Men-at-Arms
8 primary works • 12 total works
Book 213
Book 365
Book 380
Book 385
Book 393
Book 404
Book 415
Book 434
The military policeman must be one of the least appreciated yet most indispensable military figures in modern history. In the mobile warfare of the 20th century no army could keep its vital supply routes open without the military policeman. This book documents the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the many and varied German military police units of World War II. Their duties included traffic control; maintaining military order and discipline; collection and escorting prisoners of war; prevention of looting; disarming civilians; checking captured enemy soldiers for documents; collection of fallen enemy propaganda leaflets and providing street patrols in occupied areas.
One of the unique features of German armed forces uniforms in World War II was the number and range of insignia, both of metal and cloth, which were worn on combat uniforms. These were officially awarded to mark a man's participation in particular campaigns and battles, his length of front line service, or particular achievements. This book lists, explains, describes and illustrates in detail the arm shields, cuff titles, medals, and battle badges worn by the German Army, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS ground troops from 1939-45, including a number of rare and controversial insignia.
A number of German regiments and divisions, including the famous 21 Panzer Division and the Panzer Lehr Division, were considered "elite". This status was usually marked by the award of a special badge or another uniform distinction. This title looks at these special uniform distinctions, along with the organization, most important actions and leading personalities of the most famous regiments and divisions of the World War II Wehrmacht.
The unit named after the Reichsmarschall started out as a Prussian Police regiment under Goring's control during the period of consolidation of Nazi power. With the outbreak of war it became a ground combat unit of his Luftwaffe; and was steadily increased in size and equipment until it became an armoured division, and by 1945 - nominally - a "Parachute Armoured Corps" of two-division strength. This work describes the organization, battle history and uniforms of this crack unit.
In Nazi Germany the place of women was in the home as wife and mother. German women we taught that their duty in life was to have as many children as possible and look after their husband. However, with the war taking men away to fight women were needed as workers. A number of women served in Germany's auxiliarty services which supported the Wehrmacht in World War II. This book looks at the organisation, duties, and special uniforms of these women who who served with all four armed services, and several other organisations, under the Third Reich.
In the early 1920s, a tiny group was formed within the SA to serve as Hitler's personal bodyguard. Originally labelled the "Stosstruppe Adolf Hitler", they later became known as the SS - Schutz Staffeln, or "protection squad". This second of four titles covers the first wave of expansion: the Sixth Division "Nord"; the Austrian Seventh Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen" which fought Tito's partisans; the housed cavalry of Eight Division "Florian Geyer" which operated on the Eastern Front; and the two formidable new Panzer Divisions, Ninth "Hohenstaufen" and Tenth "Frundsberg", which fought the Western Allies in 1944.
In the early 1920s, a tiny group was formed within the SA to serve as Hitler's personal bodyguard. Originally labelled the 'Stosstruppe Adolf Hitler,' they later became known as the SS - Schutz Staffeln. From these humble beginnings, the SS rose to the strength of 38 divisions of over 800,000 men by 1945. This third of four titles covers Waffen-SS divisions 11. to 23., many of which were Freiwilligen Divisions - comprised of foreign volunteers fighting alongside German and Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) soldiers. Of these, the most famous is 11. SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Division 'Nordland', which fought to the bitter end in Berlin, defending the Reichschancellory and the Fuhrerbunker.
The wartime Police were headed by Himmler as chief of the SS; and throughout the occupied nations the regional SS commanders were specifically termed 'Higher SS and Police Leaders'. It was not a single service, but a vast machinery which included many special categories - from conventional criminal detectives, municipal and rural police; to many police combat battalions sent to Russia; to border and customs police, and special railway and waterway departments; to fire brigades and emergency engineer squads, and even a colonial service for North Africa. The purpose of this title is to explain the complex organization and the particular duties of the different branches which formed such a critical part of the Nazi apparatus and ensured that control was maintained inside Hitler's Fortress Europe. Painstaking research by the author has unearthed fascinating information about the Police organizations their many different uniforms and insignia, which are illustrated in the colour plates.