30ª CC.NN «Montebello» Italian Living History & Reenactment

Legion History

The 30ª Legione d'Assalto was raised in Novara, Militia Zone 1. Most legions were named for important historical or political party figures. The Legion was named for Roberto Forni. The legion was based in Novara in the north of Italy. On August 25, 1939, the legion was mobilized and attached to the Sforzesca Infantry Division and saw action in the Alps against the French in the fighting of June 21-24, 1940. In 1941, the Sforzesca Division along with the 30ª Legion, was sent to Albania to fight against the Greeks in Albania. It was on this struggle that the legion distinguished itself in combat, despite the setbacks suffered in that poorly planned campaign, that it was designated an "M" Battalion.

In 1941, Mussolini sent the XXXV Corps to Russia to make a gesture that Italy would be a part of the "Crusade against Bolshevism." The fact of the matter was that Hitler invaded the Soviet Union without consulting il Duce and he was furious at having been ignored. It had also long been an Italian goal to secure oil interests in the Black Sea area and by deploying Italian troops to the southern front of Operation Barbarossa, il Duce hoped to secure those possessions. He was already angry that Germans had moved into south-east Europe to sieze petroleum in what had always been perceived as an Italian sphere of influence. He was also embarrassed that Germany had to send its forces to support the Italians in Greece and was determined to prove that Italy was an equal partner in the Axis, not a junior.

The Corpo Spedizione d'Italiano in Russia (C.S.I.R.) would be further reinforced in September of 1942 and be known as the Italian 8th Army (A.R.M.I.R.) The 30ª Legione would be a part of the ill-fated Russian adventure. Blackshirts sent to the Soviet Union were part of the "3 Gennaio" Blackshirt Ragruppamento. Within 3 Gennaio, there were the "M" Blackshirt brigades Tagliamento and Montebello. Montebello was made up of three battalions, 12, 30, and 6 Support Battalion. In the fall of '42, approximately 230,000 Italians were operating against the Soviet Union while the Allies were making advances against Italian and German forces in North Africa.

The A.R.M.I.R. was placed under German command, part of Army Group B. The A.R.M.I.R. fought extensively in the southern Russia campaign, particularly so along the River Don which was the high-water mark during the Battle of Stalingrad. The tide had turned in 1943 against the Axis. Sandwiched between the Romanians and the Hungarians, the Italians held onto the Don while their allies collapsed under Soviet attack. As the Axis powers began to crumble, the Italians were encircled by the Russians in Operation Saturn. Fighting their way out against overwhelmingly superior numbers, the Italians began a long, dangerous retreat west. When news of the disaster in Russia became public, the Italian sentiment towards Mussolini fell drastically and contributed to his downfall on September 8th, 1943. Of the few survivors who returned, most came home frostbitten and disillusioned.