Giovani Fascisti Regiment by D-Skelton on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Giovani Fascisti Regiment 1941-43. Although composed of young boys 17-20 years old, the Giovani Fascisti Regiment, at first named Gruppo Battaglioni GG.FF. was certainly one of the most pugnacious units of the Italian Army in Africa. On 29 August 1942 the Corps was renamed Giovani Fascisti Division, grouping the 136th Artillery Regiment, medical sections no. 15 and 16, plus the Desert Range Squads. Its glorious end came on 13 May 1943 when it was ordered by the Italian-German High Command to destroy its ammunition and armaments, while the flags of the II and III Battalions buried, I Battalion divided its own flag into seventeen parts, which were then given to each of the survivors.

Although rather misjudged by the Italian High Command, the Young Fascists firmly asked Mussolini permission to fight against the enemies of Fascism. At Bir El Gabi these young boys fought with bravery and impressed Commonwealth veterans, who nicknamed the Giovani Fascisti as "Mussolini's Boys".

The main feature of their uniform was the black tasseled fez, proudly worn even in action. They didn't were the black shirt, but wore a gray-green or khaki one. Gray-green uniforms were also worn. The Young Fascists were never issued with steel helmets so only wore their fez or the tropical helmet.