23rd Infantry Division Ferrara

23rd Infantry Division Ferrara
23rd Infantry Division Ferrara Insignia
Active	1939–1943
Country	Regno d'Italia Kingdom of Italy
Branch	Regio Esercito Royal Italian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Garrison/HQ	Bari
Nickname(s)	Ferrara
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	General Licurgo Zannini

The 23rd Infantry Division Ferrara was a mountain infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. It was formed as division Murgia 28 March 1939. The name was changed to Ferrara 24 May 1939. The only difference between line infantry divisions and mountain infantry divisions was that the latter's artillery was carried by pack mules instead of the standard horse-drawn carriages. Italy's real mountain warfare divisions were the six alpine divisions manned by the "Alpini" mountain troops. After the Italian surrender to the Allies in September 1943, the Division surrendered to the Germans. Its men were drafted in Bari and in the Murge.

The than Murgia division has participated in the occupation of the Albania as part of the Italian 11th Army, XXV Corps., landing partially in Durrës 7 April 1939 and spreading to Vlorë, Fier, Tepelenë, Patos-Marinza Oil Field and Kuçova oil field by 9 April 1939. 25 April 1939, the division headquarters were relocated to Gjirokastër with separate detachments in Berat, Tepelenë, Këlcyrë and Përmet covering the southern Albanian border.

At the beginning of Greco-Italian War 28 October 1940, the Ferrara division was stretched from Aoös valley to Mal Stugarë mount. It was expected in the case of the war to act offensively, advancing at Gjirokastër-Kalpaki-Ioannina direction. 30 October 1940, the division has entered few hundred meters into a Greek territory near Kakavia (border crossing) and stopped at Fitóki Potamós stream (tributary of Drino). Advancing by road, it was able to capture a railroad junction at Kalpaki, but failed to dislodge town garrison immediately. Greek resistance, initially weak, has grown rapidly, and Ferrara division was fought to halt, both because of enemy resistance and adverse weather turning a few passable roads and trails into the muddy traps. On the right flank, 1–3 November 1940, a battle was fought for the control of mountain chain near Mesovuni mount. But then the outnumbered Greek have retreated to the Thyamis river. The Italian forces have fought their way across Thyamis into the town of Chrisorrachi few kilometres south of Kalpaki 5 November 1940. But at the critical road junction of Kalpaki Italians were halted just 500 metres from city centre 6 November 1940.