Italy’s San Marco Marines in the Second World War

One of the Italian Navy’s most impressive contributions to the war effort during the Second World War was its San Marco naval infantry regiment. These highly trained marines were deployed in almost all of Italy’s theatres of operation, including Greece, Yugoslavia, Libya, Egypt, Malta, Tunisia, Corsica, Toulon and Sicily.

The course of the Axis campaign in the Mediterranean might have been very different had the German and Italian High Commands proceeded with the planned assault on Malta in the spring or summer of 1942. In preparation for the operation, the Italian Navy assembled elite San Marco combat units comprising paratroopers, swimmers, combat engineers and naval infantry. Although the assault was ultimately cancelled, San Marco units carried out small-scale landings in the Balkans, fought British and Commonwealth forces in North Africa, led the amphibious landing on Corsica and distinguished themselves during the Tunisian campaign. Most notably, they helped to repel the British raid on Tobruk. They later fought the Allies during Operation Husky, while other elements of the regiment conducted anti-partisan operations against Tito’s forces.

Based on the regiment’s war diary, Italy’s San Marco Marines in the Second World War is a detailed and informative account, illustrated with wartime photographs and several maps.