At the beginning of June 1940, the "Livorno" division was deployed at the border with France, south-west of Vinadio, concentrating at Pas de Saint-Anne and . Rear echelons stretched back to . It started operations on 13 June 1940 by shelling across the border. The actual advance started 15 June 1940 with the capture of Collalunga pass at altitude 2608 m. There was intermittent fighting mostly in the form of artillery barrage until 23 June 1940, when fierce fighting erupted. After a day-long assault, the Italian forces were able to break the French defenses and reached Saint-Honorat in La Bollène-Vésubie commune. Afterward, the advance stalled and not much progress was made until the armistice of 25 June 1940. The "Livorno" division was reformed into an assault-landing division in March 1942, for the planned Invasion of Malta. When the invasion was canceled it was transferred to Sicily in mid-February 1943, and was planned to be shipped to North Africa but that order was canceled.