On 18 July 1937 the 116th Infantry Regiment "Treviso" was reactivated in Racalmuto in Sicily and transferred on 17 September to Libya.

The 116th Infantry Regiment had already been active from 15 July 1935 to 1 November 1936 and had deployed with the 102nd Motorized Division "Trento" to Libya during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

After Italy's entry into World War II on 10 June 1940 the Marmarica moved to Bardia near the border with British Egypt.

From 9 September 1940 the Marmarica participated in the Italian invasion of Egypt, with the division covering the 10th Army's right (inland) flank during the advance to Sidi Barrani.

[2] The British Operation Compass started on 18 November 1940 and cut the division off from the bulk of the Axis forces.

"[10] But the majority of Italian units surrendered without fight, their morale sapped by hunger, thirst, lice and dysentery.