The 30th Blackshirt Legion Today -
This reenactment unit seeks to represent a squadra of riflemen legionaries. To that end, all who join start out as the Militia equivalent of a private, camicia nera. Each new recruit should gather up the essential pieces of kit, including Carcano cavalry carbine, in a reasonable amount of time--about a year. To the extent possible, the legion will try to help and lend some things to assist a new Blackshirt, but it should be a priority for the newcomer to get what he can to get himself situated quickly.
Obviously, it is impossible to recreate the true experience of a soldier in WW2 and we do not seek to bring upon ourselves the kind of physical and mental anguish experienced by combat veterans. We do not seek to glorify or trivialize the gravity of warfare, either. Rather, our purpose is to make a representation of the Italian serviceman to facilitate understanding of the historical experience by adhering to a high authenticity standard and demonstrating a thoroughness in understanding of the subject.
This organization is not a political entity and does not seek to promote any agenda or ideology. This is a group of Americans who are proud to be so, respect the liberty of the individual, and the institutions of the United States. This is a historical reenactment unit, not a real military body, and everyone volunteers his own time and effort in what is a team project. The commander oversees overall operations and is the head of the organization. To join, a new member must be able to legally own, possess, and operate a firearm, must be at least 18 years of age, abide by the rules and regulations of the legion, and must be in reasonably good health to safely fulfill the responsibilities and expectations of a Blackshirt under arms.
HISTORY
The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Volunteer National Security Militia) was established in 1923 to institutionalize the black-shirted action squads, largely composed of disaffected Great War veterans and young firebrands who had been too young to go to war, which propelled Mussolini to power the previous year. The Militia was composed of part-time “legionaries” who were Party members and the Militia served three objectives: public order and policing, education via the various youth and university organizations, and to serve militarily alongside the Royal Army. Various Blackshirt units were created for specific tasks including border patrol, streets, forestry, railways, post & telegraph, ports, and more. Headquartered in Novara in northern Italy, the "30th Assault Legion" was a field combat unit attached to the 2nd Mountain Infantry Division “Sforzesca” from the pre-war era until the Russian campaign. It was common to name a Blackshirt legion after a famous political or historical figure and the 30th was named after Roberto Forni, a hero in the First World War and a prominent Militia officer who died in a plane crash in the late 1920s.
As stated earlier, the typical Blackshirt was a part-time militiaman, not unlike the US Army National Guard, serving a weekend during peacetime with (irregular) summer exercises.
The average Blackshirt was typically older than common Royal Army soldier, many being veterans who had completed their mandatory military service. The MVSN accepted volunteers 26 years of age and above. A supplementary armed service, they received military training along the lines of the Royal Army and were largely dependent on the Royal Army for artillery and support services. The quality of Blackshirt units varied. Some performed exceptionally (such as the "M" Battalions), while others did not live up to expectations, whether or not those expectations were realistic given their circumstances.
Initially, the Blackshirt legions were supposed to be additional forces for Royal Army divisional commanders to use, with the idea being that they would inspire their Royal Army counterparts with demonstrations of zeal and courage instilled in them by their belief in the Party ideals. In reality they were, by and large, an additional, albeit distinct, regiment of infantry which could be used however deemed appropriate. Almost all Italian army units were under-equipped and under-supplied before the Second World War broke out and Blackshirt units were often a mixed bag as far as equipment, morale, and arms were concerned. The 30th was among the better Blackshirt formations in terms of operations, morale, and performance.
At the beginning of World War Two, the legion was composed thus:
30^ Legione d'Assalto
The 30th, with the “Sforzesca” Division, took part in the five-day campaign against France in June of 1940. Soon after, Italy attacked Greece and when the initial invasion was halted and repulsed by the Greeks, reinforcements were sent the following season which included “Sforzesca” and the 30th Legion. At the end of the Greek campaign, the Blackshirt units which performed well were designated “M” Battalions, a title held in very high esteem.
Note, legions were typically designated by Arabic numerals while battalions were designated with Roman numerals.
Prior to the embarkation for Russia, the "legion" was abandoned for the "battalion group" and Blackshirt "groups" of "M" battalions would reinforce the Russian front, as the Italian forces were being expanded from the Corpo Spedizione Italiano in Russia (CSIR) to the 8th Armata Italiana in Russia (ARMIR). The "Montebello" group consisted of a command unit, VI, XXX, and XII Battalions. Red “M” collar pins were given to these newly designated "M" battalions, but the "Montebello" group never actually received them, retaining their original fasces pins and being sent east by train.
The "Montebello" group was commanded by Console (Colonel) Italo Vianini. The group was brigaded with the "Tagliamento" group, serving on the Russian front since the beginning, and together they formed the larger formation Raggruppamento "3 Gennaio", with military post code 309.
The Italian army advanced through Ukraine, taking cities and driving the Soviets as far as the Volga River. After the fall of Stalingrad, the Axis lines collapsed and the Italians had to fight their way out in a terrible retreat. Blackshirts suffered extraordinarily high losses, 70% of the officers and 50% of the enlisted men listed as killed in action, wounded, missing, or taken prisoner. Mussolini was removed from power in July of 1943. The government, now led by Marshal Badoglio on behalf of the king, capitulated to the Allies in September and Fascism was disestablished in the kingdom. On December 6th, 1943, the MVSN was officially dissolved.
The war in Italy would continue, however, for another year and a half in a civil war between the Kingdom of the South, co-belligerent with the Allies, and the Nazi-occupied puppet state in the north, the Italian Social Republic, nominally headed by Mussolini. Far from being a "side show", the Second World War ended in Italy in May, 1945, with the front having gone from the bottom of the boot all the way to the top, ravaging everything in between.
