Battaglione M soldiers disembark landing craft

Soldiers of a Battaglione M force of the Italian Milizia Voluntaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN, Voluntary Militia for National Security) disembark landing craft during training exercises in 1942 for an amphibious assault and seizure of the strategic island of Malta held by the British, ultimately the assault never took place. The MVSN was a branch of the Italian military whose recruits were directly loyal to the National Fascist Party. Battaglione M forces were created in 1941 and were selected from the MVSN from the most accomplished of its forces, who were used in important military operations.

The "M" referred to Italy's Duce Benito Mussolini. The insignia had a golden fasces on top of a red handwritten "M" of Mussolini's personal signature.

I've uploaded this for PIXEL-ARCHIVES artists depicting uniforms. The figure in the foreground can be seen wearing a Beretta M38 submachine gun ammo pouch vest for assault missions. This vest was commonly nicknamed the "Samurai" vest.

Note: Not my painting, I give full credit to the original artist, I am posting this here for the purpose of helping people interested in creating art depictions of Italian military uniforms of World War II. The website I found this from described the painting as depicting training exercises by the Battaglioni M for an amphibious assault on the island of Malta.