German Order of Battle 3: Panzer, Panzer Grenadier & Waffen SS Divisions in WWII

by Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.

- Narrative histories highlighting organization, combat experiences, and casualties of each division - Lists of constituent units and division commanders - Sources for further reading on each division The final volume of Samuel Mitcham's trilogy on the German Army in World War II focuses on panzer, panzer grenadier, motorized, and Waffen SS divisions. Among these units are the 1st SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Division, whose members included tank ace Michael Wittmann; the notorious 12th SS Hitler Youth Division that fought the Allies in Normandy; the 3rd SS Totenkopf Division that wreaked havoc on the Eastern Front; and the panzer divisions that spearheaded the German blitzkrieg in the East and West.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, War

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2007

Reviews

[JD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same as Volume 1 & 2.
This book just covers the Wehrmachts panzer, motorized and panzer grenadier divisions, as well as all the SS combat divisions. The book could have been a lot better as more info could have been provided (especially concerning the SS divisions), as the book gives the bare minimum details of their combat chronicles and feels as though it was rushed through to finish this series. Recommended to read after Volume 1 & 2.

[Andreas Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting on the info it provides. Not very much on tanks (Panzer mk. here, Panzer mk. there, nothing about its parts and nothing technical) though.

[Svetlana Karlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same as for Volumes 1 and 2:
This is a starter reference on Wehrmacht divisions, including an overview of military districts (Wehrkreis), draft waves and general organization.

It's convenient if you want to look up a specific division - the home district, regiments/battalions included, commanders, short summary of battle history,etc. - as a starting point for your research. If you want to find out which division a regiment belonged to or what army units were raised in a specific district, you'll have to leaf through the whole book because of the lack of detailed cross-reference system.
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