Book Review of Images of War
Fallschirmjager German Paratroopers 1937-1941 Volume 1
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
Author: Francois Cochet
Pen & Sword Military Publishing
ISBN: 1526740664
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 1526740664
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
As elite troops, the German Fallschirmjager (paratroopers) were regularly engaged in front line combat during WWII.
Their famed actions, such as the fighting in Scandinavia, the taking of the Balkan fortress Eden-Emal in May 1940, and the Battle of Crete just a year later, have given them the reputation of being determined, courageous and loyal soldiers.
This book covers the early years of the Fallschirmstruppen (paratroop units) before the beginning of the war, until the height of their successes in 1941.
After which, the Fallschirmjager were more often deployed in a more
"traditional" way, even though high-risk actions (such as Monte Cassino and the Gran Sasso Raid) allowed them to reconnect once more with their glorious past.
About the author:
Francois Cochet is a Belgian author, whose main interest lies in the battles of WWII. Over the last 80 years, he has met and interviewed many German ex-soldiers of the Wehrmacht and collected various memorabilia and documents.
He enjoys helping others research this particular period, and this is his first image-based book. He currently lives in Flanders.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Military Publishing is based in the UK.
The copyright of the book is 2019.
It is soft cover of 111 pages in 7 1/2" x 10" page format.
The cover art shows 5 black and white wartime photos, all of which are repeated inside the book.
The largest photo at the top shows the first prisoners captured from the Dutch Army.
Below this, the first photo on the left shows Fallschrimjagers lined up in uniform with their unique style helmets on.
The next picture shows a paratrooper making a jump out of a plane.
The third photo shows a string of parachutes coming down.
The final photo shows Adolf Hitler posing with a group of paratroopers.
The back of the book shows 3 more black and white wartime photos.
Reading left to right, the first one shows a paratrooper that has just landed in snow.
The second photo shows a paratrooper with a wounded face.
The final shot is of a group of paratroopers manning a captured British Bofors (anti-aircraft) gun, using it against its previous owners.
The book contains 161 black and white photos.
These include photos of aircraft: a Hs-126, Ju-52's, a captured Polish PZL P-24 and DFS-230 gliders.
Nine portraits of significant individuals.
Seven shots of Fallschirmjager grave-yards.
A propaganda poster.
A copy of a Fallschrimjager's death notice card.
Four photos of a Fallschirmjager monument.
There is no color in the book.
This book will be of great interest to historians and modelers alike.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
They are the North American distributor of Pen & Sword books and all their titles can be seen on the Casemate site at:
Their famed actions, such as the fighting in Scandinavia, the taking of the Balkan fortress Eden-Emal in May 1940, and the Battle of Crete just a year later, have given them the reputation of being determined, courageous and loyal soldiers.
This book covers the early years of the Fallschirmstruppen (paratroop units) before the beginning of the war, until the height of their successes in 1941.
After which, the Fallschirmjager were more often deployed in a more
"traditional" way, even though high-risk actions (such as Monte Cassino and the Gran Sasso Raid) allowed them to reconnect once more with their glorious past.
About the author:
Francois Cochet is a Belgian author, whose main interest lies in the battles of WWII. Over the last 80 years, he has met and interviewed many German ex-soldiers of the Wehrmacht and collected various memorabilia and documents.
He enjoys helping others research this particular period, and this is his first image-based book. He currently lives in Flanders.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Military Publishing is based in the UK.
The copyright of the book is 2019.
It is soft cover of 111 pages in 7 1/2" x 10" page format.
The cover art shows 5 black and white wartime photos, all of which are repeated inside the book.
The largest photo at the top shows the first prisoners captured from the Dutch Army.
Below this, the first photo on the left shows Fallschrimjagers lined up in uniform with their unique style helmets on.
The next picture shows a paratrooper making a jump out of a plane.
The third photo shows a string of parachutes coming down.
The final photo shows Adolf Hitler posing with a group of paratroopers.
The back of the book shows 3 more black and white wartime photos.
Reading left to right, the first one shows a paratrooper that has just landed in snow.
The second photo shows a paratrooper with a wounded face.
The final shot is of a group of paratroopers manning a captured British Bofors (anti-aircraft) gun, using it against its previous owners.
The book contains 161 black and white photos.
These include photos of aircraft: a Hs-126, Ju-52's, a captured Polish PZL P-24 and DFS-230 gliders.
Nine portraits of significant individuals.
Seven shots of Fallschirmjager grave-yards.
A propaganda poster.
A copy of a Fallschrimjager's death notice card.
Four photos of a Fallschirmjager monument.
There is no color in the book.
This book will be of great interest to historians and modelers alike.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
They are the North American distributor of Pen & Sword books and all their titles can be seen on the Casemate site at: