Book Review: Stug III & IV, Western Front, '44-'45, Dennis Oliver

Another excellent addition to the very useful Tank Craft series, from the ever-reliable Dennis Oliver.

Oliver has his own preferred format for these that differs somewhat from that usually adopted by other authors contributing to this series, deploying unit histories and schematic diagrams. In this 19th instalment of the Tank Craft series Oliver covers the Stug III & IV, and even then only really looks in detail at their deployment and use on the Western-Front in the last two years of the war, 1944-45. I hope there'll be more titles covering their service elsewhere forthcoming? As Stugs were the most produced German AFV of the war, and served in all theatres throughout the whole shebang, '39-'45.*

Production of the Sturmgeschütz III and Sturmhaubitze 42 at Alkett. [1]

One of the chief attractions of these books are the colour profiles, presented here under the heading 'Camouflage and Markings'. And in this instance we have 11 pages of these, depicting 19 Stug III, and three Stug IV, all illustrating vehicles serving in the aforementioned theatre/period. The 'Model Showcase' section features one Stug IV, and two Stug III, all in 1/35 scale. One minor gripe with the whole Tank Craft series, especially so for me as someone who builds almost exclusively in 1/72, is the rarity with which this scale is represented in the Showcase segments. This said, 1/72 kits are featured, alongside other scales (1/76, 1/48, 1/16, etc) in the usefully informative 'Modelling Products' section.

Camouflaged Stug III, France, '44. [2]

As already alluded to, their remains much of the Stug's WWII story to be told, so I hope more Stug volumes appear in due course. They'd be even better if they were to include some 1/72 kits in the Showcase section. I have four or five Stug models, and intend to paint them for theatres such as Italy and Russia, as well as the Western Front. But even with this tight focus on one theatre and a limited time period, this remains an excellent and, I think, essential reference for modellers and wargamers, etc.

* Oliver says there were none deployed in the initial invasion of Poland, but I've read or heard of other sources claiming there were a few deployed in that theatre.

This wonderful photograph does not appear in the book. [3]

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NOTES:

[1] This picture appears in the book. My version, and the caption below, are both sourced from Wikipedia's entry on the Alkett factory.

[2] This image appears on the cover, albeit in a small/cropped form.

[3] That said, many of the images of the late war Stugs covered by this book are, like this one, either destroyed, abandoned and/or captured.

Book Reviews: Panther Tanks, Normandy '44, & Defence of the West '45, Dennis Oliver

Taken together these two titles, numbers 3 and 18 in the Tank Craft series, give a very decent account of the Panther tank, as deployed on the Western Front circa '44-45. One might immediately think 'what then of the Panther's history and development before this, and it's service on the Southern and Eastern Fronts?' I'll return to these thoughts in due course.

As ever with Dennis Oliver, he deploys his own particular approach, utilising maps, timelines, organisational schematics, unit histories, and so on. Where he follows the standard Tank Craft template is in the central three segments: Camouflage and Markings, Model Showcase, and Modelling Products.

A Panther pauses on a French road, Normandy, '44. [1]

U.S. troops gathered around a disabled Panther.

The Normandy title features five models, all in1/35, and all very impressive. The Defence of the West  book, on the other hand, has just two 1/35 models and a single 1/48 example, the latter getting more pages than are normally given over to any one model in the Showcase section. Between the two books that's eight models, all bar one in 1/35. I'd have liked to have seen at least one bigger kit, in 1/16, perhaps, and one or two smaller models, in 1/72 or 1/76.

The colour profiles in the Camouflage and Markings chapter are nicely done, and are both fascinating and exciting. The range of styles and approaches the Germans employed, despite a palette of just three basic colours (which admittedly varied in themselves) was very diverse and, I find, endlessly intriguing. My only gripe on this front is that either the work of the illustrator, or perhaps the printing process, has rendered the core trio of colours less than 100% satisfactorily.

Panther in 'ambush' camo' scheme with infra-red sight.

Fabulous Panther Ausf G, by Lim Kian Guan, aka ChefLim. [2]

This is particularly noticeable with the green. The Dunkelgelb and Rotbrün, whilst only approximate, are near enough. But the green is way too light and bright. This is exaggerated even more in the bottom of the two cover images, shown at the top of this post (the Defence of the West one, sourced from Pen & Sword's own website listing for the book), where the green is almost fluorescent marker-pen bright! The actual books are closer colour-wise to the very top Normandy Campaign cover image.

Panzer graveyard with Panthers in the foreground.

A grimmer graveyard scene. Is this 'Ursula' again? [3]

It's this colour issue that leads me to dock half a balkenkreuz. Whether Oliver's obsessively detailed coverage is a blessing or a curse - what of Panthers in Italy and Russia, and prior to '44? - depends on how much hardcore info you can take, and whether you can stretch to buying so many titles on the one vehicle.

At an RRP of £15 a time (£14.99 to be exact), they aren't exactly cheap! NB: at the time of posting this review both titles are available at reduced prices, at Pen & Sword's website. I'm lucky in that the publishers have been generous enough to send me copies gratis, for review. Otherwise I'd be lusting after these whilst lamenting the lack of brass in my pockets! Anyway, as regards useful info and inspiration, etc, these books are fab. And I'd highly recommend them.

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NOTES:

Note on photos/pictures: in this post I've tried to use images that do appear in the books under review.  The two exceptions are the final black and white image above, and the colour picture of ChefLim's model, which is from his website.

[1] This picture appears in a smaller/cropped format.

[2] This superb model appears in the Showcase section of the Defence of the West title.

[3] The more eagle-eyed might notice that a charred corpse lies atop the rear deck of this knocked out tank. In fact more than one German soldier died on the back of this particular Panther - which may be 'Ursula', a Panther featured in Oliver's book on several different occasions - as other pictures I found online show clearly. A grisly reminder of the true nature and costs of war.

Book Review: JagdPanther Tank Destroyer, Dennis Oliver

Another highly detailed and very specific Tank Craft title from the prolific Dennis Oliver, utilising his signature approach, with maps, timelines, unit histories, organisational schematics and so on. This particular publication covers one of my favourite German tanks, the Jagdpanther tank destroyer.

I remember buying some of these in 1/300, from Heroics & Ros, as a kid, and painting the tiny little blighters in the tri-colour ambush camouflage scheme. The 6mm scale is not one I've ever seen featured in these Tank Craft titles. There are three 1/35, one 1/48 and one 1/72 example in the Model Showcase section here. 

A fabulous 1/72 winter whitewashed Dragon Jagdpanther, by Jaroslaw Witkowksi, aka Gulumik.

This tank is featured in the Model Showcase chapter.

Another of Gulumik's 1/72 meisterwerks, above, appears in the Modelling Products chapter.

This is the old Esci kit, plus scratch-built detailing.

In keeping with both the stated aims of this series and the standards set so far, this book is a treasure trove of info and imagery. I have one relatively minor gripe on the latter front, however (and this is why I dock half a balkenkreuz); regarding the archival pictures, the vast majority show captured or destroyed Jagdpanthers. They're all very interesting photos. But it would have been great to see more either being built - there are a couple of great pictures of the MNH factory production line - or in active German service.

As usual with Oliver's contributions to this ever-expanding and very useful series, he's very time/theatre specific. On this occasion addressing the late-war Western Front, of 1944-45. Perhaps another volume will appear on the Eestern and Southern fronts? And perhaps that'll have more 'in action' photos and less wrecks?

Unfinished Jagdpanthers at the MNH factory, Hanover,  1945.*

I love this pic of Panthers in the rain. Note the brollys deployed by the crew!*

This abondoned Jagdpanther, Reichswald, March '45, appears a couple of times

The colour profiles, or Camouflage And Markings illustrations are, as usual, excellent. My only gripe regarding this last feature being that the green used in the three-colour schemes appears rather too bright. Anyway, all told, another great instalment in this excellent series.

* Neither of these specific photos are in this book.

Book Review: Tiger I, Southern Front, 1942-45, Dennis Oliver (Tank Craft)

It's interesting that whereas there's currently just the one book in the current Tank Craft series on the T-34 or Sherman, covering these vehicles over the entire war, some German armour is getting much more detailed treatment, as exemplified by the title under review in this post.

Dennis Oliver seems to have his own slightly different m.o. when it comes to his contributions to this very useful series from Pen & Sword. Most of the Tank Craft titles I've read by other authors follow a fairly standard format, whereas Oliver instead uses a series of his own devices, such as timelines, unit histories, and organisational schematics, etc.

A Tiger I in Tunisia.

If you are, as I am, a Panzer nut, then this is both a blessing and a curse: it's a blessing because more detail is great. It's a curse because it entails greater expenditure. There's also the matter of what kind of info you're after, and which approaches most chime with ones own tastes. Oliver's idiosyncratic approach is fine with me. Indeed, by and large I really like it. This said, the degree or depth of detail is pretty hardcore. And, whilst they're useful references, the timelines he frequently employs are, for me, quite hard going.

Certain key parts - the colour profiles, under the heading Camouflage & Markings - and the Model Showcase and Modelling Products segments are pretty much as per all the Tank Craft titles. Most of the models showcased in these titles, are 1/35, with just the occasional 1/48, 1/16 or - my preferred scale - 1/72. On this occasion, whilst the Products section mentions numerous 1/72 and 1/76 kits from several manufacturers, none are featured in the Showcase chapter.

A Tiger crew engaged in repairs in the field, Italy.

Of the theatres covered here, which are North Africa, Sicily and Italy, it's the last two that interest me most, and Italy in particular. The terrain which was being fought over, and the camouflage and markings of the materiel are all, for my money, more interesting than the dusty/sandy monochromes of the North African desert war.

All in all another solid chunk of highly useful/enjoyable stuff for us Panzer freaks. Love it!

Book Review: Tank Craft 13, Tiger I & Tiger II Tanks, 1945

This is my first Tank Craft series experience. I was fortunate to be sent a review copy by Pen & Sword, as the £14.99 price is quite dear. First impressions are great: plenty of contemporary photographs, several pages of very good colour plates, showing markings and camouflage, and loads of info on various brands of available kits, including several detailed and very impressive build examples.

One of the photos used in the book. [1]

The degree of detail such specialist publications go into is extraordinary. It's amazing how much interest in WWII there is, and how almost every nut and bolt of every individual Panzer can be traced and accounted for. Truly astonishing! The amount of resources available to us enthusiasts is terrific. And if this example is typical of Dennis Oliver's contributions to the field, he's a top drawer contributor to this embarrassment of riches.

Steve Shrimpton's Dragon-based 1/72 model particularly appeals to me. [2]

In addition to what I've already mentioned, there are all sorts of other aspects covered here: maps, timelines, individual unit organisations and histories, and so on. For a publication the size of a typical A4 glossy magazine, there's a massive amount of extremely interesting and useful info here. Very impressive! Oh dear... now I want more!

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I do happen to have a recently acquired Zvezda snap-fit Tiger II. I'm planning to build it as this:

... the King Tiger from the Bovington Tiger Collection. I'm sure having this book will help me when I get around to making it.

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NOTES:

[1] Interestingly almost all the photographs are of knocked out or abandoned Tigers, mostly taken by Allied photographers. This superb picture is quite heavily cropped in the book, to focus on the tank, rather than the rather picturesque setting.

[2] Most the models appear to be 1/35. The info on models, accessories and so on is superb, and very useful.

WWII Miscellanea: Foreign Troops In German Service

Yang Kyoungjong, who's life story in WWII is tantalisingly bizarre.

Numerous things prompt this post. Having just read (and thoroughly enjoyed and been educated by) Ben Shepherd's Hitler's Soldiers, and also recently having watched, entranced and appalled, the amazing Russian film Come And See, one thing that has struck me as particularly odd and intriguing was the role of foreign troops in German service. [1]

That the Germans made cynical use of POW's and others, from Jews of all nations to intellectuals or Communists from occupied territories (and even Germany herself) as slave labour is well-known, and accords with the brutal tenets of Nazism. In this short post I just want to very briefly look at a few of the many people who did fight, willingly or unwillingly, alongside the Germans.

Looking every bit like the prototypical SS officer, with a firm self-belief in his belonging to the 'master race', Christian Frederik von Schalburg was a Dane who served in SS Wiking, before founding the Frikorps Danmark. [2]

Spanish troops of the Blue Division.

French soldiers of the Légion des Volontaires Français.

