Military Model Scene

Title: Waffen SS Dutch, Belgian and Danish Volunteers
Author: Ian Baxter
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-39908-762-9

A recent addition to the Images of War series from Pen & Sword, and another by author Ian Baxter. A 154-page soft-cover book of archive photos, most of which have not been published before.
After the Introduction which does some scene setting, the book is then split into 4 chapters. The first three are one for each of the 3 nations, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark, before a final chapter covering the final battles that involved the units made up of troops from these European nations other than Germany. After an Epilogue to round things off there are 2 Appendices, one with the various Insignia unique to these units and lastly an Order of Battle listing. The photos are mostly devoted to the troops themselves, so showing uniforms, personal equipment, and mostly light infantry weapons such as mortars and some anti-tank guns but not heavy armour. There are a number of personalities among them, including Himmler, in different scenarios such as parades and in action.
A collection of rare images these volunteer units served in Yugoslavia and on the Eastern Front. Most ended up caught up in the Kurland Pocket, or in the final defence of Berlin. I can't help but ask myself what really made so many young men from Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark to want to join in with the German SS, and without knowing quite what it was like for them, and perhaps their families, to live under German occupation in their own countries. Some interesting material in here though I still wonder why there seems to be a fascination with the units of the SS.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin