The 33. Infantry Division Acqui was mobilized in October 1939 and took part in the attack against France. It was later sent to Albania to take part in the invasion of Greece and later as an occupation force on the islands of Corfu, Santa-Maura, Zante and Cefalonia.

Following the Italian surrender in September 1943 thousands of soldiers from this unit were murdered on the island of Cefalonia by Germans from the XXII Gebirgs-Armeekorps, for more info see that unit.

Commanders

Ernesto Chiminello
Antonio Gandin

Manpower strength

12.025

Order of battle

17. Acqui Infantry Regiment
18. Acqui Infantry Regiment
317. Infantry Regiment
33. Artillery Regiment
27. CCNN Legion
33. Mortar Battalion
33. Signal Company
31. Pioneer Company
33. Machine Gun Battalion
3. Medical Section
4. Supply Section
9. Field Bakery
7. Carabinieri Section

In fiction

The 2001 movie "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", based on the novel by Louis de Bernières, directed by John Madden covers the massacre of men from this unit.

Sources used

Rudy D'Angelo - Cefalonia 1943: Massacre of the Royal Italian Acqui Division (in The Military Advisor, Vol 8 No 2)
George F. Nafziger - Italian Order of Battle: An organizational history of the Italian Army in World War II (3 vol)
Jonathan Steinberg - All or nothing: The Axis and the Holocaust 1941-1943

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -