[1][2] On 1 January 1940 he was promoted to Major General and given command of the 37th Infantry Division Modena, which after Italy's entrance into World War II on 10 June, he led during operations on the western alpine border, earning another Bronze Medal of Military Valour.

After recovering from his wounds, he retook command of the "Modena" Division on February 1, 1941, leading it till the end of the operations against Greece and receiving a final Bronze Medal of Military Valour.

After the destruction of his division at El Alamein, he was repatriated on 6 December, and nine days later he was promoted to Lieutenant General, remaining at the disposal of the Ministry of War until 9 January 1943, when he was given command of the V Army Corps operating in Dalmatia.

Although Marshal of Italy Pietro Badoglio had declared, immediately after the fall of the Fascist regime on 25 July, that the war would continue alongside Germany, it was now clear to the Germans that the Italian government was negotiating surrender with the Allies.

In order to prevent this, German troops began crossing the border with Italy and taking control of Alpine passes and valleys, occupying the most strategically important locations.