222nd Coastal Division (Italy)

The 222nd Coastal Division was an Italian infantry division of the Second World War. Coastal divisions were second-line units, typically formed from older men not considered fit for front-line service or recruits undergoing training. Their primary role was coastal defense and internal security.

The 222nd Coastal Division was stationed in Italy and tasked with defending sections of the Italian coastline. The specific location and duration of their deployment varied throughout the war. Like other coastal divisions, they were equipped with lighter weaponry and transport compared to regular infantry divisions. Their training was also less intensive.

Following the Allied landings in Sicily in 1943 and the subsequent armistice between Italy and the Allies, the 222nd Coastal Division, like many other Italian units, was left in a precarious position. Some elements surrendered to the Allies, while others were disarmed by the Germans or joined the Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana), the fascist puppet state established by Mussolini in German-occupied northern Italy. Specific details about the 222nd's actions and fate after the armistice remain limited in readily available documentation, but it is likely that its personnel were either captured, dispersed, or absorbed into other units depending on their location and loyalties at the time. Coastal divisions, by their very nature, were more vulnerable to being overtaken during swift enemy advances than regular divisions, often being bypassed and cut off from headquarters.