General Staff, War Office. Handbook of the German Army. Nashville, TN: The Battery Press, Inc. 1997.

393 pages
ISBN 0-89839-258-6

Introduction; photos; diagrams; charts and tables; index.

Appendices: Approximately 50 appendices covering German map symbols, German abbreviations, TOEs, and much more. These are spread throughout the text and in two large, folding sheets in front and rear pockets.

This reprint of the British War Office handbook is not to be confused with the US War Department publication with a similar name. The latter covers German forces circa 1944-1945, while this book was originally published in December 1940 and presents detailed information about the German Army as it existed in the early stages of the war.

This handbook is, in fact, descended from the pre-war Notes on the German Army, 1938 and a subsequent series of "Periodical Notes", all prepared by the General Staff of the British War Office as war with Germany loomed ever closer. It was "intended to provide a complete review, for use in the field, of the organization and equipment of the Germany army at war." That it does, and very thoroughly.

The book is organized into a sequence of chapters describing all the elements of the Germany army in numbered paragraphs in outline format and supplemented with highly detailed appendices that carefully depict and explain everything the British have learned about their enemy.

 1. Organization and Strength of Formations
 2. Administration, Command and Staffs
 3. Infantry
 4. Cavalry and Reconnaissance Units
 5. Small Arms, Close Support, and Anti-Tank Weapons
 6. Artillery
 7. Armoured Fighting Troops
 8. Engineers and Engineer Equipment
 9. Signal Service
10. Chemical Warfare and Smoke
11. The Administrative Services
12. Police, Gendarmerie, Semi-Military Forces and Labour Service
13. Uniforms
14. Air Force
15. German Parachute and Air-Landing Troops
16. Tactics

The chapter on "Signal Service," for example, covers General Note on Communications, General Organization, Organization and Strength paragraphs for various brigades, divisions, corps, and armies, armament of signal personnel, equipment, etc.

14. Messenger Dogs. Messenger dogs are not now included in the establishment of formation signals. They are still employed with infantry regimental and battalion signals sections, but this method of communications is being gradually replaced by the infra-red ray telephone.

15. Carrier Pigeons. Carrier pigeons are still employed by formation signals and are carried in mobile pigeon lofts which are constructed to hold 100-200 pigeons each. This method of communication is gradually being superseded by other means.

16. Despatch Riders. Despatch riders are provided for formation signals on a very limited scale. It appears that they are used mainly in cases of emergency.

17. Armament of Signals Personnel. Signal personnel are armed with a rifle and bayonet, or revolver. No light or heavy machine guns are carried.

Eleven pages of tables detail German wireless transmitters and receivers with information on transmitters and valves, power in aerial, wave band, aerial, working methods, range, source of energy, and remarks. Similar tables are provided for a wide range of personal weapons, artillery, tanks, etc. I found the organizational tables of German units especially interesting; these show information very much more complete than usual for this sort of thing.

Many researchers will find this book a source of information which is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. In addition, it is fascinating to read the minutely detailed British analysis of what they are facing in the war. However, it is important to remember that this is an unedited, uncorrected, unannotated facsimile reprint of a wartime document, with all the room for error and misinterpretation that implies. While I didn't notice anything particularly amiss, I'm sure that experts in certain areas will occasionally be able to take the British General Staff to task.

As usual, Battery has done a terrific job on the reprint with high quality paper and binding and a very attractive cover.

Available from mail order booksellers, local bookstores, or directly from Battery Press for $49.95.

Thanks to Battery Press for providing this review copy.