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Auto-Saharan Companies (in Italian ''Compagnie Auto-Avio Sahariane'' (sometimes referred to as "La Compagnia") were special Italian units of desert warfare operating in Libya and Sahara desert during Second World War. Their military operations took place in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, until the surrender of Italo-German forces in May 1943.〔(Fronte deserto )〕 ==History== The ''Compagnie'' were instituted in the late 1930s, after a conversion of dromedary mounted troops, called ''Meharisti'', with the task to conduct long range patrols in desertic territories. These units were formed with mixed Italian and Libyan personnel. During North African Campaign these units were tasked for reconnaissance roles, often in contrast to similar British units like LRDG.〔(Fronte deserto )〕 The number of active companies varied from 3 and 5 during the whole war, and every company was equipped with 20 to 30 vehicles and 3 light planes Caproni Ca.309 "Ghibli" for reconnaissance. In 1940, at beginning of war, these companies were part of Maletti Group, but located in the Kufra oasis. In that part of Italian Libya〔(Mappa dell'area dello scontro di Jebel Sherif )〕 took place a clash with British forces at the end of January 1941 at Jebel Sharif.〔(Scontro a Jebel Sherif )〕 In this victorious skirmish〔(Picture of LRDG vehicles destroyed in combat )〕 that took place in the Jebel Sherif valley,〔Gross, Chiarvetto and O'Carroll 2009, pp.10–17〕 British members of LRDG (Long Range Desert Group) suffered a man killed and two prisoners, included major Clayton, and lose three desert vehicles. Italians had three killed and three injured〔Gross, Chiarvetto and O'Carroll 2009, pp.95–105〕 Remaining four British soldiers fled in the Libyan desert until the Nile. Major Clayton was conferred a Distinguished Service Order. The ''Compagnie Auto-avio sahariane'' continued their confrontation with LRDG in 1941 and 1942, and a raid in Egypt was accomplished under guide of commander Del Pozzo.〔(Vicende delle Compagnie fino alla creazione del Raggruppamento Sahariano di Mannerini, operante in Tunisia )〕 At the end of North Africa campaign, in 1943, surviving vehicles of different companies were reorganized in the ''Saharian Group'' ("''Raggruppamento Sahariano''") of Mannerini (also known as "Gruppo Mannerini"), and used for patrol duties in Tunisia, but they also had part in some skirmishes in the Mareth area (Operation Pugilist),〔( Gruppo Mannerini )〕 until the final surrender of Axis forces in Africa. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Auto-Saharan Companies」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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