The XXV Army Corps ( it, XXV Corpo d'Armata) was an infantry corps of the

Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army ( it, Regio Esercito, , Royal Army) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfre ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the

Italian invasion of Albania The Italian invasion of Albania (April 7–12, 1939) was a brief military campaign which was launched by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian Kingdom in 1939. The conflict was a result of the imperialistic policies of the Italian prime m ...

, and the

Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek language, Greek: Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος, ''Ellinoïtalikós Pólemos''), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian Campaign in Greece, and the War of '40 in Greece, took place between the kingdom ...

and the subsequent Italian occupation of Greece during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

History

The XXV Corps was first established in

Mortegliano Mortegliano ( fur, Mortean) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 14 km southwest of Udine. Mortegliano borders the following municipalities: Bic ...

on 10 April 1917, until its disbandment on 5 January 1919. On 24 October 1940, in preparation for the

Italian invasion of Greece Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

on the 28th, the Ciamuria Army Corps was activated in Italian-occupied Albania, with the 23rd ''Ferrara'' and 51st ''Siena'' infantry divisions and the ''Centauro'' Armoured Division. It was assigned the western (right) half of the Italian front, and on the start of the war advanced into Greek territory until it was stopped in the

Battle of Elaia–Kalamas The Battle of Elaia–Kalamas ( el, Μάχη Ελαίας-Καλαμά, Machi Elaias-Kalama) took place in Epirus on 2–8 November 1940. The battle was fought between the Greeks and the Italians during the initial stage of the Greco-Italian War ...

. Following the start of the Greek counteroffensive on the Italian left, covered by XXVI Army Corps, it was forced to retreat. On 17 November 1940 it was redesignated as XXV Army Corps. On 7 December it abandoned Argyrokastro, on 18 December

Porto Palermo Porto Palermo Castle (Albanian language, Albanian: ''Kalaja e Porto Palermos'') is a castle near Himarë in southern Albania. It is situated in the bay of Porto Palermo, a few kilometers south of Himarë along the Albanian Riviera. Huffington P ...

, and on 20 Himara. To shorten its front, the corps was assigned in mid-December to the sector around

Mount Tomorr Tomorr is a mountain range in the region of Berat and Skrapar, in Albania. It reaches an elevation of above sea level at the Çuka e Partizanit, which is the highest peak in central Albania. Mount Tomorr is one of Albania's biggest water-col ...

and the That e Progonat lines, where the Greek offensive was stopped. On 20 January 1941 it launched spoiling attacks in the

Aoös The Vjosa (; indefinite form: ) or Aoös ( el, Αώος) is a river in northwestern Greece and southwestern Albania. Its total length is about , of which the first are in Greece, and the remaining in Albania. Its drainage basin is and its ave ...

sector to relieve pressure on the Italian left, which was facing the final, unsuccessful Greek push towards

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...

. In February, the corps was deployed from Shëndelli to Kurvelesh, and opposed the Greek attacks in the

Mount Trebeshinë Mount Trebeshinë is a mountain in southern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic an ...

–

Mount Shëndelli Mount Shëndelli (Literal translation, lit. "Mount Holy-Sun") is a mountain in southern Albania in the geographical region of Southern Albanian Highlands. It is part of the mountain chain Shëndelli-Mount Lunxhëri, Lunxhëri-Mount Bureto, Bureto ...

area. On 8 March the corps was placed in defence of Tepeleni, while on the next day it took part in the unsuccessful Italian Spring Offensive (9–18 March). Following the

German invasion of Greece The German invasion of Greece, also known as the Battle of Greece or Operation Marita ( de , Unternehmen Marita, links = no), was the attack of Greece by Italy and Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usu ...

on 6 April, the Italian forces in the Albanian front began their own advance against the retreating Greeks; the corps occupied Trebeshinë on 14 April and the Klisura Pass the next day, arriving at

Derviçan Derviçan ( sq-definite, Derviçani; gr, Δερβιτσάνη, ''Dervitsani'', also known as Dervician) is a settlement in the former Dropull i Poshtëm municipality, Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it b ...

and Argyrokastro on 19 April. After the Greek capitulation and the Axis occupation of Greece, the corps was disbanded on 31 July and its units transferred to XXVI Corps. XXV Corps was reconstituted in Albania on 16 December 1941 with its seat at Valona. It comprised the 33rd ''Acqui'' and 49th ''Parma'' infantry divisions, in coastal defence and anti-partisan duties. The corps was disbanded on 12 September 1943 following the

Italian armistice The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brigad ...

Commanders

* ''

Generale di corpo d'armata An army corps general or corps general is a rank held by a General officer who commands an army corps. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. Normally, the rank is above the divisional ge ...

'' Carlo Rossi (1940.12.10 – 1941.07.31) * '' Generale di divisione'' Alessandro Gloria (interim) * ''

Giovanni Vecchi Giovanni Vecchi was a general in the Royal Italian Army who commanded the XIV Corps during the World War II Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941. Biography Vecchi fought in the Italian-Turkish War and in World War I. Between 1 July 1937 and ...

(1941.12.05 – 1943.02.12) * ''

'' Umberto Mondino (1943.02.12 – 1943.09.08)

References

{{Large formations of Italy in World War II Army corps of Italy in World War I Army corps of Italy in World War II Albania in World War II Italian military units and formations of the Greco-Italian War Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943