50th Infantry Division Regina

The 50th Infantry Division Regina was an infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Regina Division was a regular division of the Italian Army. The only combat it was involved in was when its 10th Regina Infantry Regiment was involved in the Battle of Crete in 1941. The rest of the division was used as an occupying force in the Dodecanese Islands. After the Italian surrender to the Allies in September 1943, the division fought against the Germans until October 1943.

Battle of Kos
The division together with British forces fought against the Germans in the Battle of Kos. The British forces on Kos numbered about 1,500 men, 680 of whom where from the 1st Bn, Durham Light Infantry, the rest being mainly RAF personnel, and ca. 3,500 Italians of the 10th Regiment of the Regina Division. On 3 October, the Germans effected amphibious and airborne landings known as "Operation Polar Bear" (Unternehmen Eisbär) and reached the outskirts of the island's capital later that day. The British withdrew under cover of night. They surrendered the next day. The fall of Kos was a major blow to the Allies, since it deprived them of vital air cover. The Germans captured 1388 British and 3145 Italian prisoners. On 3 October, German troops executed the captured Italian commander of the island, Colonel Felice Leggio, and one-hundred-and-one of his officers. This was done in accordance with Adolf Hitler's order of 11 September to execute captured Italian officers.

Commander
General Alessandro Piazzoni

Order of battle

 * 9. Regina Infantry Regiment
 * 10. Regina Infantry Regiment
 * 309. Infantry Regiment
 * 331. Infantry Regiment
 * 50. Artillery Regiment
 * 35. Coastal Defence Artillery Group
 * 36. Coastal Defence Artillery Group
 * 24. CCNN Legion
 * 201. CCNN Legion
 * 50. Mortar Battalion
 * 50. Anti-Tank Company
 * 23. Anti-Tank Company
 * 46. Signal Company
 * 91. Pioneer Company
 * 250. Pioneer Company