4 Mountain Infantry Division Livorno - Sicily

Sicily

The Livorno Division was the only Italian mobile division in Sicily and was considered by the Germans and most Italians to be far superior to the other divisions. As they had originally been intended for the assault on Malta. It consisted of high quality troops and it had sufficient transport to move all of its infantry units simultaneously. They carried out a substantial counter attack and threatened to throw the invaders back into the sea. On 10 July Livorno infantry supported by the 155th Bersaglieri Motorcycle Company and a column of tanks poured onto Highways 115 and 117 and nearly retook the city of Gela, but guns from the destroyer Shubrick and the cruiser Boise destroyed several Fiat 3000 tanks (a variant of the French Renault tank). The Amphibious Battle of Gela was reported by an American newspaper: "Supported by no less than forty-five tanks, a considerable force of infantry of the Livorno Division attacked the American troops around Gela. The American division beat them back with severe casualties. This was the heaviest response to the Allied advance." The Livorno regrouped made a further attempt to retake Gela two days later and the 3rd Battalion, 34 Livorno Regiment, is recorded by its Commanding Officer as having made a valiant effort in the Gela Beachhead. The survivors were withdrawn to mainland Italy in August 1943. It surrendered to the German forces in September 1943.