As well as such political/military allies as Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, Germany's Axis partners, whose troops all fought alongside the Germans at various times, there were also numerous units made up of foreign troops, such as the Spanish Blue Division, the Frikorps Danmark, and so on.

Kenneth Berry and Alfred Minchin, two of the very few Britons who responded to calls for a British Free Corps.

British fascist John Amery even suggested to the German leadership that there should be a British outfit, which was eventually called the British Free Corps. Primarily recruited from British POWs, and sold as a crusade against communism, apparently only about 50 or so men ever joined, and the unit never exceeded 27 men at any one time! Amery, son of the very prominent politician Leo Amery, was hanged for treason in 1945.

Gen. Vlasov addressing troops of the ROA, or Russian Liberation Army. [3]

If alliances with Communist Russia, and even Japan - given that these were considered 'Asiatic' peoples, and that that term was a byword for backward and barbaric in the German/Nazi lexicon of this era - seem odd enough, there were still stranger bedfellows, such as the Bosnian Muslims who became SS troops in the Balkans campaign.

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem at a parade of the 1st Croatian or 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division, aka Handschar.

Men of the Handschar [4] Reading propaganda material (one assumes?).

As Ben Shepherd discusses in Hitler's Soldiers, whislt the German army wasn't inherently Nazi, it colluded with the regime in order to see itself grow and prosper. And as the war went on it grew every more enmeshed and compromised in the crimes the Nazi regime was perpetrating. Therefore, to arm such people as they did, and have them fight for their cause? It does seem rather odd, to my mind. [5] 

The Nazis were very reluctant to employ women in their war effort, especially German women, who they saw as wives and mothers, not warriors. And given the deeply racist nature of Nazism, the actual fact of these many native auxiliaries (as opposed to the volunteers from places like France, Spain and Denmark, etc.) seems a strange mix of hypocritical utilitarianism on the one hand, and an acceptance, on the other, that one can't simply wipe whole people's out, but need their co-operation, if only to wage a war the eventual aim of which is to wipe those same people out. 

Well, war is madness, I guess!

The Indian Legion, originally a Wehrmacht unit, was transferred to the SS eventually. 

Despite the messy complexity of the subject, there are numerous examples of this happening in the German Army, ranging from Sikhs of the Indian Legion fighting the Allies in Normandy, to Russian 'volunteer' units, containing troops of numerous ethnicities, and even Croatian Muslims in the SS, and Cossacks acting as police type auxiliaries. [6]

Cossacks in German service, on parade.

Moustachioed Cossacks on parade, under the stern eye of a German commander.

At the top of this post is a picture of Yang Kyoungjong, a Korean who, aged only 18, was press-ganged into Japanese service, having been conscripted in Manchuria, the Japanese puppet state on Chinese territory, to fight the Russians. Captured by the Russians, after a spell of forced labour he was sent to fight the Germans, who, in their turn, pressed him into service. The picture shows him, in german uniform, being registered as a POW by the Americans (he settled in America, where he had a family, dying in 1992). 

A South Korean documentary has concluded that the evidence for his existence is not conclusive. I hope the story is true. It'd make for an amazing film ... Indeed, there is such a film, called My Way, made for the Asian market). I've got to check it out!

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NOTES:

[1] Other things I've seen that stimulate this thread include uniform illustrations in Blandford's old Uniforms of WWII book (a German cossack auxiliary, in particular), Anthony Quayle pretending to be a German pretending to be South African in Ice Cold In Alex (not strictly in line with this topic, perhaps, but a reminder about the multinationalism of WWII and the shifting and varied allegiances people might have), and ... well, see note 6 below.

[2] Schalburg was killed during fighting in the Demyansk Pocket, attempting to lead from the front, in true hung-ho SS style.

[3] There's an interesting scene in the five-film Russian epic Liberation, in which a character who looks very like Vlasov tries to recruit some Russian POWs. He also talks briefly to Stalin's son, Yakov Dzhugashvili, suggesting a prisoner swap with (I think?) Gen. Paulus.

[4] I wondered what the units name meant. Apparently, according to some 'talk' on the wiki page: 'The name "handschar" is the German spelling of a Balkan word for a sword or knife, ultimately from Arabic khanjar (خنجر).'

