Desert Armour

We are off to the North African desert of 1940-1941 with this hefty, glossy book about tank warfare. It covers pre-war strategies, which were basically leftovers from WWI, and how the terrain seemed to be ideal for cavalier tank operations. However, the practicalities of fighting in the desert were a lot different, with lessons needing to be learnt about the best way to succeed. It covers how British forces initially destroyed the Italian armour, leading to the arrival of the Afrika Korps. Important battles and clashes are covered, but it isn’t a dedicated history of the desert war, it’s about how armour was used and performed in those battles. Interesting conclusions are drawn about Operation Battleaxe which contradict most observations. There are copious maps, photos and charts, which all contribute to a thorough analysis of the first half of the campaign.

• Osprey Publishing
• ISBN 978-1-4728-5188-8
• 340 pages. Hardback. £35

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