Vittorio):
1.a Sezione Sanita (C.O.: Major Carlo Nanni):
Comando Reparti Specializzati (C.R.S., C.O.: Colonnel Carlo Rivolta, Adjutant Major: Major Camillo Autore) :
Raggruppamento carri d'assalto e autoblindo (C.O.: Major Lohengrin Giraud, Adjutant Major: Alberto de Alfaro, comando at Alcolea):
1.a compagnia carri d'assalto CV 33/35 (Captain Oreste Fortuna)
2.a compagnia carri (First Captain Paolo Paladini)
3.a compagnia carri (Captain Minduzzi)
Raggruppamento Artiglieria del Corpo d'Esercito (C.O.: General Ugo Zanotti) :
Raggruppamento del Genio (C.O.: General Michele Molinari) :
April 1937
Brigada Mixta ‘ Frecce Azzurre/Flechas Azules
C.O. : Major-General Mario Guassardo Chief-of-Staff : Major Bruno Lucini
1o Reggimento ‘ Frecce Azzurre/Flechas Azules ’ ( C.O. : Colonel Conti )
2o Reggimento ‘Frecce Azzurre/Flechas Azules’ ( C.O. : Colonel Carmineo )
Brigada Mixta ‘ Frecce Nere/Flechas Negras ’
C.O. : Major-General Sandro Piazzoni
Chief-of-Staff : Captain Goffredo Bocchini, then Lieutenant-Colonel Farina Comando Brigata : Staff Major Don Bartolome Barba
Capo Servizio di S.M. : Captain Bocchini ( functioning as Staff ) Veterinary Service
Liaison officer : Captain Don Alfonso Blanco Comando Quartier Generale : Captain Garcia
N.C.O.s at HQ : Lieutenants Martellotta and Orgera
1a Compagnia Guardias de Assalto ‘Frecce Nere/Flechas Negras’ ( C.O. : Captain Don Alfonso Blanco )
3o Reggimento Fanteria ‘Frecce Nere/Flechas Negras’ ( C.O. : Colonel Fiumara, some sources refer to it as 1o reggimento )
4o Reggimento Fanteria ‘Frecce Nere/Flechas Negras’( C.O. : Colonel Renzoni, some sources refer to it as 2o reggimento ) Its II Battaglione C.O. was Captain Silvani, then Captain Favaloro
General Ettore Bastico arrived on 1 April, to take command of the C.T.V. on 16 April, with Second-in-Command General Mario Betti and Chief-of-Staff Colonel Gastone Gamberta.
A Carabinieri reali group of officers, under Colonel Giuseppe Pieche, arrived, absorbing the units under Coilonel Ugo Luca.
Raggrupamento Reparti Specializzati ( R.S.S. ) :
-Comando carri d’assalto e autoblindo ( C.O. : Colonel Valentino Babini )
Comando Raggruppamento Artiglieria del C.T.V ( C.O. General Ettore Manca di Mores ) :
May 1937
C.T.V.,:
C.O. : Lieutenant-General Ettore Bastico ( Roisecco Doria ) Second-in-Command : Major-General Mario Betti
Chief-of-Staff : Colonel Gastone Gamberta
CCNN : Ispettore Generale : Console Generale Attilio Teruzzi Military Police Inspector : Colonel Giuseppe Pieche Commissariat : General Carlo Favagrossa
Divisione ‘Volontari del Littorio’
Co: Major-General Annibale Pescarolo Second-in-Command : Colonel Gualtiero Gabutti Chief-of-Staff : Colonel Gaetano Giannuzzi Second Chief-of-Staff : Major Pietro Barbarino Divisional Arditi Platoon
1o Reggimento Fanteria ( C.O. : Colonel Davide Pesacrolo ) :
2o Reggimento Fanteria ( C.O. : Colonel Dante Ferrara ).
Divisione ‘ Volontari Fiamme Nere ’
Co: Major-General Luigi Frusci
Second-in-Command : Colonel Carlo Rivolta, then Console Biscaccianti Chief-of-Staff : Major Giuseppe Bodini
7o Gruppo Banderas ( C.O. : Console Marino Marino ) :
8o Gruppo Banderas ( C.O. : Colonel Guasco ) :
-730a Bandera ‘ Impavida ’ ( C.O. : 1o Seniore82 Spallone )
-738a Bandera ‘ Ardita ’ ( C.O. : 1o Seniore Paladino )
-751a Bandera ‘ Temeraria ’ (???)
10o Gruppo Banderas ( C.O. : Console Giovanni Martini ) :
-824a Bandera ‘ Tembien ’ ( C.O. : 1o Seniore Del Grosso )
-835a Bandera ‘ Scire ’ ( C.O. : Seniore84 Luigi Falcone )
-535a Bandera ‘ Tempesta ’ ( C.O. : Seniore Spallone )
Ragggruppamento ‘ XXIII Marzo ’89 or ‘ Francisi ’ ( C.O. : Console Enrico Francisi, formed at the end of April / beginning of May 1937 ) :
Artiglieria del Raggruppamento ( C.O. : Colonel Carlo Brescani ) :
Raggruppamento Banderas ‘ IX Maggio ’92 ( C.O. : Lieutenant-Colonel Manildo, formed on 1 June 1937, it was a regimental-sized unit di formazione with two banderas C.C.N.N. not disbanded in April 1937 and not assigned to another formation):
June 1937
comando:
-CO general Ettore Bastico (alias generale Doria)
-General Staff chief colonel Gambara
divisione ‘Littorio’ (CO general Bergonzoli, second-in-command colonel Gabutti):
-1o reggimento fanteria (colonel Pescarolo):
-2o reggimento fanteria (colonel Sprega):
divisione ‘Fiamme Nere’ (CO general Frusci, second-in-command general Biscaccianti, staff chief major Bodini):
-7o gruppo banderas (console Marino):
-8o gruppo banderas (lieutenant-colonel Guasco):
-10ogruppo banderas (console Martini):
-2o battaglione mitraglieri (lieutenant-colonel Moggio)
-Divisional artillery (lieutenant-colonel Pettinari):
-1.a brigata mista ‘Frecce Azzurre’ (CO general Gusberti, staff chief major Lucini):
-1o reggimento (colonel Conti
-2o reggimento (colonel Carnimeo):
-2.a brigata mista ‘Frecce Nere’ (CO general Piazzoni, staff chief lieutenant-colonel Farina):
-3o reggimento (colonel Fiumara):
-4o reggimento (lieutenant-colonel Farina):
-raggruppamento autonomo ‘XXIII marzo’ (CO console generale Francisci, second-in- command lieutenant-colonel Roveda, staff chief major Sartori):
-4o gruppo banderas (colonel Bronzini):
-5o gruppo banderas (lieutenant-colonel Faldella):
-IV gruppo da 65/17 (major Bresciano; 6a,9a)
gruppo bandere CC.NN autonomo ‘IX maggio’ (CO lieutenant-colonel Manildo):
raggruppamento reparti specializzati (CO colonel Babini):
-battaglione carri d’assalto (temporary CO 1o capitano Paladini):
-Battaglione motomeccanizzato (major Autore):
Raggruppamento artiglieria CTV (CTV artillery CO general Manca, raggruppamento artiglieria lieutenant-colonel Signorelli):
comando del genio CTV (CO lieutenant-colonel Lastrucci):
Intendenza CTV ( CO general Favagrossa, second-in-command colonel Scaroina):
delegazione italiana press oil quartier generale di Franco (CO colonel Gelich) comando dell’aviazione legionaria (CO general Garda)
ufficio marina (captain Ferretti)
August 1937
C.T.V. operations against Santander starting from 12 August 1937 :
C.O. : General Ettore Bastico
Second-in-Command : Lieytenant-General Mario Berti Chief-of-Staff : Colonel Gastone Gambara
Military Police Inspector: Colonel Giuseppe Pieche Intendente Generale : General Carlo Favagrossa
Divisione ‘ Volontari XXIII Marzo ’ :
CO: Console Generale Enrico Francisi Second-in-Command : Colonel Emilio Battisti Adjutant Major : Seniore Piero Bologna
4o Reggimento Fanteria Legionaria (C.O.: Colonel Armando Bronzini, Second-in-Command : Seniore Piero Bologna ) :
