One of the more interesting theaters of war during WWII was North Africa. It was hear that a small German army nearly broke through a much larger British 8th Army and made it to the Suez Canal. Thanks to the fortunes of war and the addition of the US Army into the mix of things, this did not happen. But it was the theater that made legends.

This book from Pen & Sword, available from Casemate, is a photo chronicle of the German entry into that part of the conflict. It covers the initial build up and the subsequent battles back and forth across the coast of the Mediterranean by what was soon to be Rommel's Afrika Korps. Of course, it was not a fully German battle as the Italians also provided men and materiel into the mix, but it was Rommel's cunning and skill that really made the difference.

Inside these 160 pages are over 250 photographs of the Afrika Korps as taken from private collections and other archives around the world. Here are photos of the build-up, the battles, the men, the machines and the inhabitants of this section. The author has divided the book into several specific sections, each based on a time period of the North African campaign. Each section has a few introductory pages to set the stage for what is to be seen in the photos to follow. In all, it is quite well done and the photos alone are well worth the cover price for this one.

It is a book that both the history buff and the modeler will find of interest. A book that should inspire further reading on the subject and one that I can easily recommend to you.

October  2008

Review book courtesy of  Casemate Publishing, where you can order your copy of this and many other superb books and DVDs.

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