[5] It's a bit like Afro-Americans fighting for the South. And indeed, some did. But that's a whole other story! 

[6] There are some chillingly repellent characters in Come And See who are clearly Russians in German service, aiding in the burning of a village and its inhabitants. As Alan Clark says in his study of Barbarossa, Russia was the theatre 'where the septic violence of Nazism festered openly', in 'scenes of not so much medieval as of pre-Roman barbarism'.

Book Review: Hitler's Soldier's - Ben Shepherd

In Brief

This is an excellent book. At something over 500 pages it might appear daunting at first glance. But considering how much is covered - from the blitzkrieg in Poland and France, to the heat of North Africa or the cold of Russian winters; from heady victories to abject defeats, on the frontline and in the occupied rear areas - it's actually remarkably concise.

Over twenty-four chapters, subdivided into five parts whose headings pithily map the narrative trajectory - Military Ascent, Moral Decline; Triumph & Hubris; Losing The Initiative; Beleaguered; Defeat, Destruction & Self-Destruction - Ben Shepherd both tells the story and analyses the actions of the German Army between 1933-45. 

Victories came easily in the early days.

I don't want to give too much away for readers coming to this fresh, a great deal of whom will probably know much of the history beforehand anyway. But, in brief, Hitler's brinkmanship and the army's own 'auftragstaktik' doctrine (something Shepherd makes much of) initially appear to serve the German cause well. 

But, ultimately, the huge gulf between ends and means, and the toxic racism central to Nazi ideology, ensure that the rot sets in very quickly. Once the regime's brutal belligerence - the army being a chief tool in this respect - has angered and alienated a large enough coalition, the 'thousand year Reich' and the army used to create it, are doomed to an early demise.

Bogged down in Russia.

This comprehensive and compelling account is, above all else, a very nuanced and balanced reading of this dark and messy chapter of recent history. And as the books subtitle, The German Army in the Third Reich, suggests, as well as simply telling us what happened, Shepherd examines the context, asking such questions as how complicit was the German army in Nazi atrocities? and why did it continue to fight so ardently when it was clear the war was lost?

A woman weeps as Jews are rounded up in Greece.

This pic is from Albania. The war in the Balkans was, as in Russia, very brutal.

Journeying throughout the varied theatres of this monumental conflict with the German armed forces, as Shepherd seeks the answers to these questions, was fascinating and enlightening. A sure-fire sign that a book is worth reading is when it's hard to put down, and stokes the fires of interest in further, deeper reading. This book assuredly does both.

Up next: I wanted to get this when it first came out in hardback, but managed to wait till the cheaper paperback (as pictured) arrived.

In Depth (well, a bit more depth, anyway...)

As alluded to at the end of the brief review above, there were aspects of the content of this book that intrigued me, regarding further future reading. As it happened, at one of the recent '40s events we attended, I picked up the memoirs of Panzer General von Mellenthin, a German commander I'd not heard of before, but who Shepherd quotes a number of times.

I'm reading this now.

But as well as getting better knowledge of the source material, there are whole other areas, such as the conflict between the various commands (e.g. the OKH and the OKW), and the growing encroachment of the SS upon the army's roles, or the individual campaigns, all of which excite interest in further exploration.

Some of the other things that I found interesting here include the following: the concept of auftragstaktik; the different faces of occupation, from the relatively civilised [1] west to the openly and deeply barbaric east; individual campaigns (pretty much all of them, but perhaps especially the blitzkrieg in France, Barbarossa, and the campaign in Italy); and the roles of other arms, e.g. the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.

Brauhitsch, an old-school German commander, of aristocratic origin. He had a chequered career, in and out of favour. Despite his high rank (field marshal, and even C-in-C in the early part of the war), he was often sidelined. Whilst conspiring with Halder to try and get rid of Hitler somehow, as early as 1939-40, he ultimately backed out. Surviving the war he died in captivity, before he could be brought to trial.

Jodl was one of the new breed at the top of the german army. A frontkampfer in WWI (and therefore more like both Hitler and his ideal of the new Nazi soldier), who rose through the ranks, ultimately signing both the infamous 'commissar order' (1941), and the unconditional surrender (1945). He was hanged in 1946 for war crimes

Some of this involves reflecting on the content of what this book covers (the german army's doctrine of auftragstaktik would be a case in point, as would their complicity in Nazism's ideological crimes), and other aspects involve delving deeper into stuff Shepherd only has time/space to briefly allude to. 

One good example of the latter case would be the way that, at the outset of the war, the germans combine arms very successfully. Whereas, by the middle of the war, and ever more so as it goes on, they are reduced to a one-dimensional force: once they lose air and sea supremacy they only have  the edge (if they ever have any advantage at all), or just a fighting chance, on land.

Combined arms: look very carefully and you'll see a diving Stuka in this pic.

The bulk of german armour early in the war was light, such as the Pz I, Pz II, Pz38s (Czech chassis!), with only a few Pz III and IV.

An iconic image of Blitzkrieg in France.

Planes such as these Stukas played a vital role in early german victories, psychologically as well as tactically.

So, when the German Army invades France the Luftwaffe's dominance in the air is crucial to the success on the ground. And likewise, at the other end of the war, as they retreat from France, it's lack of air support (never mind supremacy!) that is decisive in sealing their doom, as manoeuvres can only be carrie out at night, and the transport infrastructure is constantly hammered by the Allies.

Auftragstaktik is a term that creates difficulties in explanation, even for the experts (check this link, to see what I mean), including, to some degree, Shepherd himself. Interestingly, it is very different from the Napoleonic style of command - something Hitler would aim to emulate ever more as the war progressed - whereby the central commander knows and directs all, and only tells subordinates the minimum they need to know to execute his will. Auftragstaktik, by contrast, very much depends on knowledge, flexibility, and independence, all the way down the chain of command, but especially at the 'sharp end'.

Rommel, in North Africa.

Guderian gets lambasted.

Some commanders emerge from this account relatively okay, although very few (if any) could claim to be to be free from the taint of implanting Nazi policy. Rommel is taken down a peg or too from his most exalted myth, but not trashed as some have seen fit to do. Guderian is portrayed more hardly still, as a self-serving careerist, who overstates his own importance, happily sacrificing others, from rank and file to high level colleagues, in furthering his own ambitions.

Shepherd certainly focusses a lot on how the officer corps composition evolves, away from the old-school Prussian aristocratic model (ready enough to embrace Nazi militarism as it was) to the broader volksgemeinschaft of Hitler's Nazi vision, a classless meritocracy (of sorts!), in which bravery and fanaticism were key components. Schörner emerges from Shepherd's account as the exemplary of this latter type. A leader who could be as brutally terrifying to his own troops as the enemy!

To combat escalating desertion rate ardent Nazi commander Ferdinand Schörner implemented an infamous order requiring on the spot court-martials and hangings for troops found separated from their units.

Shepherd makes good use of material from the lower ranks as well, often quoting from letters home. So, to finish off this review, here are some pictures of the more rank and file type elements. 

Landser... trudging through the vast Steppe.

Panzergrenadiers of the GrossDeutschland regt.

A nice colour image from the german magazine Signal.

War whatever the weather.

Despite her much vaunted mechanisation, and those feared Blitzkrieg weapons the Panzers, Germany remained heavily reliant on old-fashioned horsepower.

Still trudging through the Steppe.

I forget the exact figures Shepherd gives for German wartime casualties, but I thinks it's something like 700,000 on the Western Front and 1,700,000 on the Eastern Front. [2] Many more were missing and never accounted for, and of course many more were wounded. Again, my memory for the figures is hazy. But I think Germany mobilised about 9,000,000 of their armed forces, during the war as a whole.

These kids are actually SS (Totenkopf). By the end of the war Hitler and Germany were scraping the barrel, rather like the Marie-Louises of the Napoleonic era.

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NOTES:

Shepherd's book is illustrated, chiefly with a section of pics in the middle. The pics I've used here are not from his book, but Wikipedia and the web in general.

[1] I say relatively advisedly. Whilst the Germans might have enjoyed civilised relations, especially initially, with the social/racial groups they considered their equals, such as the French, or the Germanic/Nordic peoples, the army was heavily complicit in enacting Nazi racist policy as regards the 'out groups', with the Jews being the primary target.

[2] I thought I'd check on Wikipedia, but it's clearly a messy and complex subject, as this link demonstrates.