The 1. Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo (1. Divisione CCNN 23 Marzo) was formed in 1935 for service in the Italo-Ethiopian War and was disbanded after the end of that war in 1936.

A new 1. Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo was raised in 1939 and was sent to Libya in the summer of 1940. It took part in the invasion of Egypt and was destroyed at Bardia, Libya, in January 1941.

Honor title

It was named 23 Marzo (23 March) in honor of the founding of the Italian Fascist Party 23 March 1919.

Order of battle

219. CCNN Legion
-   114. G. Veroli CCNN Battalion
-   118. Volsca CCNN Battalion
-   119. N. Ricciotti CCNN Battalion
233. CCNN Legion
-   129. Adriatica CCNN Battalion
-   133. Lupi di Matese CCNN Battalion
-   148. Tavogliere CCNN Battalion
XLI Light Tank Battalion
1. CCNN Anti-tank Company
201. MG Battalion
201. Artillery Regiment
201. Mixed Engineer Battalion

Sources used

Piero Crociani & Piero Paolo Battistelli - Italian Blackshirt 1935-45
George F. Nafziger - Italian Order of Battle: An organizational history of the Italian Army in World War II (3 vol)
Rex Tyre - Mussolini's Afrika Korps: The Italian Army in North Africa 1940-1943

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -