First Army (Italy)

Italian First Army
Active 1914–1918
1939–1943
Country Italy
Branch Italian Army
Type Army
Engagements

World War I
World War II

Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Giovanni Messe

The Italian First Army was an Italian army formation, in World War I, facing Austro-Hungarian and German forces, and in World War II, fighting on the North African front.

World War I

During World War I, the First Army bore the responsibility of a long front from Stelvio Pass on the Swiss-Austrian Italian tri-border to the Asiago plateau. It successfully resisted the Austro-Hungarian Strafexpedition. Its sector was later reduced, limiting its role to the defense of the Trentino borders and the Verona area.

Its commanders were :

World War II

At the beginning of World War II, the Italian First Army was one of three armies that made up Army Group West commanded by Prince General Umberto di Savoia. Together with the Italian Fourth Army and the Italian Seventh Army (kept in reserve), the First Army attacked French forces during the Italian invasion of France. At this time, the First Army was commanded by General Pietro Pintor and included three army corps: the 2nd Corps commanded by General Francesco Bettini, the 3rd Corps - General Mario Arisio, and the 15th Corps commanded by General Gastone Gambara. (See order of battle, below.)

By 1942, after the defeat of Panzer Army Africa (Panzerarmee Afrika) at the Second Battle of El Alamein and after the Operation Torch landings, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was forced to make one of the longest retreats in history. He withdrew from the "Western Desert" of Egypt and Libya and established a defence on the French-built Mareth Line in southern Tunisia. After occupying the Mareth Line, Rommel took command of the newly created Army Group Africa and turned over the "German-Italian Panzer Army" (formerly "Panzer Army Africa") to Italian General Giovanni Messe. The army was once again renamed and on February 23, 1943, Messe took command of the "Italian First Army."

As part of Army Group Africa commanded by General Rommel, the First Army attacked Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army at Medenine, just east of the Mareth Line. However, the First Army was crushingly defeated. In addition, the attempt by Rommel and Arnim to breakthrough in Tunisia failed.

By the end of May, Allied troops had captured all of North Africa, and the First Army was part of the 270,000 Axis troops taken prisoner.

Order of Battle at 10 June 1940

[1]

2nd Corps

Commanded by General Francesco Bettini

Corps Reserves:

3rd Corps

Commanded by General Mario Arisio

Corps Reserves :

15th Corps

Commanded by General Gastone Gambara

Corps Reserves:

Army Reserves

Commanders

References

  1. ↑ Mulholland, John (18 July 2005). "Axis History Factbook". Retrieved 2008-09-03.
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