During World War I, Italy had sent a force to Albania in December 1914, even before it had joined the allies.
After it helped to evacuate the retreating Serbian Army, it also left Albania in March 1916.
[1] On 20 March 1916, the Corpo Speciale d’Albania was renamed XVI Army Corps, and sent to Albania again in May 1916, where it fought against the Central powers until the end of the war.
A new XVI Army Corps was created in Milan on 1 March 1940.
The remnants of the Corps were withdrawn to La Spezia where they surrendered to the Germans on 9 September 1943.