Organization of the infantry

[jwsleser]

Yes, I have that manual (see my sources above). Note the it is in line with the 1934-36 decision to move the squad as a single element.

 

[sultanbev]

"
Squadra esploratori (reconnaissance squad) - 13 men
Comandante di squadra
Vice comandante di squadra
11 esploratori

Plotone esploratori - 28 men
Comandante
Attendente
Three squadra esploratori "

The maths don't add up there - if it is 3 squads each of 13 men then the platoon should be 3x 13 + 2 = 41 men, but yours shows 28 men.
Was it two squads to the platoon?

Mark

 

[jwsleser]

I will need to check. Either it is two squadre or bad math on my part

 

[Eugen Pinak]

"
Squadra esploratori (reconnaissance squad) - 13 men
Comandante di squadra
Vice comandante di squadra
11 esploratori

Plotone esploratori - 28 men
Comandante
Attendente
Three squadra esploratori "

The maths don't add up there - if it is 3 squads each of 13 men then the platoon should be 3x 13 + 2 = 41 men, but yours shows 28 men.
Was it two squads to the platoon?

According to the manual it was 3 squads of 13 men each. Plus platoon commander and his orderly. Total 41 men.

 

[jwsleser]

Grazie! Corrected.

 

[FrancoFB]

For the AS 42 rifle plat this would be on 3 squads with 2 lmg each, but the squad are only the LMG group of the 1940 squad

 

[Il Sergente Salvucci]

Squadra Bersaglieri Ciclisti - 15 men 1 caposquadra, 1 porta fucile mitragliatore, 1 porta arma tiratore, 4 porta munizioni, 8 fucilieri
Squadra Bersaglieri Motoriz. - 10 men presumably with 1 FM but seems this element has much less support. ? in reliability of this info.

It seems that in this research document, in the table at page 71-72, the Sezione Bersaglieri Motorizzati is structured like the Squadra Bersaglieri Ciclisti, with one NCO and 14 Enlisted, but with two Breda 30 instead of one.

Could you do some digging and tell me if the Motorized Section was organized in two 7-man identical squads (each with one Breda 30) or in one 8-man rifleman squad and one 6-man LMG squad with two Breda 30?

 

[jwsleser]

Looking at the Aug 1941 FdG for the btg. bers. in the d. cor., it lists two 15 man squads with two f.m. in each squad. Note it only states a squad leader, two gunners, two assistants, and 10 ammo bearers. The June 1941 equipment authorization shows 12 f.m. in the company, which matches a three platoon/two squad structure.

I didn't find any documentation that changed the squad as Lee discusses, but I haven't looked through everything.

Pista! Jeff

 

[Il Sergente Salvucci]

Looking at the Aug 1941 FdG for the btg. bers. in the d. cor., it lists two 15 man squads with two f.m. in each squad. Note it only states a squad leader, two gunners, two assistants, and 10 ammo bearers. The June 1941 equipment authorization shows 12 f.m. in the company, which matches a three platoon/two squad structure.

I didn't find any documentation that changed the squad as Lee discusses, but I haven't looked through everything.

Pista! Jeff

So, basically each section is made up of 2 f.m. squad with the gun crews and the rest as ammo bearers. Right?

 

[jwsleser]

To ensure we are using the same words.

The compagnia has three plotoni, each with two squadre. A squadra had had a capo squadra, 2 capo armi, two porta armi, and 10 porta munizioni. The organization didn't have any sezioni (section has a specific meaning in the R.E.).

In reality the squad did operate with a gruppo f.m. and a gruppo fucile as indicated in period manuals.

Pista! Jeff

 

[Il Sergente Salvucci]

To ensure we are using the same words.

The compagnia has three plotoni, each with two squadre. A squadra had had a capo squadra, 2 capo armi, two porta armi, and 10 porta munizioni. The organization didn't have any sezioni (section has a specific meaning in the R.E.).

In reality the squad did operate with a gruppo f.m. and a gruppo fucile as indicated in period manuals.

Pista! Jeff

So the squad was internally task organized with no fixed sub-structure?

 

[jwsleser]

Yes. No structure by FdG (TO&E), but structured by doctrine (TTPs - Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures).