The first M-battalions were formed in October 1941, these were meant to be the elite units of the blackshirts and were formed from units that had distinguished themselves during the fighting in Greece. Most of the battalions would end up on the Eastern front suffering heavy losses. The surviving elements were withdrawn in 1943 and used to form the 1. Blackshirt Armored Division M (1. Divisione corazzata CCNN "M"). It was equipped with German vehicles and weapons and the initial training was also led by German officers.
This unit was meant to be a bodyguard unit to Mussolini but it failed to react when he was forced from power. It was redesignated 136. Armored Division Centauro II.

Honor title

The M in the title refers to Benito Mussolini.

Order of battle

Group M Montebello
-  6. CCNN Battalion
-  12. CCNN Battalion
-  30. CCNN Battalion
Group M Taliamento
-  41. CCNN Battalion
-  63. CCNN Battalion
-  79. CCNN Battalion
Armored Group Leonessa
-  Armored Company (12 Panzer IV/G)
-  Armored Company (12 Panzer III/N)
-  Sturmgeschütz Company (12 StuG III)
Valle Scrivia Artillery Regiment
-  6 x Battery
205. Engineer Battalion
228. Carabinieri Section

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)

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -