Military Model Scene

Title: Rommel's Ghost Division - Dash to the Channel
Author: David Mitchelhill-Green
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52671-517-3

A new addition to the ever popular Images of War series from Pen & Sword, this covers the drive of the German 7th Panzer Division as it crossed the Meuse into Belgium, and its' progress to the Channel Coast. A 235-page soft-cover book.
Under the command of General Erwin Rommel, before he gained even more fame in North Africa, this is a fine selection of archive images tracking the course of the part this division played in the Blitzkrieg that led to the defeat of France as well as the BEF in 1940. As explained at the start of the book, Rommel kept personal dairies, plus the German military kept detailed daily War Diaries. He also took his own photos, and got his staff to take pictures with him in them. His personal records are held in the US NARA collection and form the bulk of the contents of this new book. After a timeline and introduction, the book is split across 6 chapters. Starting with a look at the organisation and equipment of the 7th Panzer Division, we see their many early panzers. Then the Blitzkrieg in the West begins, and they move through the Maginot Line. The clash with British armour at Arras is covered before Rommel reports 'My division has had a blazing success', before they cross the Somme and at the end we see a Pz III command tank move onto the beach and down to the water's edge when they reached the channel coast. While there are a few well known photos in the book, most I had not seen before, and all have informative captions.
As I have an interest in this period of the war, I found it a good collection. As well as many clear pictures of the men and panzers of the division, including many with Rommel in shot, there is detail of bridging, the bunkers of the Maginot Line, knocked out and abandoned French equipment as well as the context of the French towns, villages and countryside. A good number of maps and it does feature both POWs and the graves of the casualties of the war as well. As well as historians of Rommel and the Blitzkrieg in the West who will like it, I am sure military modellers will find plenty of inspiration in here for their next diorama or two.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin