This new volume in the long-running Images of War series features the actions of the German Army on the Somme. The book is comprised of rare photographs illustrating the German Army fighting a dogged defensive war against superior odds on the Somme. It is accompanied by a powerful text written by Official War Correspondent Philip Gibbs, who was an eyewitness to the events. Photographs from the battlefield illustrate the terrible conditions, which the beleaguered German forces on the battlefield endured in the notorious engagement, which has become synonymous with vainglorious sacrifice.This book incorporates a wide range of images that encompass the actions of the German infantry and their supporting artillery. Also featured are images, which depict the almost incomprehensible condition of the battlefield and the trenches after more than one million shells had been poured into the German lines. Portraits of the German troops are contrasted with surviving images of captured British prisoners of war and the endless battle to get the supply columns through to the front.REVIEWS Another new WW1 period addition to the Images of War series from Bob Carruthers for Pen and Sword.

There is lots in here for anyone interested in WW1, and there has been a lot of interest in the period as we work through the 100 year anniversary of each year of the war. After a few pages of background text, the rest of the story is told through a fine collection of period photos. This one isn't divided into separate chapters, just the one collection of photos which give a chronological sequence to the story. It is particularly interesting to see the changes in the uniforms and equipment worn by the troops of the German Army as the war progressed. For the modeler there is a lot of useful material. There are all the uniforms and personal equipment, even gas masksfor both the men and their mules but there are also the trench mortars, artillery and even the A7V tanks all included in here. For anyone wanting to build dioramas, there are also plenty of details showing the detailed construction of German trenches and dugouts. It is also right to point out that a number of the images show not only the devastation caused to theFrench countryside but also the men themselves, and the horrors of the war for men and horses on all sides of the conflict are well illustrated, in this case from the German side.

Photo collections such as this remain very popular, a fact well illustrated by the regular release of new titles in this Images of War series.Military Modelling Online - Robin Buckland.