After the
Second Italian War of Independence the
Austrian Empire had to cede the
Lombardy region of the
Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia to the
Kingdom of Sardinia. After taking control of the region the government of Sardinia ordered the
Royal Sardinian Army on 29 August 1859 to raise five infantry brigades and one grenadier brigade in Lombardy. Subsequently on 1 March 1860 the Brigade "Pavia" was activated with the newly raised 27th and 28th infantry regiments.
World War I The brigade fought on the
Italian front in
World War I. On 20 October 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XVII Infantry Brigade with the
11th Infantry Regiment "Casale", 27th Infantry Regiment "Pavia", and
28th Infantry Regiment "Pavia". The brigade was the infantry component of the 17th Territorial Division of Ravenna, which also included the 26th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 17th Infantry Division "
Rubicone". On 24 May 1939 the XVII Infantry Brigade was dissolved with the 27th and 28th infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division, which changed its name to 17th Infantry Division "Pavia". On 15 June 1939, the 11th Infantry Regiment "Casale" joined the newly activated
56th Infantry Division "Casale".
World War II From Tunisia to Tobruk In 1939, the Pavia was sent to
Libya, where it was garrisoned in
Sabratha west of
Tripoli. During the
Italian invasion of France from 10–25 June 1940 the Pavia was deployed along the
French Tunisian-
Libyan border. After the signing of the
Franco-Italian Armistice signed on 24 June 1940 the Pavia returned to its garrison in
Gharyan near
Tripoli and took up coastal defense duties in the
Sabratha–
Sorman area. On 23 November 1941 the British
70th Infantry Division, supported by 60 tanks broke through the line of the nearby
25th Infantry Division "Bologna". The Pavia helped to contain the breakthrough. On 27 November, the 19th New Zealand Battalion leading the
6th New Zealand Brigade, finally linked up with the British 70th Infantry Division at El Duda., weakening the position of the Pavia. Further British attacks were launched on the positions of the Pavia from 3 to 4 December 1941. On 4 December, Rommel ordered a withdrawal to the
Gazala Line, which entailed giving up Tobruk. During the withdrawal, the Pavia served as a rearguard at El Adem where it managed a brief but competent defense. The rearguard action continued from 7 until 16 December 1941. The Pavia's rearguard was annihilated on 14 December 1941, when the
22nd New Zealand Battalion encountering weak resistance, apart from two brief counterattacks, and under the cover of darkness took the rearguard's position and 382 Italian prisoners at a cost of 3 killed and 27 wounded. On 15 December, the bulk of the Pavia fought on the Gazala Line against the
2nd New Zealand Division and Polish
Carpathian Rifle Brigade, managing to hold its line after a poor initial beginning (with the loss of some hundreds of prisoners), allowing a strong Italian and German armored force to counter-attack and overrun the 1st Battalion, the
Buffs. From this point on the retreat of the Axis forces quickened. On 17 December 1941 the Pavia fought at Timimi 70 km west of
Tobruk, then on the
Mechili–
Derna, Libya line. The retreat route passed through
Marj,
Benghazi, and
Ajdabiya, finally reaching
El Agheila on 24 December, south-west of which the Pavia began to fortify at on the southern bank of . At this point, the British advance was halted due to logistic problems following the rapid advance, giving the Axis forces a quiet time.
From Libya to Egypt The Pavia started to advance gradually from late January 1942, returning to its initial positions of 1941 west of
Tobruk on 26 May 1942. On 28–29 May 1942, the Pavia helped to encircle residual British forces at
Tobruk and Gazala. During the
Battle of Gazala, the Pavia was used to mop up British units, taking charge of 6,000 Allied prisoners by 16 June 1942. On 27 June 1942, the division reached Bardia and continued to advance to Sollum and ultimately
Sidi Barrani. On 1 July 1942 the Pavia division reached Dayr al Abyaḑ, south of
El Alamein. The Pavia fought in the
First battle of El Alamein as part of the
X Army Corps. During the initial phase of the fighting the Pavia served as rearguard for the
132nd Armored Division "Ariete", where it had an isolated, limited defensive success. A few elements of the Pavia along with the
27th Infantry Division "Brescia" put up a stubborn defense on Ruweisat Ridge on the night of 14–15 July, allowing a German armored force to arrive in time the next day to deliver a counterattack against the attacking New Zealand infantry and British armor. Captain Amalio Stagni and Corporal Ugo Vaia of the Pavia were both awarded a
Silver Medal of Military Valor for their leadership during the action on Ruweisat Ridge. The Axis' advance then stalled until 30 August 1942 and attempts to advance were hampered by the Italian units' dwindling supplies and by stiffened British resistance. During the
Second Battle of El Alamein, one battalion of the Pavia fought alongside the
185th Infantry Division "Folgore". The battalion commenced to attack on 24 October 1942, on Qārat al Ḩumaymāt, taking over Naqb al Ralah over the steep El Diffa plateau edge, but failed to hold the majority of the plateau after Allied counterattacks. The British attacks intensified and on 3 November 1942 the Pavia was ordered to retreat from the plateau to the
Qattara Depression. At the end of the battle, the Pavia and the other two divisions of X Army Corps were abandoned without transport (mostly useless anyway because of the harsh landscape on the division retreat route) by the rest of the retreating Axis forces on their way to Fūkah and
Mersa Matruh on 4 November 1942. The Pavia tried to follow suit, but lost its rearguard at Deir el Nuss to Allied armored units. As a result the Pavia suffered heavy losses while on the march to the Fūkah. At Mersa Matruh, where several of the survivors of the Pavia had regrouped, including its commander, the remnants of the division had no option but to surrender on 7 November 1942. The Pavia division was officially dissolved 25 November 1942. == Organization ==