Book Review of
Life & Death on the Eastern Front
Rare Colour Photographs from the
Second World War
Authors: Anthony Tucker Jones
& Ian Stewart Spring
Forward by: David Glantz
Greenhill Books
ISBN: 978-1-78438-723-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $34.95
ISBN: 978-1-78438-723-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $34.95
THE BOOK:
Greenhill Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 290 pages. Three of which are blank, in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
It is an incredible visual record of the life and death along the Eastern Front. It features images from Author Ian Spring’s PI & Past archive, a collection of more than 32,000 original colour photographs taken between 1936 and 1946.
Collated into three parts and organized thematically, the book begins with images of the ground war, including Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union and the tanks, vehicles, weaponry and infantry on both sides.
Moving into the war in the skies, the images depict aircraft in flight and on the ground, the bombers, fighters, Luftwaffe personnel and the destruction wrought from battle. Finally, the images take you behind the lines to the prisoners of war, partisans and medics. The daily lives and leisure activities of soldiers and civilians along the front and the impact of the harsh Russian winter.
This is the Second World War as it has never been seen before. This stunning collection of 265 original colour photographs takes the reader on a visual journey through the landscape of the war along the Eastern Front.
Accompanied by text by renowned author and commentator Anthony Jones, these images offer a rare and often surprising insight into the realities of the Second World War and the people caught up in it.
The book has a paper-jacket with fold-over flaps that hold it tight to the book.
The cover art is on this jacket. It shows a color photo of a line of German Pz.Kpfw. IV tanks. The nearest one is partially snow covered. A crew member is looking out the top hatch of the turret and a second crewman is looking out of the side hatch of the turret. This tank has a large wood crate slung on its rear and some loose tan cables.
The book begins with a CONTENTS and a 2 ½ page FORWARD.
The book starts with a section that is named “The Cameraman”.
It shows color photos of 13 German cameramen, cameras, a child and a girl holding cameras and a cameraman taking a photo of 4 little girls.
The 1st chapter is “The Ground War”.
It shows 50 color photos of German tanks, vehicles and their crewmen and a Soviet tank.
The German tanks are Pz.Kpfw. IVs, IIs & IIIs, a Marder III. Also shown is a motorcycle, an anti-tank wooden stakes barrior next to water filled trench.
The 2nd chapter is “Had I Known”.
It shows color photos of 16 Soviet tanks.
BT-7s, T-26s, T-34s, KV-1A and KV-1B.
The 3rd chapter is “Yellow Waffenfarben”
It shows color photos of 23 German armored vehicles.
Sd.Kfz. 251s, a Sd.Kfz. 261, Sd.Kfz. 232s, Sd.Kfz. 231s, Sd.Kfz. 222s.
Chapter 4 is “Beasts of Burden”
A Sd.Kfz. 250, Sd. Kfz. 7 being transported on a rail road flat-car, a small Sd.Kfz. 2 Kettenkrad, also tank crewmen, An Austrian built RSO tracked-tractor, a small French Type UE tankette.
Chapter 5 is “Poor Blood Infantry”
It shows 12 color photos of German infantrymen and their weapons.
Chapter 6 is “God of War”
It shows 10 color photos of German artillery.
105mm, 150mm, SFH 18 and their crews. One 105mm is shown being towed by horses.
Chapter 7 is “The Door Knocker”
It shows 17 color photos of more German artillery.
A Unic P107 artillery tractor, a 50mm PAK 38s with crews, an Sd.Kfz. 10 towing an anti-tank gun.
Chapter 8 is “Stalin’s Debris”.
It shows 10 color photos of Soviet guns.
A 45mm anti-tank gun, abandoned guns of various calibers, a 76mm regimental gun, a Stalinetes 65 artillery tractor towing a 152mm Model 1910/34 field-gun, a derelict battery of 107mm guns, a field of abandoned guns and equipment, 122mm Model 1931 field-guns.
Chapter 9 is “The Art of Logistics”
It shows 12 color photos of various German trucks, a horse-drawn wagon.
Chapter 10 is “The Officer’s Limo”.
It shows 13 color photos of German field cars etc.
A Volkswagen sedan, Kubelwagens, motorcycles and their drivers.
Chapter 11 is “A Job For Engineers”.
