The division was part of the garrison of Sardinia, where it remained until the Armistice of Cassibile, after which it served in the Italian Co-belligerent Army.

[1][2] The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Calabria" established in Modena on 16 April 1861 with the 59th and 60th infantry regiments.

[1] In 1940, the division was part of the XIII Army Corps and tasked with the defense of the northwestern coast of Sardinia, with garrisons in Sassari, Porto Torres, Alghero and Santa Teresa Gallura.

However the Wehrmacht decided to evacuate its forces to Corsica and the Italian units on Sardinia allowed them to withdraw unhindered.

On 12–14 September 1943 the Calabria skirmished with the Germans at Martis and then at Trinità d'Agultu in an attempt to speed up their withdrawal from the island.