133rd Armoured Division Littorio 133rd Armoured Division Littorio or 133° Divisione Corazzata Littorio ( Italian ) was an armoured division of the Italian Army during World War II . The division was formed in 1939 from the Infantry Division Littorio ( 4 Infantry Division Littorio ) that had taken part in the Spanish Civil War . It was a reserve unit during the invasion of France when it attacked through the Little St Bernard Pass , which was halted by the French defenders . It then took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia , fighting at Mostar and Trebinje . It was sent to North Africa in the spring of 1942 were it fought until it was destroyed at the Second battle of El Alamein in November 1942 . Formation . 133rd Armoured Division Littorio was the third Italian armoured division formed , after the 131 Armoured Division Centauro and the 132 Armoured Division Ariete The original Littorio Division had fought in the Spanish Civil War as a unit of regular army " Volunteers " . When they returned to Italy early in 1939 , the division was converted to an armoured division but kept the fascist - inspired name " Littorio " The new Armoured Division had four Tank battalions , three Infantry battalions and two Artillery Regiments . Italian invasion of France . During the Italian invasion of France , the Italian forces numbered about 700 , 000 troops . However , while they enjoyed a huge numerical superiority to the French , they had several deficiencies . The Italian armoured regiments from the " Littorio " had between 150 to 250 L3 / 35 tanks each . But these vehicles were often classified as " tankettes " and were little more than lightly armoured machine - gun carriers not suited for modern warfare . On 20 June , the Italian campaign began and on 21 June , troops of the Italian Royal Army crossed the French border in three places The Italians attacked in two directions . One force attempted to advance through the Alps and another force attempted to advance along the Mediterranean coast towards Nice . Initially , the Italian offensive enjoyed a limited level of success . The French defensive lines on the Italian border were weakened due to French High Command shuffling forces to fight the Germans . Some French mountain units had been sent to Norway . However , the Italian offensive soon stalled at the fortified Alpine Line in the Alps region and at the southern end of the Maginot Line in the Mediterranean region . The attack through the Little Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps had to stop due to a massive snow storm . Yugoslavia . The Division was part of the Italian Second Army that faced the Yugoslavian Seventh Army . The Italians encountered limited resistance and occupied parts of Slovenia , Croatia , and the coast of Dalmatia . Western Desert . The " Littorio " was never intended for desert operations , but due to the situation in the western desert in Libya and Egypt the requirement for mobile formations had become urgent . The second Italian armoured division " Ariete " Division , was already in the desert . The first units of the " Littorio " arrived in Tripoli , the capital and major port of Libya , in early January 1942 , but had to wait until March for the complete division to arrive . By April , the division had reached Benghazi , but their advance was hampered , as the division ’ s transport had been diverted to carry much needed supplies to the front . " Littorio " did not participate in the Battle of Gazala , though British accounts usually include its troop and tank strengths in the Axis total . A small battlegroup arrived at the front on 20 June , as the battle was ending , and participated in the attack on Tobruk . But the division as a whole would not actually enter combat for some weeks . First Battle of El Alamein . In the First Battle of El Alamein , the German commander Erwin Rommel ' s planned for the 90th Light Division , 15th Panzer Division and 21st Panzer Division to penetrate the Eighth Army lines between the Alamein box and Deir el Abyad . 