185th Airborne Division Folgore 185th Airborne Division Folgore or 185ª Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore was a Parachute Division of the Italian Army ( in Italian " Regio Esercito " ) during World War II . History . The division was formed on 1 September 1941 in Tarquinia , as the 1ª Divisione Paracadutisti . The division was intended to be used in Operation Hercules - the planned Axis invasion of Malta . Initially the division was made up of the following units : Each Parachute Infantry Battalion fielded one Headquarters and three Parachute Infantry Companies . Each Parachute Artillery Group fielded one Headquarters and two Parachute Artillery Batteries armed with 47 / 32 M35 cannons . The VIII Parachute Engineer Battalion fielded one Headquarters and three Parachute Engineer Companies . The Division was well equipped with modern automatic weapons ( Beretta submachine gun , Breda M37 and Breda M38 heavy machine guns ) and many support weapons , giving the paratroopers of the division a good firepower against infantry and light tanks , but without any transports or medium and heavy artillery . After the cancellation of the invasion of Malta the division was sent to the North African theater . However it left the 1st Parachute Infantry Regiment with one battalion in Italy as foundation for the 184th Airborne Division " Nembo " . In June 1942 the divisions name was changed to 185th Airborne Division " Folgore " and its regiments renumbered and renamed as well . In North Africa the division participated in the Battles of El Alamein , where the division was the protagonist of a strong resistance against the attacking Commonwealth forces , managing also to drive off some attacks conducted by tanks and heavy infantry . In the course of the Second Battle of El Alamein the division was completely destroyed . El Alamein . During the Second battle of El Alamein the " Folgore " Division was under attack from three British divisions 44th ( Home Counties ) Infantry Division , 50th ( Northumbrian ) Infantry Division , 7th Armoured Division , and the 1st Free French Brigade . Operation Lightfoot launched on 24 October 1942 , was designed to break through the supposed " weak " Italian - held southern sector of the Alamein line where the " Bologna " , " Brescia " , " Pavia " and " Folgore " Divisions anchored the right flank . The British attack began with an artillery barrage , followed by an all out assault by the 7th Armoured and 44th Infantry divisions . However , all that was achieved at a high cost of life and equipment was a small salient , which was soon recaptured by the " Folgore " . In the following days between 25 October and 4 November , the 50th , 7th , 44th divisions , 1st and 2nd Free French and the Royal Hellenic Brigades , supported by artillery and armour , failed to break through in the southern sector . The " Folgore " used everything at their disposal including letting the enemy advance into a " cul - de - sac " and then launching a counterattack from all sides . They also used their 47mm Anti - tank guns from enfilade positions and Molotov cocktails to knock out the advancing tanks . In the initial British assault alone the " Folgore " had destroyed over 120 armoured vehicles , and inflicted over 600 casualties . On 6 November , after having exhausted all its ammunition , the remainder of the Division surrendered . The few survivors , who managed to withdraw , were reorganized into the " 285 Folgore Parachute Battalion " and fought in Tunisia , they surrendered to the British in 1943 , but without having to show a white flag and without having to raise their hands while surrendering . Battle analysis . At El - Alamein , throughout several engagements , the paratroopers were either able to drive back the attacks or , when the enemy had been successful in completely wiping out the first line of outposts , to reform again , usually counterattacking . In spite of the overwhelming numbers , the British made little headway against them , and in the end , the Folgore was ordered to fall back because the enemy obtained a breakthrough elsewhere . The reasons behind this limited victory of sorts are two : mines and " guts " . The mines were of course an invaluable asset for the defense . Here the minefields were extensive , thick , and treacherous ; furthermore , the mines were in multiple fields . They forced the attackers to move slowly and to stick to the bottlenecks of the cleared pathways , often under observed artillery fire . Whenever the exit of the cleared track was within reach of one of the short - ranged Italian 47mm AT guns , it was easy to block the attack , provided that the first tank or two were disabled . But the British had effective mine - clearing task forces , flail tanks ( the Scorpions ) and Valentine tank s , and heavy artillery barrages to move behind . All of their main attacks , in the end , came through the minefields . There , the outnumbered paratroops , after hours of artillery fire , counterattacked the infantry and close assaulted the tanks , with grenades and molotov cocktails . Notwithstanding the heavy casualties they suffered , and temporary British successes in occupying several positions in the first outpost line , they held their ground . The main British effort , of course , was in the northern part of the line of the " Battle of El Alamein " . However , the four divisions attacking the Folgore positions in the south , had also been given breakthrough objectives , that they did not reach . 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 British tanks were destroyed or disabled 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 parachute 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 completely destroyed . Order of battle . The division was sent to Africa and fought in the Battle of El Alamein with the following structure : Honours . For tits conduct during the Second Battle of El Alamein the divisions as whole was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor . The 185th Artillery , 186th Paratroopers and 187th Paratroopers regiments received a second Gold Medal for specific actions during the Second Battle of El Alamein . Additionally the following soldiers of the division were awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor during the Western Desert Campaign : " Folgore " Combat Group . On 25 September 1944 the Italian Co - Belligerent Army raised the " Folgore " Combat Group with soldiers and materiel from the disbanded 184th Airborne Division " Nembo " . After the war the combat group became the " Folgore " Mechanized Division , which was disbanded on 31 October 1986 . " Folgore " Parachute Brigade . On 1 January 1963 the Italian Army raised the " Folgore " Parachute Brigade in Pisa . After the end of the Cold War the Italian Army decided to rename the battalions in its brigades as regiments for historical reasons . Therefore , the battalions in the " Folgore " Parachute Brigade were given the names of the regiments of the former 185th Airborne Division " Folgore " .