102nd Motorised Division Trento The 102nd Motorised Division " Trento " ( in ) was a motorised infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II . It was formed in 1939 and kept in reserve in Italy until it was moved to North Africa in February 1941 . It took part in Axis attacks across North Africa , following the Allied Operation Compass and suffered heavy losses at Tobruk . The division was then reformed and took part in all of the major battles of the Western Desert Campaign until it was destroyed during the Second Battle of El Alamein . North Africa . The " Trento " arrived in North Africa to reinforce the Italian Fifth Army following the Allied offensive Operation Compass , a counterattack by British and Commonwealth troops of the Western Desert Force in response to the Italian invasion of Egypt . The offensive resulted in the destruction of the Italian Tenth Army and the Allied occupation of the Italian province of Cyrenaica . Siege of Tobruk . The " Trento " took part in the Axis counterattack of March 1941 that forced the British and Commonwealth forces into retreat . While the Australian 9th Infantry Division fell back to the fortified port of Tobruk , the remaining British and Commonwealth forces withdrew a further east to Sollum , on the Libyan – Egyptian border . These moves initiated the 240 day long Siege of Tobruk , in which the " Trento " was involved . After the failure of the Axis attack on El Adem Erwin Rommel , the German officer commanding the counterattack , decided to attack the western sector of the Tobruk perimeter , around Ras el Madauar , on 15 April . He used the 132 Armoured Division Ariete along with the 62 Sicilia Infantry Regiment of the " Trento " division . A British communiqué on 17 April 1941 described the actions : The 2 / 43rd Battalion War Diary reported that " The Italians attacked our 48 Bn and whilst withdrawing they ( the Italians ) were fired upon by German tanks believed to be supporting the attack . " The Australians sent out Bren - gun carriers specifically to find the Italian battalions ' flank . The extra firepower finally stopped the Italians , and all firing ceased . Italian casualties turned out to be 24 dead , 112 wounded and 436 prisoners , including their colonel . He was so furious at having at having his unit shot up from behind on by supporting German tanks that he fully cooperated with Tobruk Headquarters . An intelligence assessment by the 2 / 43rd Battalion concluded that : On the night of 30 April , a strong Italo - German force attacks the Tobruk defences , and the " Ariete " , " Brescia " , 8th Bersaglieri Regiment and Guastatori ( combat engineers ) involved capture seven strongpoints ( R2 , R3 , R4 , R5 , R6 , R7 and R8 ) . On the night of 3 May , the Australians counterattack but the Italians in the form of the " Trento " and " Pavia " Divisions repel the attack and the attackers are only able to recapture one strongpoint from the defending Italian troops On the night of 16 May , the " Brescia " Division retaliates with the help of two platoons of the 32nd Combat Engineer Battalion and breaches the defensive perimeter of the 2 / 9th and 2 / 10th Battalions . With the obstacles removed , the " Brescia " troops involved , who bring flame - thrower parties and tanks , capture the S8 , S9 and S10 strongpoints . The Australians fight back and the Commanding Officer of the Guastatori ' s , Colonel Emilio Caizzo is killed in a satchel attack and wins a posthumous Gold Medal for valour . Although the Australian Official History admits losing three positions , it claims the attackers were ' Germans ' . However , an Italian narrative has recorded : " With great skill and speed the Guastatori open three lanes in the mines and obstacles to let the Brescia Fucilieri through . Side by side with the Brescia assault troops they inflict heavy loses on the enemy and take out further strong points with explosives and flamethrowers . " Australian military historian Mark Johnston states there was an " unwillingness to acknowledge reverses against Italians " in Australian official accounts . The Australian commander ( Major - General Leslie Morsehead ) is furious and orders the Australians to be far more vigilant in the future . Among the objectives initially selected during the planning of Operation Brevity was the recapture of S8 and S9 strongpoints , but this is abandoned when it is discovered the Australians had recovered them . On 24 May , the " Brescia " Division which has taken over the western front of Tobruk , repels an attacking infantry force , supported by tanks . On 