The division was destroyed on during Operation Crusader at Halfaya Pass and officially declared lost on 17 January 1942.

[3][6][7] After the outbreak of World War II the Savona was sent to Libya and was garrisoned in ʽAziziya south-west of Tripoli from September 1939.

During the Italian invasion of France from 10-25 June 1940 the Savona was deployed along the French Tunisian-Libyan border.

[8] By November 1941, the Savona manned defensive positions at Bardia and Sīdī ‘Umar, where it engaged in combat with units of the British Eighth Army.

During December 1941 the Savona's supply situation deteriorated, with food, water and ammunition becoming scarce.