Deployment of Axis Minors forces 1942

Deployment of the armed forces of the Axis Minors (Italy, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia) by theatres of war in summer 1942.

Italian infantry with the old pith helmet
Italian infantry with the old pith helmet advances during the fighting in 1942 in the Western desert.

Italian, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Slovakian distribution of forces after theatres of war in summer (June-July) 1942 according to nominal (paper) strengths.

ITALY

Italian Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry, Mountain, Airborne and Black Shirt divisions Motorized Infantry, Mobile and partly motorized African divisions Armoured
Comando Supremo Africa162
8th Army (Expeditionary Forces in Russia)6--
in transfer to 8th Army in Russia31-
Northern Italyc.191-
Central and Southern Italyc.23--
Sardinia, Corsicac.9--
Balkans, Croatia, Greecec.2911
TOTAL9093

Italian Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
Comando Supremo Africa 28,729124+? 1,66896?
8th Army (Expeditionary Forces in Russia) 49,506?? 1,656 1,044?
in transfer to 8th Army in Russia 29,414??960582?
Northern Italy 162,693?? 5,316 3,250?
Central and Southern Italy 189,773?? 6,348 4,002?
Sardinia, Corsica 74,259?? 2,484 1,566?
Balkans, Croatia, Greece 247,030?? 8,208 4,999?
TOTAL 781,404124+? 26,640 15,539?

Italian Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Field guns AT guns AA guns
Comando Supremo Africa310182? 4,200 (?) 280646144
8th Army (Expeditionary Forces in Russia)--?51621614448
in transfer to 8th Army in Russia46-?4761448832
Northern Italy46-? 1,766708448152
Central and Southern Italy--? 1,978828552184
Sardinia, Corsica--?77432421672
Balkans, Croatia, Greece19041? 2,844 1,118691258
TOTAL592223? 12,554 3,618 2,785890

FINLAND

Finnish Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry Motorized Infantry, Cavalry Armoured
South-Eastern Army7--
Karelian Army51-
Lapland (German AOK Norway)2--
Reserves2--
TOTAL161-

Finnish Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
South-Eastern Army c.70,000 ? 1,750812126?
Karelian Army c.60,000? 1,500736114?
Lapland (German AOK Norway c.20,000 ?50023236?
Reserves c.20,000 ?50023236?
TOTAL 170,000? 4,250 2,012312?

Finnish Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Feld guns AT guns AA guns
South-Eastern Army--?-25270-
Karelian Army c.150 -? c.400 204c.60-
Lapland (German AOK Norway)--?-7220-
Reserves--?-7220-
TOTAL150-?400600170-

ROMANIA

Romanian Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry, Mountain Motorized Infantry, Cavalry Armoured
with German Army-Group South, Russia 93-
in transfer to Army Group South941
inside Romania15--
TOTAL3371

Romanian Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
with German Army-Group South, Russia c.84,000?- c.1,050 c.210 ?
in transfer to Army Group South c.92,000 ?- c.1,150 c.230 ?
inside Romania c.120,000 ?- c.1,500c.300?
TOTAL 296,000?- 3,700740?

Romanian Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Feld guns AT guns AA guns
with German Army-Group South, Russia -- total c.400 Skoda c.100 350261-
in transfer to Army Group Southc.150---386318-
inside Romania----360450-
TOTAL150-400100 1,096 1,029-

HUNGARY

Hungarian Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry, Mountain Motorized Infantry, Cavalry Armoured
with German Army-Group South, Russia7-1
in transfer to Army Group South 2--
with German Army-Group Center, Russia 1--
inside Hungary9--
TOTAL19-1

Hungarian Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
with German Army-Group South, Russia c.75,000?? c.1,150c.220266
in transfer to Army Group South c.20,000??c.300c.23076
with German Army-Group Center, Russia c.10,000 ??c.150c.3038
inside Hungary c.90,000 ?? c.1.350 c.270 342
TOTAL 195,000?- 2,950750722

Hungarian Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Field guns AT guns AA guns
with German Army-Group South, Russia10724-ca. 200168c.300-
in transfer to Army Group South ----4880-
with German Army-Group Center, Russia ----2440-
in Hungary----216360-
TOTAL10724-200456780-

BULGARIA

Bulgarian Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry, Mountain Motorized Infantry, Cavalry Armoured
5th Army at South-East Serbia3--
5th Army at Macedonia31-
I Occupation Corps7--
inside Bulgaria811
TOTAL2121

Bulgarian Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
5th Army at South-East Serbia c.12,000??c.300c.30?
5th Army at Macedonia c.16,000 ??c.350c.35?
I Occupation Corps c.28.000 ?? c.700 c.70 ?
inside Bulgaria c.36,000 ??c.900c.90?
TOTAL 92,000?- 2,250225?

