• Get Paid to Write for Comando Supremo: We are looking for talented researchers/writers who are fluent in English and can write original content on Italy in World War Two. Please reach out to webmaster@comandosupremo.com if interested!

OOB for Battle of Keren

Webmaster

Administrator
Staff member
I'm looking for a comprehensive OOB for the Battle of Keren for both Italian and Commonwealth forces. Rather than cutting and pasting from Wikipedia, can some of you help build this OOB and include the source?
 
Here a OOB of Cheren Battle (italian OOB for day 9/2/1941)

Piazza di Cheren HQ
-Becana-Zelale-Falestoh Sector:
--2.a Brigata Coloniale
--- 4.o Battaglione coloniale
--- 9.o Battaglione coloniale
--- 10.o Battaglione coloniale
--- 151.o Battaglione coloniale
--1.o Battaglione Granatieri di Savoia (11.o Reggimento Granatieri di Savoia)
--a 65/17 battery
-Dologorodoc-Sanchil Sector:
--2.o battaglione Granatieri di Savoia (11.o Reggimento Granatieri di Savoia),
--3.o battaglione bersaglieri (less a coy)
-- Battaglione “Tipo” Eritreo
--104.o Gruppo Artiglieria da 77/28
--10.a Batteria da 65/17
--a 47/32 battery
-Roccione Forcuto - Monte Amba Sector
--5.o battaglione coloniale
--56.o battaglione coloniale
--58.o battaglione coloniale
--97.o battaglione coloniale
--106.o battaglione coloniale
--2.o Gruppo artiglieria coloniale da 65/17
-Colle Aful-Passo Dobac Sector:
--2.o Gruppo Cavalleria Coloniale (less a squadron)
-Nord-Anseba Sector:
--a coy of bersaglieri (3.o battaglione bersaglieri)
--a squadron of colonial cavalry (of 2.o gruppo squadroni)
-Reserve:
--3.o Gruppo Squadroni di cavalleria coloniale
--Alpine battalion “Uork Amba” (10.o Reggimento Granatieri di Savoia)
--1.a compagnia genio
--106.o gruppo artiglieria autoportato (piana Hogareh area)
--1.o Raggruppamento PAI
--11.a Brigata coloniale (less 56.o battaglione coloniale)
--5.a Brigata coloniale (only HQ and a gruppo artiglieria)
--15.o Gruppo Squadroni di cavalleria (detached)

ROVIGHI , A. : LE OPERAZIONI IN AFRICA ORIENTALE (GIUGNO 1940- NOVEMBRE 1941) - VOLUME 1° - NARRAZIONE . Uff:Storico SME , 1988 .
ROVIGHI , A. : LE OPERAZIONI IN AFRICA ORIENTALE (GIUGNO 1940- NOVEMBRE 1941) - VOLUME 2° - NARRAZIONE . Uff:Storico SME , 1988 .
ARMELLINI,Q.:Diario di Guerra-GARZANTI-Milano 1946
BRUTTINI-PUGLISI:L’IMPERO TRADITO-La Fenice-Firenze 1957
ROCCO F-Settore Nord-Cheren-Roma 1950
LOFFREDO R.-Cheren_Longanesi-Milano 1973
CARNIMEO N-Cheren-Casella-Napoli 1950
CALISTI G.-Il Servizio di Commissariato e la battaglia di Cheren-Roma-1966
SME-La guerra in AOI-Roma 1950
Cartella 83-Studi particolari SME- sottocartella 14. - Dislocazione dei Comandi, Reparti, Servizi dell'1.6.'36 all'1.4.'40 (I e II vol.) "pubblicazione Ufficio Storico. Roma

All the best
maurizio







 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Excellent Maurizio! You have access to better sources than I. I was using the three phases in the official to organize the data. However in the first phase (2-13 February), Italian reinforcements were arriving during the entire 12 days. As you have indicated, each day has it own OB.

Two comments.

My copy of La guerra in AOI is dated 1952. It doesn't state it is a ristampa. is this the same book?

Schizzo 16 shows a mortar company in the Becana-Zelale-Falestoh Sector. This is likely the company from the granatieri.

