Italy - Albania - Printable Version +- Forums (https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards) +-- Forum: The Firing Line (https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=1) +--- Forum: Campaign Series (https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=8) +--- Thread: Italy - Albania (/showthread.php?tid=43862)

Italy - Albania - K K Rossokolski - 01-16-2008 Can anyone point me to a comprehensive reference, with something on the 1939 invasion?. All I can find are some one liners talking of spirited resistance by a local Militia Bn+ at Durazzo, 2 Italian divisions. Plus a couple of useful books re the resistance movement RE: Italy - Albania - simovitch - 01-18-2008 You can find some pretty good stuff by searching "Albania" on the Axis History forum or Commando Supremo websites. From the website "Commando Supremo": The Italian invasion force was built of ad hoc assembled units. It took the name of "Expeditionary Corps OMT" under command of Gen. Guzzoni. It was divided in three "groups" which had to land in successive times. The most important was logically the first, which was divided in four "columns". Each column had its own landing harbor and a target inland on which to advance. First Group (7 April, 1939) Column One: (Commander: Col. Scattini, Landing point: S. Giovanni di Medua, Target: Scutari) III Bersaglieri battalion VI Bersaglieri battalion XXVIII Bersaglieri battalion Two companies of San Marco marine battalion Column Two: (Commander: Gen. Messe, Landing point: Durazzo, Target: Tirana) II Bersaglieri battalion X Bersaglieri battalion XIV Bersaglieri battalion XVII Bersaglieri battalion XXVII Bersaglieri battalion I/47° Infantry battalion VIII Light Tank battalion X Light Tank battalion I Grenadier battalion (airlift)* II Grenadier battalion (airlift)* One 65/17mm battery One AA battery * These battalions were airlifted to Tirana airfield after its conquest Column Three: (Commander Col. Bernardi, Landing point: Valona, Target: Fieri) I Bersaglieri battalion XVI Bersaglieri battalion XL Blackshirt battalion LXXVI Blackshirt battalion Column Four: Commander Col. Carasi, Landing point: Santi Quaranta, Target: Argirocastro) XX Bersaglieri battalion XXXIII Bersaglieri battalion III Fast Tank Group "San Giorgio" Two companies of San Marco marine battalion Second Group (8 April, 1939) HQ 47° Infantry Regiment II/47° Infantry battalion 9th MG battalion I/6° "Aosta Lancers" Cavalry battalion II/4° "Genova Cavalry" battalion XVIII Heavy FA battalion CXV Heavy FA battalion Third Group (8 April, 1939) HQ 23th Infantry Division "Murge" 48° Infantry regiment III/47° Infantry battalion XCII Blackshirt battalion 14° Field Artillery regiment After the successful conquest of Albania, a large part of the units highlighted above returned to Italy and were substituted by others forming a permanent garrison. HTH RE: Italy - Albania - K K Rossokolski - 01-18-2008 THANKS MATE -GREAT STUFF.