By 10 June 1940, "Lombardia" was entrenched on the eastern border in the mountains flanking Ilirska Bistrica, with headquarters in Pula. The "Lombardia" Division took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia as part of the Italian V Corps, starting combat on 8 April 1941. On 11 April 1941 it broke opposing Yugoslavian forces and crossed the border at the Sora river valley. On 12 April 1941, the "Lombardia" division captured Podkilavac, Grobnik (near Čavle and Jelenje. By 13 April 1941 it reached Krasica and Škrljevo, at which point the Yugoslavian army ceased to offer resistance. On 15 April 1941, garrisons in coastal towns of Novi Vinodolski, , Crikvenica, and as far south as Žuta Lokva were established. The "Lombardia" division participated in Operation Uzice on the Serbian-Croatian border from 9 October 1941 to 9 November 1941. By 1942, garrisons were in Gerovo, Delnice, Ogulin and other places. It also took part in the Battle of the Neretva in early 1943. Partisan activity had grown in frequency and scale, and by September 1943 partisans routinely performed battalion-sized attacks on Italian checkpoints and railways. After the Italian surrender to the Allies on 8 September 1943, the "Lombardia" division was disbanded by the Germans.