25th Motorised Division Bologna The 25th Motorised Division Bologna ( Italian : " 25 Divisione Autotrasportabile " Bologna " " ) was a semi - motorised infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II . It was stationed in Tripolitania and was sent to Libya for the Italian invasion of Egypt . It fought in North Africa until it was destroyed in the Second Battle of El Alamein . Garrisoned in Naples , it was made up almost entirely of conscripts of the city . Siege of Tobruk . The sector manned by the " Bologna " Division on the Tobruk perimeter consisted of several strongpoints manned by infantry and artillery units , all surrounded by minefields . On 21 November 1941 , the " Bologna " repulsed a British attempt to penetrate their positions as part of Operation Crusader . That morning , the division was attacked by British forces ( 2nd / King ’ s Own , 2nd / Black Watch , 2nd / Queen ’ s and 4th RTR with Matilda tanks ) and the attackers overran part of the " Bologna " , but the attacks were largely defeated by the Italian division In summing up the experience of the 2nd Battalion the Black Watch in the attack , the " Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War " wrote that " " The superlative élan of the Black Watch in the attack had been equalled by the remarkable persistence of the defence in the face of formidable tank - and - infantry pressure . " " On 23 November , the " Bologna " Division again withstood a determined attack from Tobruk aimed at penetrating into the area of Sidi Rezegh , and bought sufficient time to allow the " Pavia " Division to mount a counter - attack and defeat the British assault , as a German narrative recorded : The " Bologna ' s " front now extended some 8 miles , and on November 25 , the division was assaulted by 50 British tanks and forced to withdraw some distance . The British advance was finaly halted by the timely arrival of reinforcements in the form of a Bersaglieri battalion of the " Trieste " Division . The " Bologna ' s " defenders were gradually pushed back to the " Leopard strongpoint " , covering their retreat with mines and machine - gun nests , but by the end of the month the Tobruk breakout was judged a success among British commanders until the supporting " Trieste " Division severed the link the New Zealanders had established with the Tobruk garrison . Despite the German 90th Light Division pulling out of the Tobruk sector on 4 December , the " Bologna " Division held out until the night of 8 – 9 December when trucks were finally assigned to give them some support in the evacuation process . However , it was to take a further assault against the Italian rearguard from the " Trieste " Division on White Knoll Hill led by the Polish Carpathian Brigade ( SBSK ) , supported by tanks and artillery , before the siege of Tobruk was finally lifted on the morning of December 10 . The Alamein Battles . In July 1942 , the " Bologna " Division was summoned from Gazala to reinforce the Alamein front , marching 400 miles , being reviewed and congratulated by Benito Mussolini on the way . On the night of 25 – 26 August , the " Bologna " came under heavy artillery attack and the New Zealand 28th " Maori " Battalion , under the cover of darkness , breached part of the Italian defensive positions , but lost 25 killed , wounded and captured in the action . The attacking Maoris later reported that there were 100 Italian , dead , wounded and captured during the attack . During the Battle of Alam el Halfa , the " Bologna " and German 433rd Infantry Regiment attacked several Indian , South African and New Zealand units on Ruweisat Ridge , and managed to capture Point 211 . Cyril Falls , a noted military historian , later wrote an article about the Italo - German counterattack : " In the centre of the British front a good Italian division , the Bologna , delivered a strong attack on the Ruweisat Ridge , and a considerable counter - attack was required to expel it from the footing it gained . " In the first attack on Ruweisat Ridge , during the Second Battle of Alamein , the " Bologna " Division supported by two battalions of the German Ramcke Parachute Brigade achieved some success , taking 40 prisoners . Private Sid Martindale , 1st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders , wrote about 25th " Bologna " Infantry Division , which had taken the full weight of the British armoured attack : " Bologna " and the remainder of " Trento " Division tried to fight their way out of Alamein and marched in the desert without water , food , or transport before surrendering exhausted and dying from dehydration . It was reported that Colonel Arrigo Dall ' Olio , acting commanding of the " Bologna " , surrendered saying , " " We have ceased firing not because we haven ' t the desire but because we have spent every round . " " In a symbolic act of final defiance no one in " Bologna " Division raised their hands . Harry Zinder of " Time " magazine noted that the Italians fought better than had been expected , and commented that :