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Description
Colonel, 36th Infantry Regiment
Italian Army, Albania, 1940
World War II

The Italian Military usually gets a bad rap for their performance in World War II. While the army as a whole fought poorly, the individual Italian soldier didn't lack courage or training. The troops fought well but they were led by incompetent officers and lacked reliable equipment and ammunition. Vehicles and especially tanks where outdated and unreliable and small arms also had similar issues. Italian industry was also not suited for wartime mass production and technical skill was lacking. However, even with all these shortcomings the soldiers fought hard and proud.

The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had unbounded ambition. He promised his people he would quote “restore the Roman Empire'' and bring power and glory back to Italy. After assisting Franco in Spain and invading Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Mussolini now looked toward Albania for territorial expansion. After Hitler had annexed Czechoslovakia Mussolini felt that Italy needed more territory to remain a powerful ally. So an ultimatum was sent to the Albanian King Zog I on 25 March, 1939. It demanded that Albania succumb to Italian occupation. Zog said no and so on 7 April, 1939, Italy invaded.
22,000 Italian were sent against around 8,000 Albanians. Italy had over 400 aircraft at their disposal, Albania only had 5. However the invasion was poorly planned and badly executed and succeeded only because Albanian resistance was too weak.

By 12 April the government had surrendered and accepted Italian annexation. Around 700 Italians were killed and 97 wounded, while only 160 Albanians were killed and several hundreds wounded. This would in essence be Italy's last imperial victory as the later invasion of Greece and involvement in World War II would prove to be a disaster. But that's a story for another day.

Italian officer uniforms were of excellent cut, quality, and style. The basic officer uniform was the same of the generals, yet the color was lighter than the grey-green of the lower ranks. The colonel seen here is wearing his cordellion uniform with a very visible rank insignia and decorations. The tunic displays the rank insignia on the collar patches and in the stripes on the lower forearm, both made in gold braid. The golden eagle and the crown and sword badges above the left breast pocket indicate a graduation from a war academy and promotion through active service. The cap has two badges with red backing, which referred to the colonel’s status as a regimental commander.

Description
Colonel, 36th Infantry Regiment
Italian Army, Albania, 1940
World War II

The Italian Military usually gets a bad rap for their performance in World War II. While the army as a whole fought poorly, the individual Italian soldier didn't lack courage or training. The troops fought well but they were led by incompetent officers and lacked reliable equipment and ammunition. Vehicles and especially tanks where outdated and unreliable and small arms also had similar issues. Italian industry was also not suited for wartime mass production and technical skill was lacking. However, even with all these shortcomings the soldiers fought hard and proud.

The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had unbounded ambition. He promised his people he would quote “restore the Roman Empire'' and bring power and glory back to Italy. After assisting Franco in Spain and invading Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Mussolini now looked toward Albania for territorial expansion. After Hitler had annexed Czechoslovakia Mussolini felt that Italy needed more territory to remain a powerful ally. So an ultimatum was sent to the Albanian King Zog I on 25 March, 1939. It demanded that Albania succumb to Italian occupation. Zog said no and so on 7 April, 1939, Italy invaded.
22,000 Italian were sent against around 8,000 Albanians. Italy had over 400 aircraft at their disposal, Albania only had 5. However the invasion was poorly planned and badly executed and succeeded only because Albanian resistance was too weak.

By 12 April the government had surrendered and accepted Italian annexation. Around 700 Italians were killed and 97 wounded, while only 160 Albanians were killed and several hundreds wounded. This would in essence be Italy's last imperial victory as the later invasion of Greece and involvement in World War II would prove to be a disaster. But that's a story for another day.

Italian officer uniforms were of excellent cut, quality, and style. The basic officer uniform was the same of the generals, yet the color was lighter than the grey-green of the lower ranks. The colonel seen here is wearing his cordellion uniform with a very visible rank insignia and decorations. The tunic displays the rank insignia on the collar patches and in the stripes on the lower forearm, both made in gold braid. The golden eagle and the crown and sword badges above the left breast pocket indicate a graduation from a war academy and promotion through active service. The cap has two badges with red backing, which referred to the colonel’s status as a regimental commander.