The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Pisa" established by order of the Provisional Government of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany of 4 November 1859 with the 1st and 2nd infantry regiments. On 25 March 1860 the Brigade "Pisa" entered the
Royal Sardinian Army three days after the
Kingdom of Sardinia had annexed the
United Provinces of Central Italy, which included the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Already before entering the Royal Sardinian Army the brigade's two infantry regiments had been renumbered on 30 December 1859 as 29th Infantry Regiment and 30th Infantry Regiment.
World War I The brigade fought on the
Italian front in
World War I. In 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XXVI Infantry Brigade and received the
63rd Infantry Regiment "Cagliari" from the
Brigade "Cagliari". The XXVI Infantry Brigade was the infantry component of the 26th Territorial Division of
Salerno, which also included the 25th Artillery Regiment. On 30 March 1930 the division moved from Salerno in the South of Italy to
Asti in the North and consequently changed its name to 26th Territorial Division of Asti. On 8 February 1934 the division changed its name to 26th Infantry Division "
Assietta". On 1 April 1934 the division exchanged the
30th Infantry Regiment "Pisa" for the 38th Infantry Regiment "Ravenna" with the
3rd Territorial Division of Alessandria.
Second Italo-Abyssinian War In preparation for the
Second Italo-Abyssinian War the division was mobilized on 6 August 1935 with the 38th and 63rd infantry regiments and the 25th Artillery Regiment and was shipped in September to
Libya. In January 1936 the division moved to
Eritrea, while the 25th Artillery Regiment entered the provisional 126th Infantry Division Assietta II, which had arrived in Libya in March 1936 with the
62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" and the 81st Infantry Regiment "Torino". After landing in
Massawa in Eritrea in January 1936 the Assietta received the 49th Artillery Regiment and moved to the Endaga Robo-
Enticho-Dek’emhāre region. Then it moved its headquarters to
Mek'ele, guarding a front from
Doghea to
Kwīhā. The Assietta participated in the
Battle of Amba Aradam in February 1936, fighting mostly in defence. Some detachments of the Assietta were used to reinforce the left flank of the
27th Infantry Division "Sila". On 2 March 1936 the Assietta blocked the retreat route of the Ethiopian Army on the front from Yereserē to Edai. But the Ethiopians bypassed the Assietta, breaking through Italian lines further to the east on their way to
Amba Alagi. The Assietta, now used as a rear area guard force, followed in March–April 1936 first to Aderat and
Amba Alagi and then to Atzalo and Aiba. After the war's conclusion the division was used for mopping-up operations south of
Lake Ashenge. The division's last garrison in Ethiopia was the city of
Dessie from September 1936 until the orders to return to Italy were received on 2 February 1937.
World War II Following its return to Italy in March 1937 the 25th Artillery Regiment returned to the division. On 25 March 1939 the 38th Infantry Regiment "Ravenna" was transferred to the
3rd Infantry Division "Ravenna" and the 30th Infantry Regiment "Pisa" returned to the Assietta. On 5 April 1939 the 63rd Infantry Regiment "Cagliari" was transferred to the newly activated
59th Infantry Division "Cagliari" and on the same date the XXVI Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the two remaining infantry regiments came under direct command of the division. Furthermore on the same date the 29th and 30th infantry regiments, and the 25th Artillery Regiment changed their names to "Assietta" and the division received the 17th
CC.NN. Legion "Cremona".
Italian invasion of France In preparation for the
invasion of France the Assietta moved to the border with France and by 10 June 1940 the division was waiting for the begin of hostilities in the area of the mountains
Rochers Charniers,
Grand Queyron,
Mont Chaberton, the pass of
Col de Montgenèvre, and in the
Thuras valley. The advance into French territory started on 18 June 1940, with a border post captured by surprise. By 20 June 1940, the division moved past mountain crests, completing capture of the
Mount Chenaillet and
mount Sommet des Anges fortified area by 22–23 June. Further advances were stopped by the signing of the
Franco-Italian Armistice on 25 June 1940.
Invasion of Yugoslavia At the start of April 1941 the Assietta moved to the border with
Yugoslavia for the upcoming
invasion of Yugoslavia. On 6 April 1941 the division was in the border town of
Ajdovščina from where it moved to defensive positions at
Javornik. After the collapse of the Yugoslav Army the division moved its headquarters to
Delnice on 20 April 1941, performing mopping-up operations in the
Gerovo-
Karlovac-
Lokve, Croatia region. As operations began to wrap up, the division moved to
Ilirska Bistrica on 6 May 1941 before returning to its basses on 15 May 1941.
Defence of Sicily In the first half of August 1941 the division was sent to
Sicily and assigned to the
XII Army Corps in the Western half of the island. Initially the division's headquarters were in
Caltanissetta and it was tasked to defend the coast between
Porto Empedocle and
Licata. On 10 July 1943, the day of the
Allied invasion of Sicily, the division was in the
Santa Ninfa-
Partanna area in the west of Sicily. The division concentrated its forces in
Roccapalumba,
Lercara Friddi and
Prizzi and by 15 July had built up blocking positions at the latter two locations and at
Bisacquino in an attempt to block the Allies' advance from
Agrigento to
Palermo. The rapid crumbling of Italian defences elsewhere meant that this defensive line had to be abandoned on 16 July 1943 and the division fell back to a new line between
Cerda and
Sclafani Bagni. Unlike other Italian units nearby, the Assietta maintained constant contact with the enemy, repeatedly engaging in delaying skirmishes. An attempt was made to make a stand on 22 July 1943, but by late evening of 23 July 1943 the Allies had broken through, resulting in an Italian retreat to
Santo Stefano di Camastra and
Mistretta. On 29 July 1943 the division tried to stop the Americans at the
San Fratello-
Troina line. The nearby
Battle of Troina concluded on 6 August 1943 and afterwards American units concentrated their attacks on the battered Assietta. The initial American armor attack towards
San Fratello and mount Pizzo degli Angeli was repulsed, but on 7 August 1943, the Assietta had to fall back to
Tortorici after the Allies had landed troops in the division's rear at
Militello Rosmarino. By this time the division was severely crippled by heavy casualties and unfit for battle. What remained of the division retreated to
Messina, from where it was evacuated to mainland Italy on 14-18 August 1943.
Dissolution What remained of the division returned to its
regimental depots in Piedmont to be rebuilt. After the announcement of the
Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division surrendered to the
invading Germans forces. == Organization ==