Italian Blackshirt 1935-45 by Pier Battistelli

Author:Pier Battistelli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Italian Blackshirt 1935–45
ISBN: 9781472806383
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Following the limitations imposed by the Italian Army, enlistment in front-line Blackshirt units was restricted to those aged between 26 and 36. As a consequence, the men were older than the average army soldier. (Archivio Centrale dello Stato, Rome)

Training of the legioni attached to the army infantry divisions was also lacking, this time because of uncertainty about their use in the battlefield. Army infantry regiments were to be used as crack elements, a role which did not suit the smaller, more lightly equipped legioni, which were therefore employed in more ‘agile’ roles where they could move faster and more easily around the battlefield. Cooperation between army infantry and the Blackshirts was deemed impossible, so they had to be used in fast, opportune raids before a main attack and, following a breakthrough, in widening any breaches made in the enemy defences. In defence, they could only be used in counterattacks against targets of opportunity, and for manning the line. Clearly a degree of inter-service cooperation should have been attained for proper use of the legioni on the battlefield, but by spring 1940 their training only envisaged squad and firing exercises on Sundays and, if possible, following a partial mobilization, platoon and possibly company exercises. Blackshirt battalions could only undergo 20–30 days’ training in the local training grounds or during army field exercises following full mobilization. Their actual mobilization started in April 1940, but only for Blackshirt battalions (without legioni HQs, machine-gun companies, and replacements); one month later, on the eve of war, it was clearly stated that only mobilized battalions would take part in field exercises in order to improve their technical and tactical skills. To that end, each Blackshirt could fire only up to a maximum of 12 rounds for handguns, 60 rounds for rifles, and 40 rounds for automatic rifles, while 100 rounds were available for the machine guns. The rank and file were allowed to throw two hand grenades, and 60 mortar grenades were available for training. The reality was that many Blackshirts were thrust into battle in 1940 in the Western Alps or in Greece without having fired a single shot; the XCIII Battaglione was deployed at the Greek front line after a single live-fire exercise, while many Blackshirts in the IV Battaglione had last done military service some five or six years previously. When possible, units had to be pulled from the front line to refit and retrain, but the same problems remained; in March 1941 the 80a Legione was pulled out for further training for which only six rounds and two hand grenades were available for the rank and file, 20 rounds for the automatic rifles, and three rounds for the mortars.

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