2 August , another attack is launched to recover the lost strongpoints , but the attacking Australians ( 2 / 43rd Battalion and 2 / 28th Battalions ) are defeated . The " Trento " in the form of its 7th Bersaglieri Regiment soon arrives to replace the weary Italian forces defending the captured stronpoints , and the Australians continue to fight hard to recover them . On 2 August , the Australian 2 / 43rd and 2 / 28th Battalions , in a final attempt to recover the lost strongpoints , carry out a determined attack but are repulsed with heavy loss of life . After much fierce fighting , the Bersaglieri troops are finally ordered to move back to Gazala to rest and refit . Operation Brevity and Battleaxe . The British XIII Corps launched Operation Brevity on 15 May 1941 . The objective of the operation was to clear the Halfaya Pass and secure several footholds to create advantageous conditions from which to launch Operation Battleaxe . The principle Axis opposition was Kampfgruppe von Herff , positioned on the desert plateau , which included up to 50 German tanks and the 5th Motorised Infantry Battalion , " Trento " , as well as supporting arms . The front line area around Halfaya Pass was defended by two companies of Bersaglieri with artillery support . After a day of inconclusive fighting the operation was abandoned and British forces took control of the pass . Total Italian casualties during the operation are unknown , though at least 347 men were taken prisoner during the operation . On 5 August 1941 , Colonel von Herff praised the Bersaglieri , whom he said had defended Halfaya Pass " . . . with lionlike courage until the last man against stronger enemy forces . The greatest part of them died faithful to the flag . " The division next saw action during the Allied attack codenamed Operation Battleaxe in mid - June 1941 . The division was deployed forward with three infantry battalions and one artillery regiment stationed in the Sollum - Musaid - Capuzzo area . The rest of the division was located at Bardia . Operation Crusader . Operation Crusader was launched by the British Eighth Army between 18 November – 30 December 1941 , with the objective of relieving the siege of Tobruk . " Trento " was now part of the Italian XXI Corps with the 17 Infantry Division Pavia , the 25 Infantry Division Bologna , and the 27 Infantry Division Brescia . The attacks of the British 70th Division were checked for a time by the " Trento " , but the attackers were able to lift the siege of Tobruk on 10 December . Battle of Gazala . The Battle of Gazala was fought May – June 1942 . The plan was for the armoured and motorised divisions to perform a right flanking attack while the Italian XXI Corps and the Italian X Corps , which included the " Trento " , would advance parallel to the coast road . The " Trento " played an important role in the capture of 6 , 000 prisoners at Gazala on June 16 . Battle of Mersa Matruh . During the Battle of Mersa Matruh on 26 – 30 June 1942 , " Trento " , with the 46th Artillery and 7th Bersaglieri Regiments attached , played an important part in the capture of 6000 defenders of the Xth British Corps , along with large quantities of supplies . First Battle of El Alamein . During the First Battle of El Alamein , elements of the " Trento " put up a tenacious defense on Miteiriya Ridge , delaying the Allied advance for several hours and allowing an Italian armoured reconnaissance force to launch a devastating counterattack . Second Battle of El Alamein . Before the start of the Second Battle of El Alamein the " Trento " was positioned along the Miteirya Ridge . On 24 October they came under attack from the 2nd New Zealand Division supported by 10th Armoured Division . By 25 October the Allies had broken through the minefields and were positioned on top of the Meteirya Ridge . Italian casualties from incessant artillery and air attack had been heavy , particularly in the north . The " Trento " had lost half its infantry and most of its artillery . According to author Walter S . Zapotoczny ( a graduate of the U . S . Army Sergeant Majors ' Academy ) , the 61st and 62nd Infantry Regiments of the " Trento " Division had fought well , including the anti - tanks gunners of Captain Vigano and engineers of Colonel Randi that were attached to the division . On 2 November Rommel ordered the X and XXI Italian Corps and 90th Light Afrika Division to stand firm while the " Afrika Korps " would withdraw approximately six miles west during the night of 3 November , with XX Italian Corps and the " Ariete " Division conforming to their position .