54th Infantry Division "Napoli"

54th Infantry Division "Napoli"
54th Infantry Division "Napoli" insignia
Active1939–1943
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Italian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQCaltanissetta
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Generale di Divisione Giulio Cesare Gotti Porcinari[1]
Insignia
Identification
symbol

Napoli Division gorget patches
Map of Sicily showing Napoli's location during the initial allied landings

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.

  1. ^ Enrico Tagliazucchi and Franco Agostini. "Royal Italian Army". World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  2. ^ "54ª Divisione di fanteria "Napoli"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  3. ^ Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 301. Retrieved 30 October 2021.