My OB for 7 Feb. It is not organized by sector. Source is La guerra in AOI Roma 1952

1st Phase (7 February)

11º reggimento « Granatieri di Savoia»
I btg «Granatieri»
II btg «Granatieri»
III btg bersaglieri
cp mortai da 81

II brigata coloniale
IV btg. coloniale
X btg. coloniale

V brigata coloniale
LXIII btg. coloniale
XCVII btg. coloniale
CVI btg. coloniale
btg. tipo coloniale eritrei «Toselli»`

XI brigata coloniale
LI btg coloniale
LII btg coloniale
LVI btg coloniale
LXII btg coloniale

III gruppo squadroni cavalleria coloniale
IV gruppo di cavalleria coloniale (Not sure of this. it could be the II gruppo cavalleria coloniale)

CIV gruppo artiglieria da 77/28
2 btr. 65/17
10º btr. 65/17
Cp. 47/32

Cp genio

Jeff
 
Last edited:

Webmaster

Administrator
Staff member
This is what I posted for the article. It's also not organized by sector. I wonder how complicated it would be to incorporate sectors and the periodic reinforcements into one OOB. A lot of the info came from
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordre_de_bataille_des_troupes_italiennes_à_la_bataille_de_Keren, but also from USACAC.army.mil. How accurate does this look to you all?

Italian Forces at Battle of Keren
General Nicolangelo Carnimeo

1 to 6 February 1941
11º Reggimento Granatieri di Savoia [Colonnello Corso Corsi]
– I Battaglione Granatieri
– II Battaglione Granatieri
– III Battaglione Bersaglieri
– 1 Mortar Company, 81mm

XI Colonial Brigade [Colonnello Francesco Prina]
– LI Colonial Battalion
– LII Colonial Battalion
– LVI Colonial Battalion
– LXIII Colonial Battalion

III Colonial Cavalry Squadron Group – Removed and re-inserted during the second battle phase.

XVth Colonial Cavalry Squadron Group – Removed and re-inserted during the second battle phase.

104th/CIV National Artillery Group 77/28

106th/CVI National Artillery Group (5th Brigade)

II Colonial Artillery Group 65/17

V Colonial Artillery Group 65/17

1st Battery Position A

3rd Battery Position 75/15

1st Engineering Company

Italian Reinforcements Added
7 to 13 February 1941
Alpini Battalion “Uork Amba” [Lieutenant Colonel Luigi Peluselli] of the 10th Regiment Granatieri di Savoia

II Colonial Brigade [Brigadier General Orlando Lorenzini]
– IV Battalion
– V Battalion
– IX Battalion
– X Battalion
– 151st/CLI Battalion

V Colonial Brigade [Colonel Ferdinando Oliveti]
– 97th/XCVII Battalion
– 106th/CVI Battalion
– “Tipo” Battalion

II Colonial Cavalry Squadron

I Battalion/60th National Field Artillery Regiment 65/17

XXXVI National Artillery Battalion 105/28

102nd/CII National Artillery Battalion – One Battery 77/28 from Amara

1 AT Battery 47/32 from Amara

1 AA Battery 20 mm from Amara

VI Colonial Artillery Group – with two batteries of the respective Colonial Brigade

XI Colonial Artillery Group – with two batteries of the respective Colonial Brigade

XII Colonial Artillery Group – with two batteries of the respective Colonial Brigade

14 February to 14 March 1941
11th/XI Blackshirt Legion [Consul Ugo Gresele] – Two Battalions

44th/XLIV Blackshirt Battalion

1 MG Battalion from 10th Regiment Granatieri di Savoia arriving from Metemma, Amara

3rd Royal Rifle Company Training

VI Colonial Brigade [Colonel Livio Bonelli] from Amara
– 19th/XIX Battalion
– 24th/XXIV Battalion
– 31st/XXXI Battalion
– 34th/XXXIV battalions

XII Colonial Brigade [Colonel Federico Rocco]
– 36th/XXXVI Battalion
– 41st/XLI Battalion
– 43rd/XLIII Battalion
– 103rd/CIII battalions

IV National Artillery Group 100/17 from Amara

CIII National Artillery Group 77/28 from Amara

XXII National AA Artillery Group 75/46 with two batteries

15 to 27 March 1941
150th/CL Blackshirt Battalion

170th/CLXX Blackshirt Battalion

41st/XLI Colonial Brigade [Lieutenant-Colonel Tito Badi]
– UNK Battalion
– 131st/CXXXI Battalion
– 132nd/CXXXII Battalion

61st/LXI Colonial Brigade [Lieutenant-Colonel Mario Giordano]
– UNK Battalion
– 57th/LVII Battalion

XVI Colonial Brigade [Colonel Manlio Vanetti]
-22nd/XXII Battalion of the 8th Colonial Brigade
– 33rd/XXXIII Battalion of the 8th Colonial Brigade
– 35th/XXXV Battalion of the 8th Colonial Brigade
 
Top