90th Light was then to veer north to cut the coastal road and trap the Alamein box defenders and the " Afrika Korps " would veer right to attack the rear of XIII Corps . The " Ariete " division would then attack the Alamein box from the west . The Italian XX Corps was to follow the Afrika Korps and deal with the Qattara box while the Italian " Littoro " Armoured Division and German reconnaissance units would protect the right flank Battle of Alam el Halfa . In the Battle of Alam el Halfa the " Littorio " were now part of the Italian XX Motorised Corps which also included the Italian 101 Motorised Division Trieste and the 132 Armoured Division Ariete . The German attack started at dawn but was quickly stopped by a flank attack from British 8th Armoured brigade . The Germans suffered little , as the British were under orders to spare their tanks for the coming offensive but they could make no headway either and were heavily shelled . Meanwhile the " Littorio " and " Ariete " Armoured Divisions had moved up on the left of the " Afrika Korps " and the 90th Light Division and elements of Italian X Corps had drawn up to face the southern flank of the New Zealand box . Under constant air raids throughout the day and night and on the morning of 2 September , realising his offensive had failed and that staying in the salient would only add to his losses , Rommel decided to withdraw . Second Battle of El Alamein . The Second Battle of El Alamein is usually divided into five phases , consisting of the break - in ( 23 to 24 October ) , the crumbling ( 24 to 25 October ) , the counter ( 26 to 28 October ) , Operation Supercharge ( 1 to 2 November ) and the breakout ( 3 to 7 November ) . No name is given to the period from 29 to 31 October when the battle was at a standstill . 25 October . The " Littorio " was held in reserve behind the Infantry divisions to the rear of Miteirya Ridge on the 25 October the Axis forces launched a series of attacks using 15th Panzer and " Littorio " divisions . The Panzerarmee was probing for a weakness , but found none . When the sun set the Allied infantry went on the attack and around midnight 51st ( Highland ) Division launched three attacks , but no one knew exactly where they were . Pandemonium and carnage ensued , resulting in the loss of over 500 Allied troops , and leaving only one officer among the attacking forces . By this time the " Trento " Division had lost half its infantry and most of its artillery , 164th Light Afrika Division had lost two battalions and although the 15th Panzer and " Littorio " Divisions had held off the Allied armour , this had proved costly and most units were under strength . Rommel was convinced by this time that the main assault would be in the north and was determined to retake Point 29 . He ordered a counterattack against Point 29 by 15th Panzer , 164th Light Africa Divisions and elements of Italian XX Corps to begin at 1500 Hrs but under heavy artillery and air attack this came to nothing . During the day he also started to draw his reserves to what was becoming the focal point of the battle : 21st Panzer and part of the " Ariete " moved north during the night to reinforce the 15th Panzer and " Littorio " Divisions and 90th Light Division at El Daba were ordered forward while the " Trieste " Division were ordered from Fuka to replace them . 21st Panzer and the Ariete made slow progress during the night as they were heavily bombed 2 November . At 1100Hrs on 2 November The remains of 15th Panzer , 21st Panzer and " Littorio " Armoured Divisions counterattacked the British 1st Armoured Division and the remains of British 9th Armoured Brigade , which by that time had dug in with a screen of anti - tank guns and artillery together with intensive air support . The counter - attack failed under a blanket of shells and bombs , resulting in a loss of some 100 tanks . Fighting continued throughout 3 November but the British 2nd Armoured Brigade were held by elements of the " Afrika Korps " and tanks of the " Littorio " . 4 November . The 4 November saw the destruction of the " Littorio " , " Ariete " and the Trieste Motorised Division which were attacked by the British 1st and 10th Armoured Division s . Berlin radio claimed that in this sector the " British were made to pay for their penetration with enormous losses in men and material . The Italians fought to the last man . " Private Sid Martindale , 1st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders , wrote : Harry Zinder of " Time " magazine noted that the Italians fought better than had been expected , and commented that for the Italians : Aftermath . The German records after the Battle for the 28 October reveal the three divisions most affected , 15th Panzer , 21st Panzer and " Littorio " , were 271 tanks down on the total with which they had started the battle on the 23 October . This figure includes tanks out of action through mechanical failure as well as through mines or other battle damage , but by this time repairs and replacements were hardly keeping pace with daily losses . The surviving enemy tank states indicate that from the 28th to the 31st the two German divisions found it difficult to muster 100 tanks in running order between them , while Littorio had between 30 and 40 . Commander . Order of battle . Order of Battle of the 133rd Littorio on October 23 , 1942