48th Infantry Division Taro


The 48th Infantry Division Taro was an infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. It was formed on 12 September 1939 in Catanzaro and ceased to function 8 September 1943 in Toulon.

Actions

The Taro division was deployed in Civitavecchia by 10 June 1940 and saw no action during the Italian invasion of France. ON 19 November 1940, it was ordered to transfer to Albania via Bari, as part of Italian II Corps. Initial sub-units disembarked in Durrës on 27 November 1940, and by 30 November 1940 the entire division was in Albania. As of 1 December 1940, the 207th regiment of Bari reinforced 19th Infantry Division Venezia near Pogradec, while 208th regiment reinforced 53rd Infantry Division Arezzo; divisional headquarters with some other units temporarily assigned from other shattered Italian formations organized defences in the Shkumbin river valley. By 11 December 1940, the Taro division comprised 208th and 225th infantry regiments together with 48th artillery regiment, and made a stand at Guri i Llengës - Shkumbin line. The defensive line was never broken, although the pressure from Greek units increased in January - February 1941, resulting in the over-run of some positions near Guri i Llengës which were re-captured 14 February 1941. The last major attack from the Greeks came on 20 February 1941, and by 6 March 1941, Taro was on the offensive, capturing Guri i Topit and other peaks by 8 March 1941. The division remained in the same positions during the entire Battle of Greece until 23 April 1941.
In June 1941, Taro was transferred to Montenegro, quartering in Cetinje, Bar, Nikšić and Danilovgrad. On 19 July 1941, an additional garrison was established in Kotor. In 1942, the division conducted anti-partisan raids at Budva, Velja Gora, Boguti and Čisto Polje. In February–March 1942, an especially large group of Yugoslav Partisans was beaten off at :sh:Bokovo|Bokovo. In August 1942, the division was called back to Italy, and stationed in the Alessandria-Novi Ligure area. In November 1942, Taro participated in Case Anton, occupying Vichy France area north of Toulon and the coastal strip to the east, from :fr:Cap Brun|Cape Brun to Cavalaire-sur-Mer. It quartered in Cuers, Méounes-lès-Montrieux, Pierrefeu-du-Var and Carnoules.
The names of 4 Italian men attached to the Taro Division can be found in the CROWCASS List established by the Anglo-American Allies of the individuals wanted by Yugoslavia for war crimes.

Orders of battle

Order of battle (1940)