Many thanks to Arturo Filippo Lorioli for contributing this article.
The full OOB of the CSIR (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia - Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia) was as follows:
193rd, 194th and 684th Carabinieri (MP) Motor sections.
104th MG Bn.
1st Company, m/c Barsaglieri Bn.
2nd 47L32 AT Bn.
30th Army Corps Artillery Group, with:
60th, 61st, 62nd Battalions (105L32)
4th and 19th AA Battalions (75L46)
95th and 97th AA Companys (20L65)
Engineers Group, with:
4th Construction Eng. Bn.
1st and 9th Bridge Eng. Battalions.
8th LoC Eng. Bn.
1st Chemical Eng. Bn.
63rs CCNN (Blackshirts) Legion (Rgt) "TAGLIAMENTO", with:
63rd Cohort (Bn) "UDINE"
79th Cohort (Bn) "EMILIA"
later added 1x47L32 AT Company and 1x81mm Mortars Company.
14th Medical section
87th Logistical section
2nd Army Group Transport Group with 10 Battalions (over 5000 motor veichles!)
25th and 26th Carabinieri (MP) Motor sections. 79th and 80th Infantry Rgts. 8th Motor Artillery Rgt. 9th Mortars Bn. 5th Mortars Bn. (attached) 9th 47L32 AT Company. 141st 47L32 AT Company. (attached) 9th Telegraph and Radio Company. 30th Construction Engineers Company. 95th Photoelectricist Company. 5th Medical section. 11th Logistical section.
56th and 66th Carabinieri (MP) Motor sections. 81st and 82nd Infantry Rgts. 52nd Motor Artillery Rgt. 52nd Mortars Bn. 26th Mortars Bn. (attached) 52nd 47L32 AT Company. 171st 47L32 AT Company. (attached) 52nd Telegraph and Radio Company. 57th Construction Engineers Company. 69th Photoelectricist Company. 52nd Medical section. 52nd Logistical section.
355th and 356th Carabinieri (MP) Celere sections. 3rd "SAVOIA CAVALLERIA" Cav. Rgt. (Horse) 5th "LANCIERI DI NOVARA" Cav. Rgt. (Horse) 3rd Bersaglieri Rgt. (Motor) (17th, 20th and 25th Battalions) 3rd "VOLOIRE" Horse Arty. Rgt. 3rd Fast Tanks Group "SAN GIORGIO" (L3 Tanks) 173rd 47L32 AT Company. 172nd 47L32 AT Company. (attached) 105th Construction Engineers Company. 105th Radiotelegraph Company. 73rd Medical section. 93rd Logistical section.
22nd Fighter Squadron (359th, 362nd, 369th and 371st flights - Macchi 200) 61st Air Recce Squadron (34r�th, 119th and 128th flights - Ca.311)
The CSIR took part in the offensive in Ukraine under the control of the German 11th Army, and later of the 1st Panzerarmee, and the occupation of the industrial basin of the Donetz. Then it was employed in defensive operations from the end of 1941 to mid 1942, including the "Christmas Battle" and the two Russian offensives around Izjum.
In detail the PASUBIO fought at Pokrovskoje and Jasnaja Poljana (early August 1941, during the offensive to the Bug river). Some weeks later the PASUBIO and TORINO performed a well executed pincer attack at Petikovka (Dnieper river) bagging over 10.000 Russians. By the end of October the
CELERE conquered the rail center of Stalino, with a very brillant attack led by the 3rd Bersaglieri and the LANCIERI DI NOVARA. The CELERE and the PASUBIO conquered Gorlovka in early November, after much bitter house to house fighting and the TORINO occupied Rykovo. SoOn after the 80th PASUBIO Rgt was isolated at Nikitowka by a strong attack by the entire 74th Russian Rifles Div., beeing relieved after almost a week by the 79th PASUBIO, the 3rd Bersaglieri and the LANCIERI DI NOVARA rgts.
The TORINO was then engaged for over a month in continuous defensive actions (the main battles were at Ubescicce and Chazepetovka). On December 25th 1941 the Russian launched a strong offensive (known by the Italians as the "Christmas Battle") with the 74th, 136th, 265th and 296th Rifles Divs and the 35th and 68th Cavalry Divs. The CSIR was able to stop the attack, and even counterattack with good results. Then followed a period of relative calm until the Russian offensives on Izjum against the German 17th Army, when even the CSIR "alarm" unit, the Musinu Group (1st and 9th Eng Battalions, the SAN GIORGIO group - without tanks- and the 8th Motor Arty Rgt) was sent urgently to bolster the hard pressed Axis defensive line. The CSIR was hard pressed, expecialy the 1st Bn of the 81st TORINO Rgt, who fought a very brillant defensive action at Novaja Orlovka against 5 Russian Battalions.
Short after the CELERE div. was reorganized as a Motor Infantry Div. Its Cavalry units (SAVOIA CAVALLERIA, LANCIERI DI NOVARA and VOLOIRE arty) were formed as the Cavalry Group Barbo' by mid March 1942, while the CELERE was reorganized as follows :
3rd DIV. "PRINCIPE AMEDEO DUCA D'AOSTA" (Motorized) 355th and 356th Carabinieri (MP) Motor sections. 3rd Bersaglieri Rgt. (Motor) (17th, 20th and 25th Battalions) 6th Bersglieri Rgt (Motor) (11th, 13th and 19th Battalions) 90th Mortars Bn. 120th Motor Arty Rgt 13th Semoventi Group CAVALLEGGERI DI ALESSANDRIA (19 Sem 47/32 L6) 67th Bersaglieri Tank Bn (55 L6/40) 173rd 47L32 AT Company. 172nd 47L32 AT Company. 272nd 47L32 AT Company. 105th Construction Engineers Company. 105th Radiotelegraph Company. 73rd Medical section. 93rd Logistical section.
The CSIR recieved also by Mid-February three new arty Battalions with 149L40 guns and the Alpini ski Bn MONTE CERVINO, an outstanding unit that was much used in recce duties. From April to June 1942 the CSIR was engaged in the second Izjum battle, organized in 3 task forces under the control of the 3rd German Panzerkorps, as follows:
In July 1942 the CSIR become the 35th Corps of the 8th Italian Army, togheter with a newly arrived Alpini Army Corps of 3 Divs.
I hope that it is enough to make some of You paint some Italian units for the Eastern Front! The CSIR behaved very creditably, showing a very good
offensive spirit (it is not just my opinion, v.Mallenthin said the same). The equipments were the usual Italian medium-to-poor standard, but the
combat will and skill was there (over 9500 losses in less than one year, started and finished on the offensive!).