Arguably of all the branches of the German armed forces in World War2, only one - the Kriegsmarine (or navy) - had the ability, ultimately, to bring Britain to defeat once the immediate threat of invasion after Dunkirk had receded. Whether it was the U-Boats in the Atlantic or the great capital ships, such as Bismarck or Tirpitz, in the North Atlantic, the Kriegsmarine had the ability, through its attacks on the all-important convoy system, to starve Britain into submission. However, of the Axis forces of the period, the Kriegsmarine is perhaps the least known. This is possibly a reflection in the undoubted interest in aircraft and aces or in the great tank land battles of the war. It is, perhaps, also a reflection of the fact that many of the U-Boat crews never returned to base, being sunk during operational duties, with the result that the great commanders were never able to tell their stories after the war. There was, moreover, the fact that, as far as Hitler was concerned, with the exception of the U-Boat arm, the Kriegsmarine never fully exploited the hardware that it had at its disposal with the result that the building program was curtailed and those sailors based on surface warships were transferred to land-based operations.
In his third contribution to the highly successful "Collector's Guide" series, noted collector and expert Chris Ailsby examines the wide range of equipment, uniforms, medals and awards specifically associated with the Kriegsmarine during World War 2. Alongside the detailed descriptions of the militaria being discussed are photographs and a ratings system designed to allow the user and reader to gauge relative values.
Some 60 years after the end of World War 2, interest in Third Reich militaria remains strong and, inevitably, in any popular area of collecting there is material of doubtful provenance designed to catch out the unwary. The "Collector's Guide" series has proved an essential guide for those interested in the subject and this latest addition to the series will continue to build upon the considerable reputation that the series has built up over the years. Providing the collector with detailed and objective advice, the book should be essential reading for any active collector of Third Reich militaria as well as those interested in the Kriegsmarine during the period from 1939 to 1945.
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