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Strength of M Battalions in A.S.

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Posted 29 October 2006 - 07:55 PM by david

Any idea on the numbers of M13/40 in each of the following Carri (M) Battaglione?

III
V
VI
XXI

Thanks. :)

Posted 30 October 2006 - 06:21 PM by David Pastore

During winter 1940-41 the total availability in ASI was:

I/4° (M.11/39)
II/4° (M.11/39)
III/32° (M.13/40)
V/32° (M.13/40) [unloaded in Bengasi in early December]
VI/32° (M.13/40) [unloaded in January]
IX (L.3)
XX (L.3)
XXI (L.3) [converted to M.13/40, ready in January]
LX (L.3)
LXI (L.3)
LXII (L.3)
LXIII (L.3)

Paper organic was 37 medium tanks and 46 light tanks per battalion; efficient vehicles at any one time were about 50% or less.

The Brigata Corazzata Speciale included only: III/32° (two companies only, the third one detached) and LI (part) initially, plus V/32° from January 41 on.

Posted 30 October 2006 - 07:53 PM by david

Thanks Davide.

Some subsiduary questions....

When did III/32 arrive?
The only III/32 that I had heard of, before this, was Carri L, and part of Ariete. :?

Where was the third Compagnia of III/32 detatched?

When you say efficient vehicles at approx 50% compared to 'paper'. Is this because they never arrived? Or because they were broken down etc?

thanks.

Posted 31 October 2006 - 06:11 AM by Davide Pastore

When did III/32 arrive?

Early October.

The only III/32 that I had heard of, before this, was Carri L, and part of Ariete. :?

L and M battalions had a separate numbering system. Additionally, M btns had an unique numbering system (I to XIX, XXI, LI) while initially there was a I (etc.) L btn in each armoured regiment.

M btns were raised in different regimental headquarters, not necessarily the same rgt they fought in; the "/4" and "/32" I wrote is actually just cosmetic. On the field they would be known as "I Battaglione Carri M" etc.

Where was the third Compagnia of III/32 detatched?

On 1 December: two companies were sent to Sollum, one company to Halfaya.

When you say efficient vehicles at approx 50% compared to 'paper'. Is this because they never arrived? Or because they were broken down etc?

Serious mechanical weakness. The tanks all arrived, but started to break down from the very first day, due to very poor logistical support.

Posted 31 October 2006 - 08:47 AM by Davide Pastore

Addendum: after a bit of further researches, it seems that maybe I oversimplified:

L and M battalions had a separate numbering system. Additionally, M btns had an unique numbering system (I to XIX, XXI, LI) while initially there was a I (etc.) L btn in each armoured regiment.

The L numbering system was quite messy.

So messy that I wrote a number of silliness. See next post for a clearer picture. [this post was moved into its own thread Evolution of Italian Tank Battalions]

M btns were raised in different regimental headquarters, not necessarily the same rgt they fought in; the "/4" and "/32" I wrote is actually just cosmetic. On the field they would be known as "I Battaglione Carri M" etc.

On a different source I found that I M and II M were instead considered part of 32° rgt, and it seems they were actually the old L units re-equipped. Who knows.
 
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