View source for Battle of Petrikowka

{{Short description|Battle of WWII}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Petrikowka
| width             = 
| partof            = [[Operation Barbarossa]] on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] of [[World War II]]
| image             = CCNN in Russia 1.jpg
| image_size        = 300
| caption           = Italian CCNN troops during Operation Barbarossa.
| date              = 27–30 September 1941
| place             = [[Petrykivka]], Ukraine
| coordinates       = 
| map_type          = 
| latitude          = 
| longitude         = 
| map_size          = 
| map_caption       = 
| map_label         = 
| territory         = 
| result            = Italian victory
| status            = 
| combatants_header = 
| combatant1        = {{flagcountry|Fascist Italy (1922-1943)}}
| combatant2        = {{flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Fascist Italy (1922-1943)}} [[Giovanni Messe]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Soviet Union|1936}} [[Ivan Galanin]]
| units1            = [[3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"|3rd Fast Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"]]

[[9th Infantry Division "Pasubio"|9th Auto-transportable Infantry Division "Pasubio"]]

[[52nd Infantry Division "Torino"|52nd Auto-transportable Infantry Division "Torino"]]
| units2            = Soviet 47th Tank Division
| strength1         = 3 divisions
| strength2         = 5 division
| casualties1       = 87 killed<br />190 wounded<br />14 missing
| casualties2       = Unspecified killed<br />10,000 prisoners
| notes             = 
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Barbarossa}}
}}

The '''Battle of Petrikowka''' (present-day [[Petrykivka]], [[Ukraine]]) took place between 27 and 30 September 1941, during [[World War II]]. Fought between [[Kingdom of Italy|Italian]] and Soviet forces, it was the first significant engagement involving the [[Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia]].

==Formation of bridgeheads==
On 16 September 1941 the [[9th Motorised Division Pasubio]] was temporarily aggregated to the [[17th Army (Wehrmacht)|German 17th Army]] of [[Heeresgruppe Sud]] under [[Field Marshal]] [[von Rundstedt]], and on 18 September it took position along the [[Oril]] river.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 97</ref> On 23 September, the Pasubio Division created a [[bridgehead]] at Tsarytchanka, beyond the [[Dnieper]] river, in order to allow the German armoured units to cross to the other bank.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 98</ref> Soviet forces launched heavy attacks against the bridgehead for three days, but it resisted; farther north, the 80th Infantry Regiment "Roma" (also part of the Pasubio Division) launched a surprise attack and created another bridgehead at Voinovka.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 98</ref> These two bridgeheads allowed German armoured units to cross the river with their tanks and thus break through the Soviet lines.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 97</ref>

Meanwhile, the [[52nd Motorised Division Torino]] and the 63rd Assault [[Blackshirt]] Legion "Tagliamento" were transferred to [[Dnipropetrovsk]], whereas the [[3rd Cavalry Division Amedeo Duca d'Aosta]] was left to garrison the positions along the Dnieper and prepare for crossing.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 97</ref>

==Capture of Petrikowka==
The German plan called now for encirclement of the Soviet forces, therefore a [[pincer movement]], converging on the town of Petrikowka, was decided.<ref>Leonardo Malatesta, "Storia della legione Tagliamento, Dalla fondazione alla guerra di Russia", vol 1°, Pietro Macchione Editore, Varese, p. 194.</ref> The [[Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia]] of General [[Giovanni Messe]] was tasked with this manoeuver; the Pasubio Division (now back under Italian command) would attack from north-east, and the Torino Division from south-east.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 99.</ref>

In the morning of 28 September 1941 the Torino Division attacked the Soviet forces, in order to broaden the bridgehead and reach Obuskvskje. Soviet forces opposed a tenacious resistance, but despite this and the [[minefield]]s the Torino Division eventually broke through the lines held by the Soviet 47th Tank Division near Petrikowka.<ref>Leonardo Malatesta, "Storia della legione Tagliamento, Dalla fondazione alla guerra di Russia", vol 1°, Pietro Macchione Editore, Varese, p. 196.</ref><ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 100.</ref><ref>Pierluigi Romeo di Colloredo, "Croce di ghiaccio", Genoa, 2010, p. 20.</ref>

On the following day, both the Torino and the Pasubio divisions were ordered to carry on with their advance towards Petrikowka, where the two divisions were to rejoin and thus cut off the Soviet retreat.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 100.</ref> At the same time, the Duca d'Aosta Division would send two [[Bersaglieri]] battalions on the other bank of the Dnieper, to start to sweep up the Soviet soldiers trapped in the pocket.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 100.</ref>
The two regiments of the Torino Division (81st and 82nd Infantry Regiment) and the Tagliamento Legion started their advance in the morning, clashing with several dissolving Soviet units and taking a number of prisoners.<ref>Pierluigi Romeo di Colloredo, "Croce di ghiaccio", Genoa, 2010, p. 20.</ref> The [[vanguard]]s of the Torino Division were the first to reach Petrikowka, where they met units from the Pasubio Division around 18:00.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 101.</ref> The Duca d'Aosta Division, after crossing the river, started the sweeping operations, and rejoined the other Italian units in Petrikowka in the evening.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 101.</ref> The sweeps continued on the following day.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 101.</ref>

Total Italian casualties numbered 291 men, of whom 87 were killed, 190 wounded and 14 missing.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 102.</ref> About 10,000 Soviet prisoners were captured, along with a large amount of [[weapon]]s and quadrupeds.<ref>"Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993, p. 101.</ref>

==Bibliography==
* "Le operazioni delle unità italiane al fronte russo (1941–1943)", Italian Army Historical Branch, Rome, 1993
* Pierluigi Romeo di Colloredo, "Croce di ghiaccio", Genoa, 2010
* Leonardo Malatesta, "Storia della legione Tagliamento, Dalla fondazione alla guerra di Russia", vol 1°, Pietro Macchione Editore, Varese, 201.
*Jowett, The Italian Army 1940–45 (3), pg.10
*18th Army (Soviet Union)

== References ==
<references/>

{{World War II}}

{{coord missing|Ukraine}}

[[Category:Battles and operations of the Soviet–German War|Petrikowka]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Italy|Petrikowka]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1941|Petrikowka]]
[[Category:1941 in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Operation Barbarossa|Petrikowka]]
[[Category:September 1941 events|Petrikowka]]