59th Infantry Division "Cagliari"
The 59th Infantry Division "Cagliari" (Italian: 59ª Divisione di fanteria "Cagliari") was a infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Cagliari was classified as a mountain infantry division, which meant that the division's artillery was moved by pack mules instead of the horse-drawn carriages of line infantry divisions. Italy's real mountain warfare divisions were the six alpine divisions manned by Alpini mountain troops.
| 59th Infantry Division "Cagliari" | |
|---|---|
59th Infantry Division "Cagliari" insignia | |
| Active | 1939–1943 |
| Country | Kingdom of Italy |
| Branch | Royal Italian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Vercelli |
| Engagements | World War II Italian invasion of France Greco-Italian War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | General Antonio Scuero |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | Cagliari Division gorget patches |
The division was formed on 5 April 1939 in Vercelli and named for the city of Cagliari. Garrisoned in Vercelli, the division was made up almost entirely of men from northern Piedmont, especially from the cities of Vercelli and Ivrea. The division participated in the Greco-Italian War in 1940-41 and was then sent to the Peloponnese in Greece as garrison unit. There the division was disbanded by invading German forces after the Armistice of Cassibile between Italy and the Allies was announced on 8 September 1943.