This reenactment unit seeks to represent a squadra of riflemen legionaries. To that end, all who join start out as the Militia equivalent of a private, camicia nera. Each new recruit should gather up the essential pieces of kit, including Carcano cavalry carbine, in a reasonable amount of time--about a year. To the extent possible, the legion will try to help and lend some things to assist a new Blackshirt, but it should be a priority for the newcomer to get what he can to get himself situated quickly.
Obviously, it is impossible to recreate the true experience of a soldier in WW2 and we do not seek to bring upon ourselves the kind of physical and mental anguish experienced by combat veterans. We do not seek to glorify or trivialize the gravity of warfare, either. Rather, our purpose is to make a representation of the Italian serviceman to facilitate understanding of the historical experience by adhering to a high authenticity standard and demonstrating a thoroughness in understanding of the subject.
This organization is not a political entity and does not seek to promote any agenda or ideology. This is a group of Americans who are proud to be so, respect the liberty of the individual, and the institutions of the United States. This is a historical reenactment unit, not a real military body, and everyone volunteers his own time and effort in what is a team project. The commander oversees overall operations and is the head of the organization. To join, a new member must be able to legally own, possess, and operate a firearm, must be at least 18 years of age, abide by the rules and regulations of the legion, and must be in reasonably good health to safely fulfill the responsibilities and expectations of a Blackshirt under arms.
HISTORY
The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Volunteer National Security Militia) was established in 1923 to institutionalize the black-shirted action squads, largely composed of disaffected Great War veterans and young firebrands who had been too young to go to war, which propelled Mussolini to power the previous year. The Militia was composed of part-time “legionaries” who were Party members and the Militia served three objectives: public order and policing, education via the various youth and university organizations, and to serve militarily alongside the Royal Army. Various Blackshirt units were created for specific tasks including border patrol, streets, forestry, railways, post & telegraph, ports, and more. Headquartered in Novara in northern Italy, the "30th Assault Legion" was a field combat unit attached to the 2nd Mountain Infantry Division “Sforzesca” from the pre-war era until the Russian campaign. It was common to name a Blackshirt legion after a famous political or historical figure and the 30th was named after Roberto Forni, a hero in the First World War and a prominent Militia officer who died in a plane crash in the late 1920s.
As stated earlier, the typical Blackshirt was a part-time militiaman, not unlike the US Army National Guard, serving a weekend during peacetime with (irregular) summer exercises.
The average Blackshirt was typically older than common Royal Army soldier, many being veterans who had completed their mandatory military service. The MVSN accepted volunteers 26 years of age and above. A supplementary armed service, they received military training along the lines of the Royal Army and were largely dependent on the Royal Army for artillery and support services. The quality of Blackshirt units varied. Some performed exceptionally (such as the "M" Battalions), while others did not live up to expectations, whether or not those expectations were realistic given their circumstances.
Initially, the Blackshirt legions were supposed to be additional forces for Royal Army divisional commanders to use, with the idea being that they would inspire their Royal Army counterparts with demonstrations of zeal and courage instilled in them by their belief in the Party ideals. In reality they were, by and large, an additional, albeit distinct, regiment of infantry which could be used however deemed appropriate. Almost all Italian army units were under-equipped and under-supplied before the Second World War broke out and Blackshirt units were often a mixed bag as far as equipment, morale, and arms were concerned. The 30th was among the better Blackshirt formations in terms of operations, morale, and performance.
At the beginning of World War Two, the legion was composed thus:
30^ Legione d'Assalto
- XXX Battaglione d'Assalto
- 30^ Compagnia Mitraglieri
- 30^ Compagnia Complementi
- 230^ Coorte Territoriale
The 30th, with the “Sforzesca” Division, took part in the five-day campaign against France in June of 1940. Soon after, Italy attacked Greece and when the initial invasion was halted and repulsed by the Greeks, reinforcements were sent the following season which included “Sforzesca” and the 30th Legion. At the end of the Greek campaign, the Blackshirt units which performed well were designated “M” Battalions, a title held in very high esteem.
Note, legions were typically designated by Arabic numerals while battalions were designated with Roman numerals.
Prior to the embarkation for Russia, the "legion" was abandoned for the "battalion group" and Blackshirt "groups" of "M" battalions would reinforce the Russian front, as the Italian forces were being expanded from the Corpo Spedizione Italiano in Russia (CSIR) to the 8th Armata Italiana in Russia (ARMIR). The "Montebello" group consisted of a command unit, VI, XXX, and XII Battalions. Red “M” collar pins were given to these newly designated "M" battalions, but the "Montebello" group never actually received them, retaining their original fasces pins and being sent east by train.
The "Montebello" group was commanded by Console (Colonel) Italo Vianini. The group was brigaded with the "Tagliamento" group, serving on the Russian front since the beginning, and together they formed the larger formation Raggruppamento "3 Gennaio", with military post code 309.
The Italian army advanced through Ukraine, taking cities and driving the Soviets as far as the Volga River. After the fall of Stalingrad, the Axis lines collapsed and the Italians had to fight their way out in a terrible retreat. Blackshirts suffered extraordinarily high losses, 70% of the officers and 50% of the enlisted men listed as killed in action, wounded, missing, or taken prisoner. Mussolini was removed from power in July of 1943. The government, now led by Marshal Badoglio on behalf of the king, capitulated to the Allies in September and Fascism was disestablished in the kingdom. On December 6th, 1943, the MVSN was officially dissolved.
The war in Italy would continue, however, for another year and a half in a civil war between the Kingdom of the South, co-belligerent with the Allies, and the Nazi-occupied puppet state in the north, the Italian Social Republic, nominally headed by Mussolini. Far from being a "side show", the Second World War ended in Italy in May, 1945, with the front having gone from the bottom of the boot all the way to the top, ravaging everything in between.