5o Reggimento Fanteria Legionaria ( C.O. : Colonel Elio Faldella, then Colonel Giuseppe Conticelli, Adjutant Major : Seniore Aurelio Languaso ) :
Divisional artillery ( C.O. : Colonel Bresciani ) :
Raggruppamento Artiglieria C.T.V. ( C.O. : General Ettore Manca di Mores ) :
Raggruppamento Meccanizzato ( Celere ) :
: Colonel Valentino Babini
Adjutant Major : Major Raffaele Mariconda
-I Battaglione carri d’assalto ( C.O. : First Captain Paolo Paladini ) :
-1a Compagnia ( Lieutenant Cascio )
-2a Compagnia ( Lieutenant de Alfaro )
-II Battaglione carri d’assalto ( First Captain Michele Stella ) :
-3a compagnia ( Lieutenant Cascio )
-4a compagnia ( Lieutenant de Alfaro )
Raggruppamento Genio C.T.V. ( C.O. : Colonel Lastrucci ) :
divisione ‘ Flechas/Frecce ’
C.O. : Major-General Mario Roatta. At Saragoza
Chief-of-Staff : Major Edmondo Zavattari with Major Massimo Invrea
: Major-General Gusberti, then La Ferla Chief-of-Staff : Major Bruno Lucini
1o Reggimento Misto Fanteria Legionaria ‘Frecce Azzure/Flechas Azules ’ (C.O. Colonel Conti)
C.O. : Major-General Sandro Piazzoni
Chief-of-Staff : Lieutenant-colonel Farina ( replaced in October by Major Giuseppe Cordero di Montezemolo )
3º Reggimento Misto Fanteria Legionaria ‘ Flechas Negras ’ ( C.O. : Colonel Sprega, then Butti )
Raggruppamento Celere (also, or later, Raggrupamento carristi)
C.O. : Colonel Valentino Babini
Adjutant Major : Major Raffaele Mariconda
I Battaglione Carri d’Assalto ( C.O. : First Captain Paolo Paladini )
1a Compagnia ( Lieutenant Cascio )
2a Compagnia ( Lieutenant Alfonso de Alfaro )
II Battaglione Carri d’Assalto ( C.O. : First Captain Michele Stella )
3a Compagnia ( Lieutenant Rubino ) 4a Compagnia ( La Rosa )
C.T.V. Artillery ( General Ettore Manca di Mores)
Raggruppamento del Genio C.T.V. ( C.O. : Colonel Lastrucci, at Vitoria ) :
October 1937
Lieutenant-General Mario Betti assumed command of C.T.V., General Bastico was repatriated. Colonel Gastone Gambara became Chief-of-Staff.
November 1937
3o Reggimento di fanteria (lieutenant-colonel Olivetti) for divisione volontari ‘Littorio’:
-battaglione fucilieri ‘Carroccio’ (major Robotti)
-VII battaglione fucilieri ‘Folgore’ (captain Ferrari)
some sources mention 751o battaglione ‘ Temerario ’ – C.O. : Lieutenant-Colonel Fernando Oliveti
Divisione ‘ Frecce Nere/Fiamme Nere – XXIII Marzo ’
C.O. : Console Generale Luigi Frusci, later on Console Generale Enrico Francisi Second-in-Command : Colonel Emilio Battisti
Staff chief: Staff lieutenant-colonel D’Amico Staff officers: captains Morelii & Loy
4o Reggimento Fanteria Legionaria ( C.O. : lieutenant-colonel Armando Bronzini,
battaglione fucilieri ‘ Toro ’ (1º seniore Bertoni)
battaglione fucilieri ‘ Bufalo ’ (major Soccorsi)
battaglione fucileri ‘ Vampa ’ (1º seniore Busalacchi)
5º Reggimento Fanteria Legionaria ( C.O. : lieutenant-colonel Manildo, then colonel Giuseppe Ponticelli, then Seniore Aurelio Languasco )
7o Reggimento Fanteria Legionario (console Marino, ex-6o reggimento)
724º battaglione fucilieri ‘ Inflessibile ’ (seniore Di Puccio)
735º battaglione fucilieri ‘ Invincibile ’ (1º seniore Calzolari)
740º battaglione fucileri ‘ Implacabile ’ (1º seniore Pelazzi )
For now 1936/1937 will follow 1938/1939
All the best
maurizio