Military Model Scene

Title: Rommel's Ghost Division, Victory in the West
Author: David Mitchelhill-Green
Publisher: Images of War
ISBN: 978-1-39907-805-4

The second part of this story of Rommel's Ghost Division, 7th Panzer Division, and its' part in the conquest of France in 1940. A 211-page soft-cover book in the Images of War series from Pen & Sword.
This continues the story on from the Dash to the Channel, which is the associated title in the Images of War series. As with that earlier title, the photos are sourced from the 'Rommel Collection'. These have photos taken by Rommel himself along with those taken of him and copies of others taken by the German army Kriegstagebucher, who in turn recorded detailed daily records of operations. The collection was confiscated at the end of the war and is now held in the NARA in the USA. They show Rommel and his 7th Panzer Division as they reached the Channel coast, and once the Dunkirk evacuation was complete, they moved south and west after a short break for some recovery. The speed of his advance continued and the chapters tell us the story of them crossing the Weygand Line and taking Fecamp and St Valery-en-Caux. As well as the advancing German troops and their equipment, we also see the large quantity of men and equipment which they captured as they advanced so quickly, both British and French. These included plenty of senior commanders, a number of whom are seen in company with Rommel, who clearly celebrated his success. The advance continued, with more success in taking Le Havre, then Cherbourg and leading to a victory parade in Bordeaux. Although the fighting for France came to an end, the story continues with a final chapter which covers the later reconstruction of the crossing of the Somme. This propaganda film, which Rommel did take part in, is well covered, and a number of photos from that film are very recognisable from so many books over the years which use them as pictures from the actual crossing and not a later reconstruction.
Rommel is perhaps the most famous of German Generals/Field Marshalls of WW2 and this photo collection is a fine collection of images from the Blitzkrieg campaign in France in 1940. His advance across France was fast, and a large number of prisoners of war captured, and equally large quantities of equipment, many of which are well illustrated in this collection. I think historians and modellers will enjoy what they find in this one, plus of course there are many who still admire Rommel, unusual for an enemy General, and these are largely from his own personal photo collection.s
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin