• Source: 216th Coastal Division (Italy)

The 216th Coastal Division (Italian: 216ª 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. They were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.




History


The division was activated on 10 August 1943 in Pisa by expanding the XV Coastal Brigade. The division was assigned to II Army Corps and had its headquarter in Pisa. The division was responsible for the coastal defense of the coast of northern Tuscany from the mouth of the river Parmignola to Cap San Vincenzo in San Vincenzo.
After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division, which was still in the process of forming, was disbanded by invading German forces.




Organization


216th Coastal Division, in Pisa
12th Coastal Regiment
2x Coastal battalions
13th Coastal Regiment
3x Coastal battalions
3rd Coastal Artillery Regiment
VII Coastal Artillery Group
VIII Coastal Artillery Group
XV Coastal Artillery Group
522nd Machine Gun Company
523rd Machine Gun Company
602nd Machine Gun Company
198th Anti-paratroopers Unit
202nd Anti-paratroopers Unit
204th Anti-paratroopers Unit
III Platoon/ 4th Special Engineers Company
216th Carabinieri Section
Field Post Office
Division Services




Commanding officers


The division's commanding officers were:

Generale di Brigata Carlo Ceriana-Mayneri (10 August 1943 - 9 September 1943




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.

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