A fully illustrated study of the Wehrmacht's French volunteer units and their actions on the Eastern Front and in North Africa during World War II.
It is little known that, in late 1941, French volunteer units were among Wehrmacht troops defending Germany in the first bitter winter on the Eastern Front, and also among the last fighting for Berlin in April 1945. After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, some 13,000 Frenchmen enlisted in the Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchévisme (LVF), which was reformed as the Wehrmachts Infanterie-Regiment 638 and posted to Russia.
This volume examines the involvement of French volunteers, not only on the Eastern Front, but also in the Phalange Africaine in Tunisia and in the Légion Tricolore, a short-lived military organization under the control of the French Vichy government. Using archive photographs and specially commissioned artwork, it casts a new light on forces fighting for the Axis and studies the French personnels equipment, insignia and uniforms while describing their involvement in some of the most gruelling battles of World War II.
Arvustused
An excellent reference work for historians and modellers. * Classic Military Vehicle Magazine * As usual, there are eight informative colour plates of the uniforms and insignia, plus a useful background commentary on the motives and aims of the French command and the German overlords * Miniature Wargames *
Muu info
A fully illustrated study of the Wehrmacht's French volunteer units and their actions on the Eastern Front and in North Africa during World War II.
OVERVIEW
LA LÉGION DES VOLONTAIRES FRANÇAIS
Creation
The Eastern Front
NovemberDecember 1941: Operation Typhoon
Negative judgements
JanuaryFebruary 1942: withdrawal, purge and re-formation
MayJune 1942: III Btl in the Volost valley
JulyDecember 1942: I Btl returns to the front
September 1942February 1943: III Btl at Krutojar, and on the Desna
Ambushes, JuneAugust 1943 THE LEGION REBORN
SeptemberNovember 1943: back to regimental status
October 1943February 1944: Solovitchy, the Somry forest, and Operation
Marokko
June 1944: the Marty column
Operation Bagration: the defence of Bobr
July 1944: Minsk
LA LÉGION TRICOLORE
LA PHALANGE AFRICAINE
Kompanie Frankonia
FRENCH VOLUNTEERS IN THE WAFFEN-SS
Creation of the French brigade
August 1944: the Galician front
THE CHARLEMAGNE DIVISION
AugustOctober 1944: reorganization
FebruaryMarch 1945: the Pomeranian front
MarchApril 1945: final reorganizations
AprilMay 1945: Berlin
The other remnants of the division
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PLATE COMMENTARIES
INDEX
Massimiliano Afiero is an IT teacher and specialist in the history of Axis units during World War II. He has written numerous books and articles and founded two magazines, Fronti di Guerra: 19391945 and The Axis Forces. He lives in Italy. Ramiro Bujeiro is a commercial artist from Argentina. He has international clients and is a frequent contributor to Osprey titles. His interests are the political and military history of Europe in the first half of the 20th century.
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