Under Mussolini, the lone battalion of San Marco marines would take part in the Abyssinian and Albanian campaigns, eventually incorporating a second battalion to form the Reggimento San Marco.
The Marines formed the assault backbone of the Forza Navale da Sbarco (Naval Landing Force) and would participate in the landings on the Dalmatian coast and various Greek islands and take part in counter-partisan operations in Montenegro. By 1942, a third battalion was formed and this was deployed to North Africa where they distinguished themselves at Tobruk.
The elite infantry of the Italian Navy, with a history stretching back to the 18th century, the San Marco regiment was a proud formation with a rigorous selection and training process that produced effective and capable soldiers. Clad in their unique naval uniforms and bristling with weaponry, the San Marco Marines served around the Mediterranean and Aegean before being deployed to North Africa in 1942. Fighting ferociously and well, particularly in the defence of Tobruk, they earned a fearsome reputation, and although they were unable to prevent the Axis defeat in the desert, one German general rated them as the best soldiers he had ever commanded. The San Marco Marines’ rules can be found in Armies of Italy & the Axis.
This box contains:
- 9 metal figures
- Plastic bases
- Waterslide decal sheet
Note: Models supplied unassembled and unpainted. Metal parts.
Scale: 28mm.