It shows 11 color photos of German engineers building bridges.
Next is a section called “War in the Skies”
It holds Chapter 12 “The Luftwaffe's Fighters”.
It shows 6 color photos of German fighters.
Bf-109s, Ju-87 Stukas and pilots.
Chapter 13 is “Smashed on the Ground”.
It shows 8 color photos of knocked-down and destroyed Soviet aircraft with German infantrymen around them.
Two Polikarpov I-16s, three Mig-3s.
Chapter 14 is “Wail of the Bombers”
It shows 9 color photos of German Ju-87 Stuka dive-bombers (one getting an engine change) and two 2-engined bombers that the caption does not say what they are.
Chapter 15 is “The Welcome Annie”.
It shows 9 color photos of German aircrafts.
Ju-52s, Me-323s and their crews and a photo of Hitler at an airfield.
Chapter 16 is “Air Defense Duties”
It shows various German anti-aircraft guns and crews.
Next is a section called “Behind the Lines”.
Chapter 17 is “Troublesome Axis Allies”
It shows 11 color photos.
Romanian soldiers, Italian soldiers, Spanish Volunteers, Dutch soldiers, SS Panzergrenadier Div. “Nordland” soldiers, some Russian soldiers, also 2 cemeteries are shown.
Chapter 18 is “Prisoners of War”
It shows 7 color photos of prisoners.
Russian soldiers and officers.
Chapter 19 is “The Partisan War”
It shows 13 photos. 11 are in color and 2 are black and white.
Partisans are shown, 2 are shown hung, Germans infantrymen are shown burying a comrade that was shot by partisans, the black and white photo show two trains.
Chapter 20 is “The Medics”.
It shows 10 color photos of German medics, nurses and doctors, ambulances, Ju-52s and a red cross marked railroad box-car.
Chapter 21 is “Leisure Time on the Ostfront”.
It shows 13 color photos of:
German soldiers bathing, shaving, relaxing, playing ball, being inspected by an officer, on leave in town, eating meals and an officer getting married.
Chapter 22 is “Enduring Russian Winter”.
It shows 20 color photos of:
German infantrymen out in the snow, some German tanks etc.
The last 2 pages of the book is SOURCES & FURTHER READING list.
This is a neat picture album of activities on the Eastern Front. It will be of interest to both modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Greenhill Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Greenhill Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 290 pages. Three of which are blank, in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
It is an incredible visual record of the life and death along the Eastern Front. It features images from Author Ian Spring’s PI & Past archive, a collection of more than 32,000 original colour photographs taken between 1936 and 1946.
Collated into three parts and organized thematically, the book begins with images of the ground war, including Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union and the tanks, vehicles, weaponry and infantry on both sides.
Moving into the war in the skies, the images depict aircraft in flight and on the ground, the bombers, fighters, Luftwaffe personnel and the destruction wrought from battle. Finally, the images take you behind the lines to the prisoners of war, partisans and medics. The daily lives and leisure activities of soldiers and civilians along the front and the impact of the harsh Russian winter.
This is the Second World War as it has never been seen before. This stunning collection of 265 original colour photographs takes the reader on a visual journey through the landscape of the war along the Eastern Front.
Accompanied by text by renowned author and commentator Anthony Jones, these images offer a rare and often surprising insight into the realities of the Second World War and the people caught up in it.
The book has a paper-jacket with fold-over flaps that hold it tight to the book.
The cover art is on this jacket. It shows a color photo of a line of German Pz.Kpfw. IV tanks. The nearest one is partially snow covered. A crew member is looking out the top hatch of the turret and a second crewman is looking out of the side hatch of the turret. This tank has a large wood crate slung on its rear and some loose tan cables.
The book begins with a CONTENTS and a 2 ½ page FORWARD.
The book starts with a section that is named “The Cameraman”.
It shows color photos of 13 German cameramen, cameras, a child and a girl holding cameras and a cameraman taking a photo of 4 little girls.
The 1st chapter is “The Ground War”.
It shows 50 color photos of German tanks, vehicles and their crewmen and a Soviet tank.
The German tanks are Pz.Kpfw. IVs, IIs & IIIs, a Marder III. Also shown is a motorcycle, an anti-tank wooden stakes barrior next to water filled trench.
The 2nd chapter is “Had I Known”.
