15th November 1944
Cartolina Postale

The 'A.C.S.' hand-stamp

The Allied Censorship Service hand-stamp (A.C.S.) was placed on a piece of mail to denote that it has passed through a Civil Censorship Group provincial censorship station but had not been opened or examined.

Propaganda Slogan

'Non riferite mai, a voce o

per iscritto, notizie che riguardano

il vostro servicio.

Tacete con tutti; anche

con i vostri cari!'

(Never report, either verbally or in writing, news concerning your service.

Keep silent with everyone; even with your loved ones!)

205th Devisione

From Wikipedia:

The 205th Coastal Division was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement.

The division was activated on 15th January 1942 in Iglesias by reorganizing the V Coastal Sector Command. The division was assigned to XIII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the southern half of the island of Sardinia. The division was based in Carbonia and responsible for the coastal defense from Torre Foghe down the western coast of Sardinia to, but excluding Capo Pula. The division's area of responsibility included the Gulf of Oristano and the south-western coast of Sardinia with the islands of Sant'Antioco and San Pietro.

The 205th Coastal Division, together with the 203rd Coastal Division, 204th Coastal Division, IV Coastal Brigade, and XXXIII Coastal Brigade formed a first static defense line against allied landings on the island.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8th September 1943 the division, together with all other divisions on Sardinia, refused German demands to surrender. Realizing the futility of attempting to gain control of Sardinia the German forces on the island retreated to Corsica.

The division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army and was renamed 205th Division. In November 1944 the division was shipped to Naples and in December 1944 it was assigned to the US Army Air Force's American Air Forces in the Mediterranean to provide auxiliary services at American airfields in mainland Italy. The division consisted of about 5,000 men and fielded 48 aviation services companies and six transport companies. In August 1945 the division was reduced in size and in 1946 it was disbanded.

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