The 7th CC.NN. Division "Cirene" () was an Italian CC.NN. (Blackshirts militia) division raised on 27 April 1936 for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War against Ethiopia and disbanded on 15 September 1936 after the war's end. The name "Cirene" was chosen to commemorate the Roman city of Cyrene () located in the Cyrenaica, where the division was deployed. The division's commander was Lieutenant General Guido Scandolara. The division was deployed in Libya during the war against Abyssinia to threaten the Suez Canal should the British close it to Italian traffic. It was never deployed to Abyssinia, but was considered to take part in the campaign. It actually acted as a local garrison and engaged in various construction projects.
Organization Below follows the division's organization during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and the cities, in which its CC.NN. battalions and companies/batteries were raised.
7th CC.NN. Division "Cirene" 190th CC.NN. Legion "Pisa", in Pisa Command Company CXC CC.NN. Battalion CCCXLI CC.NN. Battalion, in Caserta 196th CC.NN. Legion "Petrarca", in Arezzo Command Company CXCVI CC.NN. Battalion, in Arezzo CCXLV CC.NN. Battalion, in Castellammare di Stabia 198th CC.NN. Legion "Maremma", in Grosseto Command Company CXCVIII CC.NN. Battalion, in Grosseto CCXL CC.NN. Battalion, in Salerno 219th CC.NN. Legion "Ricciotti", in Frosinone Command Company CCXIX CC.NN. Battalion, in Frosinone CCXLIV CC.NN. Battalion, in Avellino 241st CC.NN. Legion "Volturno", in Caserta Command Company CCVII CC.NN. Battalion, in Zadar CCXLI CC.NN. Battalion, in Caserta 267th CC.NN. Legion "Etna", in Catania Command Company CCXLVIII CC.NN. Battalion, in Foggia CCLXVII CC.NN. Battalion, in Catania 271st CC.NN. Legion "Vespri", in Palermo Command Company CCLXXI CC.NN. Battalion, in Palermo CCLXXVI CC.NN. Battalion, in Cagliari 352nd CC.NN. Legion "Acciaiata", in Lecce Command Company CCCLII CC.NN. Battalion, in Lecce CCCLXIII CC.NN. Battalion, in Reggio Calabria 7th Motorized Artillery Regiment (Royal Italian Army) Command Unit 3x Artillery groups Ammunition and Supply Unit VII Mixed Transport Unit (Royal Italian Army) VII Supply Unit (Royal Italian Army) 2x CC.NN. replacement battalions 180th CC.NN. Machine Gun Company 180th CC.NN. Artillery Battery (65/17 infantry support guns) 4th Artillery Battery (65/17 infantry support guns, Royal Italian Army) 7th Special Engineer Company (Royal Italian Army) 7th Medical Section (Royal Italian Army) 7th Logistic Section (Royal Italian Army) 7th Carabinieri Section
References
Sources Ettore Lucas and Giorgio de Vecchi, "Storia delle Unità Combattenti della MVSN 1923-1943", Giovanni Volpe Editore, 1976. pages 63 to 116 plus errata.
External links Regio Esercito: Divisione CC.NN. "Cirene"