The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Umbria" established in
Palermo on 16 April 1861 with the 53rd and 54th infantry regiments.
World War I The brigade fought on the
Italian front in
World War I. On 1 October 1926 the brigade assumed the name of II Infantry Brigade and received the
68th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" from the disbanded
Brigade "Palermo". The brigade was the infantry component of the 2nd Territorial Division of
Novara, which also included the
17th Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 2nd Infantry Division "Sforzesca". On 25 April 1939 the II Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the three infantry regiments came under direct command of the division, and the 53rd and 54th infantry regiments and 17th Artillery Regiment changed their names to "Sforzesca". On 24 May 1939 the division ceded the 68th Infantry Regiment "Palermo" to the newly activated
58th Infantry Division "Legnano".
World War II Invasion of France The Sforzesca participated in the
invasion of France operating between
Claviere and
Cesana Torinese. It spearheaded the attack in the direction of
Briançon, but encountered heavy French resistance. On 22 June 1940 the area around the Fort Bois de Praria was secured, and fighting shifted to Bois de Sestriere, with the capture of
Montgenèvre commune. On the southern flank, the advance stalled at La Crete (Crete de Chaussard). On 23 June 23 the Sforzesca has made a very modest advance. In the night of 23 to 24 June 1940 the Sforzesca was transferred to the reserve and replaced by the
58th Infantry Division "Legnano".
Greco-Italian War During the
Greco-Italian War the Sforzesca was sent as reinforcement to
Albania between 12–18 January 1941. There the 30th CC.NN. Legion was attached to the division, which entered the front in the area of
Tepelenë. The Sforzesca had its first encounter with
Greek army forces on 28 January on the ridge over Mali i Shendellise (Scindeli). The heavy defensive fighting, with frequent hand-to-hand combat and positions lost and recaptured several times, continued until 28 February. During the Italian offensive on 1 March 1941, the Sforzesca captured Chiaf and by 4 March had moved to Bregu i Buzit. After the
Battle of Greece the Sforzesca remained in on occupation duty in Greece until the middle of July 1941.
Eastern Front The Sforzesca was one of the ten Italian divisions of the
Italian Army in Russia, which fought on the
Eastern Front. After arriving in Ukraine the division was assigned to
XXXV Army Corps and participated in the capture of the Ivanovka positions in
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On 14 July 1942 the Sforzesca reached
Fashchivka in
Luhansk Oblast. By 18 July 1942 the Sforzesca division started mop-up operation near
Krasnyi Luch. At beginning of August 1942 the division marched to the area north of
Serafimovich, establishing a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the
Don river up to
Khutor of
Yarskoy 1-y. Together with
3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta", the Sforzesca beat off several Soviet attacks between 12 August 1942 and 1 September 1942. On 20 August, it fell under heavy direct attack by the
Soviet 63rd Army, with
197th Rifle Division,
203rd Rifle Division and
14th Guards Rifle Division attacking from both sides of Yelanskaya, establishing a shortlived bridgehead across the Don river. The Soviets were able to expand their bridgehead until eventually stopped on 28 August by the Sforzesca, the 3rd Cavalry Division and the German
79th Infantry Division. Although Soviet attacks were stopped, the Italians were unable to resume their offensive or expand their bridgehead as a result. After repositioning on the southern bank of the Don, the Sforzesca was assigned to the
Romanian 3rd Army, along with the
9th Infantry Division "Pasubio" and
3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta". The Sforzesca was under heavy Soviet attacks from 20 November until 28 November 1942.
Operation Little Saturn On 12 December 1942 Soviet forces began
Operation Little Saturn and on 22 December large columns of Soviet tanks overran the Sforzesca and part of the division was destroyed, largely as a result of conflicting German orders, that caught the Italian division advancing forward near Verkhne-Chirskoy, when it should've been retreating to the new German defensive line near the Chir River. The remnants of the Sforzesca fought a defensive battle in the village of Kranoyarovka,
Rostov Oblast from 25 December 1942 until 28 December 1942. The division suffered heavy losses in January 1943, and the remaining units managed to break through the encirclement by the Soviet
1st Guards Army on 3 January 1943. The remnants of the division were repatriated in March 1943. The new Sforzesca was based in
Divača,
Sežana and
Ilirska Bistrica along the border between Italy and Yugoslavia, where it performed anti-partisan duties. After the announcement of the
Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the remnants of the Sforzesca surrendered to
invading German forces on 9 September 1943. == Organization ==