ITALIANS IN THE EAST

Reeling from his setbacks in North Africa, and eager to prove his forces’ worth against the communist foe, Il Duce sent a large expeditionary force to join the Nazi invasion of the USSR

On the morning of 22 June 1941, when Mussolini was told of Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, he instantly pledged his country’s military support to the venture. Joining a crusade against communism was just too good an opportunity to miss – and not only from an ideological viewpoint. Apart from the potential plunder to be had, there was also the possibility of redeeming Italy’s martial reputation. After its military blunders in North Africa, piggybacking Hitler’s giant invasion force – the largest ever assembled – with the aim of scoring a few quick victories must have seemed like a safe bet to Il Duce.

Within four days, he’d assembled a force known as the Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia (or CSIR). It was made up of 62,000 men, 82 aircraft, 220 artillery pieces, 92 antitank guns, 4,600 mules and horses, 5,500 vehicles, and 60 L3/33 tankettes. These were organised into three divisions – the 9th Pasubio and the 52nd Torino, which were both infantry divisions, and the 3rd Celere Cavalry Division.

On 10 July 1941, the CSIR left Italy for the Eastern Front. On its arrival in Ukraine, it was integrated into the German 11th Army, first seeing action on 10 August when it engaged retreating Red Army troops between the Bug and Dniester Rivers.