Bulgarian Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Feld guns AT guns AA guns
5th Army at South-East Serbia.---c.72c.30-
5th Army at Macedonia----c.84c.35-
I Occupation Corps----c.168c.70-
inside Bulgaria121--c.100c.216c.90-
TOTAL121--100540225-

SLOVAKIA

Slovak Forces: Divisions:

Theaters of War Infantry, Mountain Motorized Infantry, Cavalry Armoured
with German Army-Group South, Russia -1-
inside Slovakia2--
TOTAL21-

Slovak Infantry:

Theaters of War Infantry (rifle men) automatic rifles sub-machine guns machine guns mortars light anti-tank weapons
with German Army-Group South, Russia c.7,000 ??c.200c.50?
inside Slovakia c.20,000 ??c.400c.100?
TOTAL 27,000??600150?

Slovak Motor Vehicles and Artillery:

Theaters of War Tanks Assault Guns, AFV's APC's Trucks Field guns AT guns AA guns
with German Army-Group South, Russia c.20--69527c.30-
inside Slovakia----54c.60-
TOTAL20--6958190-

Deployment of the Air Forces

The strength of the aircraft for the Regia Aeronautica dates from October-November 1942.

Strength of Regia Aeronautica:

Theaters of War Fighters Fighter-bombers light Bombers Medium Bombers
Italian Mainland264-20209
Sicily184--84
Sardinia33--72
Libyac.210c.150c.25c.60
Aegean46--41
Greece81---
Albania15--17
Slovenia, Dalmatia---17
Russia40---
TOTAL87315045500

all other Axis Minor Air Forces:

Theaters of War Fighters Fighter-bombers light Bombers Medium Bombers
Finlandc.200-c.50c.50
Romanian, Eastern Frontc.80-c.25c.70
inside Romaniac.80--c.100
Hungary, Eastern Frontc.50--c.50
inside Hungaryc.40--c.60
Bulgariac.150-c.30c.30
Slovakia, Eastern Frontc.20-c.10-
TOTAL620-115360

Deployment of Navies

Strength of Axis Minors:

Theaters of War Battleships Heavy Cruisers Light Cruisers Destroyers Torpedo boats MTBs Subs Merchant Fleet
Regia Navale (Italy, Mediterranean)6 (+1 under long-time repair)4c.12c.45c.60?c.90 c.483 (c.1.481m t)
Finland (Baltic)--1 (armoured coastal defence vessel)--c.75432 (all sizes)
Romania (Black Sea)---7-c.6335
Bulgaria (Black Sea)----4c.10-14
TOTAL7 (1 under repair)4c.13c.52c.6423+c.98c.2 m t


References and literature

The Armed Forces of World War II (Andrew Mollo)
Germany’s Eastern Front Allies 1941-45 (Peter Abbott, Nigel Thomas)
World War II – A Statistical Survey (John Ellis)
Der Grosse Atlas zum II. Weltkrieg (Peter Young)
Kriegstagebuch des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht, Band 1-8 (Percy E. Schramm)


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3 thoughts on “Deployment of Axis Minors forces 1942”

  1. The Finns did deploy a small armored division consisting of a mix of captured Soviet AFVs, German Stugs and conversions which used the British 25 lber. While never numbering more than 80 or 90 AFVs, it did exist.

  2. Luca Saverio Valzano

    Dear author,

    please, wouldn’t you mind to correct the Italian words “Commando Supremo” to “Comando Supremo”. In fact, in Italian the meaning of the word commando (it.= assault team) differs from that one of comando (it.= command). Thank you very much!

    Luca Valzano

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