154th Infantry Division Murge

The 154th Infantry Division Murge was an infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Murge Division was a garrison division formed in April 1942. It was sent to Dalmatia as an occupation force and took part in anti-Partisan operations. It took part in the Battle of the Sutjeska and then had to be withdrawn after suffering heavy losses in fighting with the Partisans. It was disbanded in September 1943, following the Italian surrender to the Allies.

154th Infantry Division Murge
154th Infantry Division Murge Insignia
Active1942–1943
CountryItaly
BranchItalian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Murge
EngagementsWorld War II

Order of battle
  • 259. Murge Infantry Regiment
  • 260. Murge Infantry Regiment
  • 154. Artillery Regiment
  • 154. Machine Gun Battalion
  • 154. Engineer Battalion
  • Motor Transport Section
  • Medical Section
  • Supply Section
  • Carabinieri Section [nb 1]

C.R.O.W.C.A.S.S.

The names of 12 men attached to the Murge Division can be found in the CROWCASS List established by the Anglo-American Allies of the individuals wanted by Yugoslavia for war crimes:

  • (Name) CANINO Ignacio - (C.R. File Number) 190912 - (Rank, Occupation, Unit, Place and Date of Crime) O.C. Italian Army, 259 Regt. of "Murge" Div., Trebine, Boski, Jubine (Yugo.) 43 - (Reason wanted) Murder - (Wanted by) Yugo. [2]
  • CIRILO Antonio - 190933Lt. Col., Italian Army, 51 Regt. of Murge-Div., Trebinje (Yugo.) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [3]
  • MELIS - 145475 - Lt., Lombardia-Div., 23 Regt., 3 Bn., Slovenia, Croatia (Yugo.) 1943 - Murder - Yugo. [4]
  • MOCCIA Alfonso - 145468 - Major, "Isonzo"-Div., 98 Fascist Legion, 117 Bn., 1943 - Murder - Yugo. [5]
  • RAVENI - 148643 - Col., Army, "Lombardia"-Div., 57 Artl. Regt., Slovenia, Croatia (Yugo.) - Murder - Yugo. [6]
  • ROCI Viciano - 191080 - Lt., It. Army, 259 Regt., "Murge"-Div., Trebinje, Ljiubine (Yugo.) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [7]
  • ROSETI - 191086 - Lt., Italian Army, Murge Div., 51 Rgt., Trebinje (Yugo) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [8]
  • SAVIOLA Giorgio - 191095 - Lt.Col., Italian Army, 51 Rgt. of Murge, Prison, Trebuje Area (Yugo) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [9]
  • SOLDANO Vincenzo - 191111 - Major, 259 Regt., "Murge"-Div., Trebinje Iboski Sume Ljubine Ljubomir (Yugo.) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [10]
  • SPOLETI (or SPALATINI) - 191117 - Lt., 51 Regt. of "Murge"-Div., Iboski, Ljubine, Sume (Yugo.) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [11]
  • TONETI (or CAPELINI) - 191130 - Capt., Ital.Army, 51 Rgt. of "Murge" Div., Trebinje Area, Villages of Iboski, Ljubine, Sume, Ljubomir (Yugo.) 42-43 - Murder - Yugo. [12]
  • Verdi Hugo - 191137 - Col., Italian Army, 51 Rgt. of Murge Div., Sibenik (Yugo.) 41-43 - Murder - Yugo. [13]

Alistair MacLean's novel Partisans, set in the Balkan Theater of World War II, mentions the Murge Division as being a major force in the Axis offensives against the Yugoslav Partisans. The book begins at the buildup to Fall Weiss and ends with the protagonists having accomplished a significant espionage mission that would ensure the mauling of the Murge at the hands of the Yugoslav Resistance.

Notes
Footnotes
  1. An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two companies), an Anti Tank Company, a Blackshirt Legion of two Battalions was sometimes attached. Each Division had only about 7,000 men, The Infantry and Artillery Regiments contained 1,650 men, the Blackshirt Legion 1,200, each company 150 men.[1]
Citations
  1. Paoletti, p 170
  2. The Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, Consolidated Wanted Lists (1947), Naval & University Press, Uckfield 2005; Part 2 - Non-Germans only, p. 59 (facsimile of the original document at the National Archives in Kew/London).
  3. Ibid., p. 60
  4. Ibid., p. 67
  5. Ibid., p. 67
  6. Ibid., p. 70
  7. Ibid., p. 70
  8. Ibid., p. 71
  9. Ibid., p. 71
  10. Ibid., p. 72
  11. Ibid., p. 72
  12. Ibid., p. 73
  13. Ibid., p. 73
  • Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-98505-9.
  • Jowett, Phillip. The Italian Army 1040-45 (3): Italy 1943-45. Osprey Publishing, Westminster. ISBN 978-1-85532-866-2.
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