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{{Short description|Infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name='''2nd Libyan Division'''
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1939–1941
| country = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
| branch = {{army|Kingdom of Italy}}
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=
|size= [[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure=
|equipment=

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_2=

|nickname= ''Pescatori''
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= [[World War II]]
*[[Italian invasion of Egypt]]
*[[Battle of Sidi Barrani]]
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}

The '''2nd Libyan Division''' ({{langx|it|2ª Divisione libica}}) was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Royal Italian Army]] during [[World War II]]. In December 1940, the division formed, together with the [[1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"]] and [[2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"]], the [[XXIII Army Corps (Italy)|XXIII Army Corps]]. The corps participated in the [[Italian invasion of Egypt]] and was destroyed during the [[Battle of Sidi Barrani]].<ref name="Ufficio Storico">{{cite book |title=Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico |location=Rome |page=356 |url=https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/bollettino-ii-n.3-4-2002-testo |access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref><ref>Jowett, p.10</ref>

== History ==
On 1 March 1940, the 2nd Libyan Division and [[1st Libyan Division (Italy)|1st Libyan Division]] were formed from existing units in [[Italian Libya]]. Both divisions consisted of Italian officers and local non-commissioned officers and troops. In September 1940 the 2nd Libyan Division participated in the [[Italian invasion of Egypt]]. The original invasion plan of a flanking move through the desert had been modified due to the shortage of transport capacity and so the 1st Libyan Division and 2nd Libyan Division were brought close to the coastal road to be the spearhead for the CC.NN. divisions of XXIII Army Corps. The [[Maletti Group]] would operate as a flank guard.<ref>Macksey, p.38</ref> After entering [[Egypt]] the Italian units stopped and built a series of fortified camps around [[Sidi Barrani]].

The British noted that the Italian camps were dispersed and separated by large distances, which meant they could not support each other if attacked.<ref name="Wav3264"/> Accordingly the plan for [[Operation Compass]] envisioned to defeat the Italians [[Defeat in detail|in detail]] in a five-day raid.<ref>Playfair, p. 264</ref> On 9 December, the 2nd Libyan Division was located at [[Tummar]] and <ref>Macksey, p. 68</ref> the British attack commenced on Tummar began at 13.50, after [[7th Royal Tank Regiment]] had refuelled and re-armed and artillery had softened up the defences for an hour. A north-west approach was made and the tanks broke through the perimeter without much difficulty and were followed by the infantry. However, the defenders put up stronger opposition than at Nibeiwa<ref name=pl>Playfair, p.268</ref> but by 16.00 Tummar West had been overrun, except for the extreme north-east corner.<ref name=pl/> The British tanks then shifted their point of attack to Tummar East, the greater part of which was captured by nightfall.<ref name="Playfair269">Playfair p. 269</ref>

On 10 December, the [[16th Indian Infantry Brigade]] was brought forward from the [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Indian Infantry Division]] reserve and with elements of the [[11th Indian Infantry Brigade]] were sent forward to attack [[Sidi Barrani]]. Moving forward it was in position barring the south and south-western exits to Sidi Barrani by 13.30. At 16.00, supported by the whole of the division's artillery, the attack, again with the support of 7th RTR, went in. The town was captured by nightfall<ref name="Wav3264">Wavell in {{London Gazette| issue=37628| date=25 June 1946|page=3264|supp=y}}</ref> and the remains of the two Libyan divisions and the [[4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"]] were trapped between 16th Infantry Brigade and [[Selby Force]].<ref name="Playfair270">Playfair p. 270</ref> By 15 December, Sollum and Halfya had been captured as well as Fort Capuzzo and all Italian forces had been cleared from Egypt.<ref name="Wav3264"/>
The 2nd Libyan Division lost 26 officers and 1,327 men killed and 32 officers and 804 men wounded, with the survivors being taken prisoner.<ref>USSME, ''La prima offensiva Britannica in Africa Settentrionale'', tomo I, allegato 32 (page 375).</ref> The division was declared lost on 11 December 1940.<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>

== Organization ==
* '''2nd Libyan Division'''<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>
** 3rd Libyan Infantry Grouping
*** II Libyan Infantry Battalion "Offella"
*** VI Libyan Infantry Battalion "[[Jafara|Gefara]]"
*** VII Libyan Infantry Battalion "[[Buerat]]"
** 4th Libyan Infantry Grouping
*** XIV Libyan Infantry Battalion "[[Sorman]]"
*** XV Libyan Infantry Battalion "[[Yafran|Tefren]]"
*** XVI Libyan Infantry Battalion "[[ʽAziziya|Aziza]]"
** 2nd Libyan Artillery Grouping
*** I Libyan Artillery Group ([[8 cm FK M. 5|77/28]] field guns)
*** II Libyan Artillery Group (77/28 field guns)
*** 1st Libyan Anti-aircraft Battery ([[Breda Model 35|20/65 mod. 35]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s)
*** 2nd Libyan Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
** II Libyan Mixed Engineer Battalion
*** 1x Libyan engineer company
*** 1x Libyan telegraph and radio operators company
** 2nd Libyan Anti-tank Company ([[Cannone da 47/32|47/32]] [[anti-tank gun]]s)
** 2nd Libyan Transport Group
** 1x Medical section
** 1x Supply section
** 27th Field Post Office

Attached to the division in Egypt:<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>
* IX Tank Battalion "L" ([[L3/33]] and [[L3/35]] [[tankette]]s)

== Commanding officers ==
The division's commanding officers were:<ref name="Ufficio Storico"/>

* [[Military ranks of the Kingdom of Italy#Ranks during the Second World War|Generale di Divisione]] [[Armando Pescatori]] (1 March 1940 - 11 December 1940, [[Prisoner of War|POW]])

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|group=nb}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book|author=Jowett, Philip S.|title=The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-1943|publisher=Osprey, Oxford - New York|year=2000|isbn=978-1-85532-864-8}}
* {{cite book |first=Major Kenneth |last=Macksey |authorlink=Kenneth Macksey |series=Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century, Battle Book Number 22 |title=Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory |publisher=Ballantine Books |location=New York |year=1971 |isbn=978-0-345-02434-3}}
* {{cite book|title=A Military History of Italy|last=Paoletti |first=Ciro|publisher=Greenwood |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-275-98505-9}}
* {{cite book |first1= I. S. O. |last1=Playfair |author1-link=Ian Stanley Ord Playfair |first2=G. M. S. |last2=Stitt |first3=C. J. C. |last3=Molony |first4=S. E. |last4=Toomer |editor-last=Butler |editor-first=J. R. M. |editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler |series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series |title=The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941) |volume=I |publisher=HMSO |year=1959 |orig-year=1954 |edition=3rd impression |oclc=888934805 |display-authors=1}}



{{Italian Divisions World War II}}

{{Italian colonial empire}}

[[Category:Infantry divisions of Italy in World War II]]
[[Category:Libya in World War II]]
[[Category:Italy–Libya relations]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1939]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1940]]

2nd Libyan Division Italy - Revision history

Gstnit at 15:05, 15 February 2026