17th Infantry Division Pavia

17th Infantry Division Pavia
17th Infantry Division Pavia Insignia
Active	1939–1942 it existed since 1860 as Brigade Pavia
Country	Regno d'Italia Kingdom of Italy
Allegiance	Axis
Branch	Regio Esercito Royal Italian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Part of	Italian XX Corps (1940–1941) Italian X Corps (1941–1942)
Garrison/HQ	Ravenna
Nickname(s)	I Verdi di Gorizia (The Greens of Gorizia)
Motto(s)	Latin: Ardeam Dum Luceam
Engagements	World War II Operation Compass Battle of Agedabia Battle of Benghazi Battle of El Mechili Siege of Tobruk Battle of Gazala Operation Crusader Battle of El Adem Battle of Ruweisat Ridge Second Battle of El Alamein
Commanders
Notable commanders	Pietro Zaglio (1939–1941) Nazzareno Scattaglia (1941–1942)
Insignia
Mostrina (collar flash)

17th Infantry Division "Pavia" (Italian: 17° Divisione Autotrasportabile "Pavia") was an auto-transportable Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Pavia was formed in October 1939 and sent to Libya. It was never completely motorised as a formation. It was almost completely destroyed during the Second Battle of El Alamein. The Pavia was classified as an auto-transportable division, meaning staff and equipment could be transported on cars and trucks, although not simultaneously.

The Pavia Brigade originated during the Risorgimento on 1 March 1860, and was formed of two Infantry Regiments (the 27th and 28th). The Brigade participated in the Third Italian Independence War (1866), the First Italo-Ethiopian War (1896) and the First World War, when it was awarded the Ordine Militare d'Italia. In 1926 it become the XVII Pavia Infantry Brigade and in August 1939 was transformed into the 17th Pavia Division (reinforced with the 26th Artillery Regiment Artiglieria a Cavallo). Until 1939, the headquarters of the Division were in Ravenna, while the 27th Regiment had its barracks in Cesena. In 1940 the Division was deployed in Tripolitania and fought until November 1942, when it has surrendered near the El Alamein. After the Second World War the 28th Infantry Regiment was reorganized with its headquarters in Pesaro. The Regiment is still in existence and is now specialized in PsyOps.

The Pavia division was originally deployed 10 June 1940 on the Tunisian-Libian border and stayed on the same positions until 25 June 1940, when it was ordered to move to the Tripoli, Libia to perform the coastal defence in the Sabratha-Surman sector. By March, 1941, it was transferred closer to the Benghazi to participate in the Axis counter-attack of March–April 1941. Under Major-General Pietro Zaglio it attacked via the Balbia coast road from Ajdabiya on 31 March 1941, driving the Australian rearguards back to Mechili; on the 6th the town was surrounded. The "Fabris" and "Montemurro" Bersaglieri Motorised Battalions came up in support, along with the advance elements of the German 5th Light Division. On 8 April General Michael Gambier-Perry surrendered to Axis forces. In the aftermath of the counter-attack, the elements of the Pavia division were placed in Sirte area to defend an airfield near the Wādī Thāmit. The bulk of forces has continued an advance to reach the Derna, Libya and Martuba by 22 May 1941. In June, 1941, it started to participate in the Siege of Tobruk, and was involved in often intense action from highly aggressive Australian probing attacks.