Casemate Illustrated- Sturmartillerie Crewman

Sturmgeschütze, Panzerjäger, and Panzerartillerie

Book Specifics

Authors: Simon Forty and Richard Charlton Taylor

Price: $28.95

ISBN: 978-163624-516-4

Paperback, 128 Pages, 7 x 10 in, 150 color and black and white photographs

What's Inside

In the same spirit of the previous volume by the authors- Panzer Crewman (reviewed HERE)- we get an in-depth look at some of the major gun-armed armoured vehicles in the German Army. The book focuses on assault guns, tank destroyers, and self-propelled artillery mounted on German and captured tank chassis. These guns were originally designed for infantry support, and were controlled by the artillery arm- and ended the war having knocked out more enemy tanks than the panzers themselves. We see details of the Marder series, as well as the Jagdpanzer range- and increasingly larger guns including the Hornisse/Nashorn, the Ferdinand/Elefant, and the Jagdpanther and Jagdtiger. The Wespe, Grille, Hummel, and Sturmpanzer also are covered. 

Unlike their colleagues in panzers, these crewmen often has the unpleasant experience of a different type of combat strategically, operationally, and tactically- often quite exposed to enemy fire and the environmental elements. The book is broken down similarly to the previous volume- after an extensive Timeline section, the chapters are as follows:

• Introduction
• The Soldier
• The Units
• The Vehicles
• Mobility
• Tactics and Strategy
• Life in the line
• Summary

Throughout the book are excellent drawings, diagrams, and interspersed throughout are color and black and white photos. The Introduction gives an overview of the different fronts these vehicles were found- France, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. Sidebars here are of particular interest- including such subjects as StuG Crew titles, gun types on the various examples, and repair services. The next chapter focuses on the Soldier- and includes training on use of the various AFV types including Panzerjäger Crew, SS Panzerjäger training, and Fliegende Lehrkommandos. The chapter includes extensive references for uniforms, and medals and awards.

The Vehicles covers the variants of Sturmgeschütze, Panzerjäger, and Panzerartillerie vehicles. There are a couple line drawings showing interior details, color photos of museum pieces, and wartime photos- including some labeling interior and turret details. A section on Ammunition highlights typical stowage for many examples including number and locations for them. Communications lists the radio types present in the various vehicles and a diagram of a radio/intercom setup. The chapter concludes with a small section on Camouflage. 

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Crew Duties opens with a diagram of the various crew member locations in many examples. There are a few interior and cutaway photos to reference and detailed descriptions for the role of each member. Sidebars in the chapter include such areas of interest as Remote-controlled machine guns, Sighting, Ricochet & Rebounds, and Headlights. A small bit on Life in the Line features some great diorama ideas including a photo of a creative way of erecting a Zeltbaun tent.

The Units section gives an in-depth analysis of the breakdown of each arm of the Sturmartillerie. The Mobility chapter looks at logistics of refueling, bridge crossing, train and other transports, and an in-depth look at how winter affected these vehicles- with a sidebar on the different track cleats and grippers. Tactics include a description of the changing roles of these vehicles from infantry support to tank killing. The tactics designed for these vehicles are listed in-depth, and the section on Firing Positions was quite fascinating. The book ends with a brief Conclusion and a section for Further Reading.

Conclusion

This is another great release in this series focusing on the crewmen in some of the war's most beastly tank killers. I hope to see the series continue with other armed forces. There is a lot of great information here for those interested in learning more of these specialized vehicles and their crews. While not a wellspring of in-depth references for interior detail, the book is a good primer and the Further Reading section points the reader in the right direction to learn more. 

Highly Recommended for those interested in learning more about those who crewed the Sturmartillerie.

Thanks goes out to Casemate Publishing for this review sample.

Reviewed by Michael Reeves, AMPS Albany

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