Armored Division "M" (M for Mussolini), but was renamed after the fall of the fascist regime in July 1943.

Armored Division "M" (Italian: 1ª Divisione corazzata Camicie Nere "M") was formed after the Hitler-Mussolini summit at Schloss Klessheim in April 1943.

For the formation of the division the Germans provided forty Waffen-SS instructors and the heavy equipment.

The activation ceremony was held on 25 June 1943 in Chiusi and by August 1943 the division consisted of about 5,700 men.

The division was part of the Motorized-Armored Army Corps, which was tasked to defend Rome against German forces, but after the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943 the division's, with the exception of the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment remained passive and did not fight the invading German forces.