The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated, elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units.

The division remained in line until 10 November, when it was withdrawn for reorganization, but after only four days it had to go into battle again, in the Perat sector, where it sustained heavy Greek attacks until 8 December.

On 28 February a new battle was fought in the Tepelenë sector; the Julia, as the last Italian unit defending the town, was attacked by the 2nd Greek Division in the Dragoti area, but managed to hold the front while suffering heavy casualties.

In April 1941, following the German intervention and the fall of Greece, the division was transferred to the Corinth Canal area and occupied the Peloponnese.

[4] The division remained in Greece on garrison duty until March 1942, when it was repatriated to Italy in preparation of its transfer to the Eastern Front as part of the Italian Army in Russia.

On 28 March one of the troopships carrying the division back to Italy, the SS Galilea, was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine with the loss of 600 men from the Battalion "Gemona".

[5] On the evening of 17 January, the Alpine Army Corps commander, General Gabriele Nasci, ordered a full retreat.