208th Coastal Division (Italy)
The 208th Coastal Division () was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement. History. The division was activated on 15 November 1941 in Palermo by reorganizing the VIII Coastal Sector Command. The division was assigned to XII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the western half of the island of Sicily. The division was responsible for the coastal defense  of the coast between, but excluding the cities of Palermo and Trapani. The division fought against units of the American Seventh Army after the allies landed on Sicily on 10 July 1943. By 21 July 1943 the division had been severely decimated and was therefore officially declared lost due to wartime events. In July 1943 the 208th division was commanded by General Giovanni Marciani, who doubled as commander of Coastal Troops Command of XII Army Corps. Organization. Attached to the division: Commanding officers. The division's commanding officers were: