Like other organizations in the Regio Esercito (R.E.), the organization of the reparti motocicilisti is difficult to pin down. Part of what follows in guesswork in trying to develop a generalize understanding from a limited number of examples. As always, please comment and correct if you have an authoritative source.
Sources:
Handbook on the Italian Military Forces 1943 Military Intelligence Service
Brief Notes on the Italian Army August 1942 HQ, MEF
L'esercito italiano tra la 1ª e la 2ª guerra mondiale USSME 1954
Italian Order of Battle World War II vols I, II, III Nafziger 1996
La prima controffensiva italo-tedesca in A.S. USSME 1974
La compagnia moto dei bersaglieri retrived from digilander.libero.it/fiammecremisi/dopoguerra1moto.html
A basic question is whether reparti moto were only formed as bersaglieri units or whether there were some companies formed by ‘regular’ units. While it is almost certain that the units in Europe were solely bersaglieri units, this uncertainly is seen in the units that operated in A.S. The unit numbering/naming in that theater in 1940 isn’t always very clear.
The issue is apparently the independent cp. moto assigned to the divisione autotrasportabile (d. at.) tips A.S. and the Corpo d’Armati in Libya. The metropolitan d. at. and Corpo d’Armati didn’t have a cp. moto, but one was added to the TO&E of these two types of units in A.S. The order of battles for the actions in 1940 list a mix of cp. moto bers. and cp. moto.
If both types exist, it is possible that a cp. moto bersaglieri and a regular cp. moto have two different organizations. I can’t answer this at this time.
1940-1941
Squadra motociclisti
Comandante di squadra
7 bersaglieri with one Breda 30 f.m.
Plotone motociclisti
Comandante
Four squadra motociclisti
Compagnia motociclisti
Comando di plotone (2 officers and 36 men)
-Supply section
-Radio section
Three plotone motociclisti each with
-Four squadra moto
One plotone moto mitragliatrici with:
-Four squadra motomitragliatrici each with 9 men and one heavy machinegun.
*The III btg. b. motociclisti was assigned additional 37/45 c.c. when the d. cor. « Ariete » deployed to A.S. Each cp. motociclisti had a sezione c.c. with three 37/45 c.c. guns. La prima controffensiva italo-tedesca in A.S. Allegato 11 (p. 350-351)
Battaglione motociclisti
Compagnia comando
-Comando
-Radio Plotone
-Replacement plotone
Three compagnia motociclisti
Sources:
Handbook on the Italian Military Forces 1943 Military Intelligence Service
Brief Notes on the Italian Army August 1942 HQ, MEF
L'esercito italiano tra la 1ª e la 2ª guerra mondiale USSME 1954
Italian Order of Battle World War II vols I, II, III Nafziger 1996
La prima controffensiva italo-tedesca in A.S. USSME 1974
La compagnia moto dei bersaglieri retrived from digilander.libero.it/fiammecremisi/dopoguerra1moto.html
A basic question is whether reparti moto were only formed as bersaglieri units or whether there were some companies formed by ‘regular’ units. While it is almost certain that the units in Europe were solely bersaglieri units, this uncertainly is seen in the units that operated in A.S. The unit numbering/naming in that theater in 1940 isn’t always very clear.
The issue is apparently the independent cp. moto assigned to the divisione autotrasportabile (d. at.) tips A.S. and the Corpo d’Armati in Libya. The metropolitan d. at. and Corpo d’Armati didn’t have a cp. moto, but one was added to the TO&E of these two types of units in A.S. The order of battles for the actions in 1940 list a mix of cp. moto bers. and cp. moto.
If both types exist, it is possible that a cp. moto bersaglieri and a regular cp. moto have two different organizations. I can’t answer this at this time.
1940-1941
Squadra motociclisti
Comandante di squadra
7 bersaglieri with one Breda 30 f.m.
Plotone motociclisti
Comandante
Four squadra motociclisti
Compagnia motociclisti
Comando di plotone (2 officers and 36 men)
-Supply section
-Radio section
Three plotone motociclisti each with
-Four squadra moto
One plotone moto mitragliatrici with:
-Four squadra motomitragliatrici each with 9 men and one heavy machinegun.
*The III btg. b. motociclisti was assigned additional 37/45 c.c. when the d. cor. « Ariete » deployed to A.S. Each cp. motociclisti had a sezione c.c. with three 37/45 c.c. guns. La prima controffensiva italo-tedesca in A.S. Allegato 11 (p. 350-351)
Battaglione motociclisti
Compagnia comando
-Comando
-Radio Plotone
-Replacement plotone
Three compagnia motociclisti
