In the annals of military history, units are remembered because they are in some way unique, notable, different than their contemporaries. The two most common "routes" to fame as a unit are distinguishing itself in either one spectacular action (such as the British 24th Foot at Rorke's Drift)...or earning respect through longevity (as the US 1st Division, The  Big Red 1!). Only occasionally does a unit raised for a specific purpose and intact for a short period of time, attain the status of legend.

British units are readily associated with Europe, India, North America, the middle East, Egypt, Australia, Burma...the world.

The American GI "enjoys" similar notoriety. Americans, despite their short history, are easily pictured 'offshore' in the Philippines, Europe, North Africa, China, East Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific...

However, when one thinks of the German soldier, from Friedrich der Grosse, to Waterloo, to the Western Front, to Stalingrad...he is inevitably associated  with continental Europe...

...except for one legendary unit, the Deutsche Afrikakorps of World War II.

After the Italian Army suffered its great defeat at the hands of Britain's 8th Army, Axis leaders realised North Africa would soon be lost, unless German units were sent to the theatre of operations, and were able to reverse the situation.

The Wehrmacht's 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions and 90th Light Division were carried across the Med, into scenery "not at all familiar" to the German soldier. No dense forests, verdant fields and villages...their environment was endless hundreds and hundreds of miles of stark, stony sand. No matter, with their freshly painted sand-coloured vehicles and new tan uniforms, Deutsche Jungen adapted to the sand and flies and heat and cold...and became tough desert-saavy soldiers, worthy opponents for the British 8th Army, all but overnight...as the Deutsche Afrikakorps.

Led by Gereral Erwin Rommel (who less than a year earlier commanded the 7th Panzer Division in France), the German divisions achieved the status of a legend, as the Afrika Korps, commanded by the Desert Fox!

By mid 1943, it was over. The Allies ruled North Africa and much of the Med. As goes the oulde phrase, "...the rest is history."

Author Gordon Williamson and artist Ron Volstad's Osprey Elite 34, Afrikakorps 1941-43 provides an excellent primer on the Wehrmacht Soldat in Desertgelb (desert sand)  colour, rather than the traditional Feldgrau (field grey) . Brief text is provided on the history, primary actions...and end of the Afrikakorps after a mere two years, but two years which will live for many centuries in the history books.

Where the book really shines is portraying the Deutsches Afrika Korps Soldat, soldier...himself, in his element, the theatre of operations. Excellent illustrations and text show and describe uniforms, equipment, insignia...and the men, themselves, exactly what one needs to become 'edjumacated' lightly on the subject...and maybe want to get modeling on same, or get another book on the subject.  

For the scale modeler, the DAK is a veritable mega-amusement park of both subject matter and availability of modeling subjects. One can find either the exact or basis for conversion on virtually all the armoured and softskin vehicles used by the DAK, in a variety of scales, from 1/285 up. Panzer II, III, IV and even Tigers, halftracks, trucks, motorcycles...and the feared, mighty 88mm gun, which SO earned its frightening reputation in the desert (see this writer's M2 review on the Osprey book on the 88mm for further details). For figures, most manufacturers make at least one DAK type, sun-bronzed, dressed in a variety of dun-colour unis, stoic and aggressive, again, in most scales. Go git 'em.

Highly recommended.

Review copy courtesy of the reviewer's chequebook, purchased from an estate, at a swap.

For Scott Van Aken's Modeling Madness review of James Hood's novel,
 Adventure--Into The Neverland, go to:  http://users3.ev1.net/~bjmonkeyandcj/James_Hood.htm

April 2005

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