It shows color photos of 16 Soviet tanks.
BT-7s, T-26s, T-34s, KV-1A and KV-1B.
The 3rd chapter is “Yellow Waffenfarben”
It shows color photos of 23 German armored vehicles.
Sd.Kfz. 251s, a Sd.Kfz. 261, Sd.Kfz. 232s, Sd.Kfz. 231s, Sd.Kfz. 222s.
Chapter 4 is “Beasts of Burden”
A Sd.Kfz. 250, Sd. Kfz. 7 being transported on a rail road flat-car, a small Sd.Kfz. 2 Kettenkrad, also tank crewmen, An Austrian built RSO tracked-tractor, a small French Type UE tankette.
Chapter 5 is “Poor Blood Infantry”
It shows 12 color photos of German infantrymen and their weapons.
Chapter 6 is “God of War”
It shows 10 color photos of German artillery.
105mm, 150mm, SFH 18 and their crews. One 105mm is shown being towed by horses.
Chapter 7 is “The Door Knocker”
It shows 17 color photos of more German artillery.
A Unic P107 artillery tractor, a 50mm PAK 38s with crews, an Sd.Kfz. 10 towing an anti-tank gun.
Chapter 8 is “Stalin’s Debris”.
It shows 10 color photos of Soviet guns.
A 45mm anti-tank gun, abandoned guns of various calibers, a 76mm regimental gun, a Stalinetes 65 artillery tractor towing a 152mm Model 1910/34 field-gun, a derelict battery of 107mm guns, a field of abandoned guns and equipment, 122mm Model 1931 field-guns.
Chapter 9 is “The Art of Logistics”
It shows 12 color photos of various German trucks, a horse-drawn wagon.
Chapter 10 is “The Officer’s Limo”.
It shows 13 color photos of German field cars etc.
A Volkswagen sedan, Kubelwagens, motorcycles and their drivers.
Chapter 11 is “A Job For Engineers”.
It shows 11 color photos of German engineers building bridges.
Next is a section called “War in the Skies”
It holds Chapter 12 “The Luftwaffe's Fighters”.
It shows 6 color photos of German fighters.
Bf-109s, Ju-87 Stukas and pilots.
Chapter 13 is “Smashed on the Ground”.
It shows 8 color photos of knocked-down and destroyed Soviet aircraft with German infantrymen around them.
Two Polikarpov I-16s, three Mig-3s.
Chapter 14 is “Wail of the Bombers”
It shows 9 color photos of German Ju-87 Stuka dive-bombers (one getting an engine change) and two 2-engined bombers that the caption does not say what they are.
Chapter 15 is “The Welcome Annie”.
It shows 9 color photos of German aircrafts.
Ju-52s, Me-323s and their crews and a photo of Hitler at an airfield.
Chapter 16 is “Air Defense Duties”
It shows various German anti-aircraft guns and crews.
Next is a section called “Behind the Lines”.
Chapter 17 is “Troublesome Axis Allies”
It shows 11 color photos.
Romanian soldiers, Italian soldiers, Spanish Volunteers, Dutch soldiers, SS Panzergrenadier Div. “Nordland” soldiers, some Russian soldiers, also 2 cemeteries are shown.
Chapter 18 is “Prisoners of War”
It shows 7 color photos of prisoners.
Russian soldiers and officers.
Chapter 19 is “The Partisan War”
It shows 13 photos. 11 are in color and 2 are black and white.
Partisans are shown, 2 are shown hung, Germans infantrymen are shown burying a comrade that was shot by partisans, the black and white photo show two trains.
Chapter 20 is “The Medics”.
It shows 10 color photos of German medics, nurses and doctors, ambulances, Ju-52s and a red cross marked railroad box-car.
Chapter 21 is “Leisure Time on the Ostfront”.
It shows 13 color photos of:
German soldiers bathing, shaving, relaxing, playing ball, being inspected by an officer, on leave in town, eating meals and an officer getting married.
Chapter 22 is “Enduring Russian Winter”.
It shows 20 color photos of:
German infantrymen out in the snow, some German tanks etc.
The last 2 pages of the book is SOURCES & FURTHER READING list.
This is a neat picture album of activities on the Eastern Front. It will be of interest to both modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Greenhill Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.