The 5. Army  was formed in Libya on 7 September 1939. After defending Cyrenaica and the approaches to Tripoli, the army was disbanded on 16 February 1941 and incorporated into General Headquarters North Africa.
The army was reformed on 15 April 1941 to guard the coastal zone between Benghazi and the Tunisian border. The army was again disbanded on 5 September 1941.

Reformed in Florence on 10 April 1942, the army provided coastal defense of Tuscany and Sardinia. It also assumed responsibility for occupying Corsica in November 1942. Upon the surrender of Italy in September 1943, the army was disarmed and imprisoned by the Germans.

Commanders

Generale designato d’Armata Italo Gariboldi (1939 – 1941)
Generale d’Armata Mario Caracciolo di Feroleto (1941 – 1941, 1942 – 1943)

Sources used

W. Victor Madeja – Italian Army Order of Battle: 1940-1944 – Between Fascism and Monarchy

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -