54th Infantry Division "Napoli" | |
---|---|
Active | 1939–1943 |
Country | Kingdom of Italy |
Branch | Royal Italian Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Garrison/HQ | Caltanissetta |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Generale di Divisione Giulio Cesare Gotti Porcinari[1] |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | Napoli Division gorget patches |
The 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" (Italian: 54ª Divisione di fanteria "Napoli") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Napoli was formed on 15 April 1939 in Caltanissetta and named for the city of Naples. The division dissolved on 14 August 1943 in Melia southeast of Scilla in Calabria after being heavily decimated during the Allied invasion of Sicily. The division drafted men in southern Sicily and members of the division hailed from Caltanissetta, Agrigento, Syracuse and the surrounding territories.[2][3]
The 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" was one of three divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from southern Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Caltanissetta. It's two infantry regiments were based in Syracuse (75th) and Agrigento (76th), while the division's artillery regiment was based in Caltanissetta. The 173rd CC.NN. Legion and CLXXIII CC.NN. Battalion were recruited in Caltanissetta and the CLXIX CC.NN. Battalion in Syracuse.