• Source: 205th Coastal Division (Italy)

The 205th Coastal Division (Italian: 205ª Divisione Costiera) was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.




History






= Sardinia

=
The division was activated on 15 January 1942 in Iglesias by reorganizing the V Coastal Sector Command. The division was assigned to XIII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the southern half of the island of Sardinia. The division was based in Carbonia and responsible for the coastal defense from Torre Foghe down the western coast of Sardinia to, but excluding Capo Pula. The division's area of responsibility included the Gulf of Oristano and the south-western coast of Sardinia with the islands of Sant'Antioco and San Pietro. On 1 August 1942 the XXXIII Coastal Brigade was activated and took over the responsibility for the defense of the coast from Torre Foghe down to approximately Punta Usai. The XXXIII Coastal Brigade's area of responsibility including the entire Gulf of Oristano.
The 205th Coastal Division, together with the 203rd Coastal Division, 204th Coastal Division, IV Coastal Brigade, and XXXIII Coastal Brigade formed a first static defense line against allied landings on the island. Further inland the 30th Infantry Division "Sabauda", 31st Infantry Division "Calabria", 47th Infantry Division "Bari", and 184th Infantry Division "Nembo" were the mobile forces of the Armed Forces Command Sardinia.
After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division, together with all other divisions on Sardinia, refused German demands to surrender. Realizing the futility of attempting to gain control of Sardinia the German forces on the island retreated to Corsica.




= US Army Air Force

=
The division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army and was renamed 205th Division. In November 1944 the division was shipped to Naples and in December 1944 it was assigned to the US Army Air Force's American Air Forces in the Mediterranean to provide auxiliary services at American airfields in mainland Italy. The division consisted of about 5,000 men and fielded 48 aviation services companies and six transport companies. In August 1945 the division was reduced in size and in 1946 it was disbanded.




Organization


205th Coastal Division, in Carbonia
127th Coastal Regiment
CDII Coastal Battalion
CDVII Coastal Battalion
128th Coastal Regiment
XCII Territorial Battalion
CDVI Coastal Battalion
CDXXXVIII Coastal Battalion
129th Coastal Regiment
CCCXCVI Coastal Battalion
CDIV Coastal Battalion
CDV Coastal Battalion
CDXXII Coastal Battalion
CDXXXVI Coastal Battalion
47th Coastal Artillery Regiment
XIV Coastal Artillery Group
XVII Coastal Artillery Group
XXVIII Coastal Artillery Group
LXXXIII Coastal Artillery Group
CCXVII Coastal Artillery Group
48th Coastal Artillery Regiment
XVIII Coastal Artillery Group
XXIX Coastal Artillery Group
LXXXI Coastal Artillery Group
XCIII Coastal Artillery Group
CCXXIX Coastal Artillery Group
CIII Machine Gun Battalion
163 Machine Gun Company
165 Machine Gun Company
205th Mixed Engineer Company
205th Carabinieri Section
217th Field Post Office
Division Services
Attached to the division:

Tactical Sector Oristano, in Oristano (responsible for the defense of the Gulf of Oristano; became the XXXIII Coastal Brigade on 1 August 1942)
132nd Coastal Regiment
CDIII Coastal Battalion
CDXXI Coastal Battalion
925th Coastal Regiment
CMV Coastal Battalion
CMVI Coastal Battalion
CMVII Coastal Battalion




Commanding officers


The division's commanding officer was:

Generale di Divisione Giovanni Manildo (15 January 1942 - 1944)




References



Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9.
Jowett, Philip S. (2000). The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943. Osprey, Oxford - New York. ISBN 978-1-85532-864-8.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• 205th Coastal Division (Italy)
• 205th Division
• 204th Coastal Division (Italy)
• 203rd Coastal Division (Italy)
• 215th Coastal Division (Italy)
• List of Italian divisions in World War II
• 210th Coastal Division (Italy)
• 202nd Coastal Division (Italy)
• 227th Coastal Division (Italy)
• 206th Coastal Division (Italy)