page_title: 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore
section_title: Battle analysis
hierarchical_section_title: 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore / History / El Alamein / Battle analysis
caption_attribution_description: Second Battle of El Alamein: 7th Armoured Division, 44th Infantry Division, 50th Infantry Division along with the Greek 1st Infantry Brigade and the Free French Brigade attack Folgore Parachutist Division from three directions: 10:30pm- October 25th, 1942 until 3am- October 26th, 1942.
context_page_description: 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore or 185ª Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore was a Parachute Division of the Italian Army during World War II.
context_section_description: At El-Alamein, throughout several engagements, the paratroopers were either able to resist the attacks made upon them or, when the Allied forces had been successful in completely wiping out the first line of Folgore outposts, to reform again, usually counterattacking. The main Allied effort during the battlewas in the northern part of the Axis line. However, the four divisions attacking the Folgore positions in the south had also been given breakthrough objectives. The 7th Armoured Division had been ordered to spare their tanks, so their attacks were called off after the bloody fighting during the night of October 24: 31 Allied tanks were destroyed or damaged during that night alone. At the end of the battle of El Alamein, Harry Zinder of Time magazine noted that the Italians paratroopers fought better than had been expected, and commented that: "In the south, the famed Folgore Paratroopers Division fought to the last round of ammunition". With a few survivors and some replacement, the 285º Battaglione Paracadutisti "Folgore", a battaillon-size unit commandeered by Captain Lombardini, was formed, and participated to the defense of the Mareth Line in Tunisia in mid 1943, particularly at the Battle of Takrouna, where it was destroyed.
caption: The second Battle of El Alamein: 7th Armoured Division, 44th Infantry Division, 50th Infantry Division and Free French Brigade attack Folgore from three directions: 10:30pm October 25, 1942, until 3am October 26, 1942.
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