The battles fought between the Allied armies and the German Wehrmacht at Monte Cassino in 1944 were key episodes in the protracted Italian campaign, and the eventual Allied victory was a decisive step in the wider war to liberate Europe from German occupation. Much has been written about Cassino, but few books have chosen to tell the story through photographs – to give a visual insight into the fighting and the forces involved, the conditions in which they fought, and the landscape around the Monte Cassino abbey which became a battlefield. That is why Jeffrey Plowman's photographic history is of such value.Using almost 200 wartime images, many of which have not been published before, he gives a graphic impression of the realities of the fighting as it was experienced by the troops on the ground. He focuses on the tanks – the array of armored vehicles deployed by both sides which played a critical role. This aspect of Cassino has rarely been covered in such detail and in such a vivid way.The book will be of special interest to modelers and historians of armored warfare, but it will also appeal to readers who have a more general interest in the Italian campaign.

Monte Cassino: Amoured Forces in the Battle for the Gustav Line (Images of War)

History

Plowman, Jeffrey

Europe

Pen and Sword Military

Blitzkrieg. Lightning war. We are all familiar with the rapid thrusts the Germans made in the early days of the Second World War that saw the demise first of Poland and then the Low Countries and France. But were the German tactics, which appeared at the time to smash through all resistance, really as devastating as they seemed? That is the major question Jeffrey Plowman asks in this absorbing new study of the campaign in Greece in 1941. Within three weeks they overran the country but, by looking into the campaign in detail, the author claims that at no time did the Germans gain ascendancy over the token British and Anzac force sent to bolster the Greek defenders. They came close to doing so, but the Anzac troops and their Greek allies put up a spirited defense that sometimes turned the Germans’ own methods against them. This perceptive new account should prompt a reassessment of the Greek campaign. It also offers a fascinating insight into the weaknesses of the Germans’ all-conquering method of warfare which became increasing apparent during the later stages of the war.

Greece 1941: The Death Throes of Blitzkrieg

In-depth account of the daring Allied tank attack launched along Cavendish Road during the third battle at Monte Cassino in 1944. Early morning, 19 March 1944. Tanks manned by New Zealanders, Indians and Americans launch a daring attack along a narrow mountain track on German positions north of Monte Cassino. So began one of the most audacious Allied attempts to break through the Gustav Line and advance on Rome - and it almost succeeded. Yet the extraordinary story has seldom been told, and it has never been told before in the vivid detail Jeffrey Plowman brings to this new account.Using operational orders, combat reports, unit diaries, post-battle photos from private and public archives and the graphic personal accounts of those who took part, he describes the construction of Cavendish Road and the course of the entire operation that followed. The planning for the attack and the men involved are described in a gripping and clear-sighted way, as is the attack itself - its initial rapid success and its ultimate failure.Eighty years later Jeffrey Plowman reveals exactly what happened and shows how and why this bold thrust against the German strongpoints at Monte Cassino, which could have turned the course of the battle, ended in retreat. His book also features a visitor's guide that covers the length of Cavendish Road from the village of Caira to Massa Albaneta, linking each spot with the events described in the narrative.

Tank Attack at Monte Cassino: The Cavendish Road Operation 1944

Jeffrey Plowman’s photographic history traces the course of the entire Balkan campaign from the first moves of the Italians through Albania and the invasion of Jugoslavia and Bulgaria by German forces through to the battle for Greece and the final airborne assault on Crete. He gives equal weight to every stage of the campaign – he doesn’t just combine the first stages and treat them as an introduction to the battle for Crete – and he covers all the forces involved – the Germans, the Greeks, and the Commonwealth troops. By shifting the focus to the mainland, he views the campaign as a whole, and he offers a balanced portrayal of a conflict that is often overlooked in histories of this phase of the Second World War.  Most of the graphic photographs he has selected have never been published before, and many come from private sources. They are a unique visual record of the military vehicles, tanks, aircraft, artillery and other equipment used by the opposing armies seventy years ago. They also show the conditions the soldiers faced, and the Balkan landscapes over which they fought, and they give a powerful impression of the reality of battle for the men themselves.REVIEWS "This is what a photographic history should be: a high-quality, yet brief account of the campaign; a good photo collection, knowledgably captioned; good production; reasonable price.... is a very good bit of history for the AFV or figure modeler. AMPS

War in the Balkans: The Battle for Greece and Crete 1940-1941 (Images of War)

Military

An authoritative guide to the New Zealand armor camouflage and markings during combat operations in Italy, 1943-45. Illustrated with many rare and previously unpublished photos with very detailed captions. Includes: M3A1 Scout Cars, Universal Carriers, Dingo, Daimler, Humber and Lynx Scout Cars, M10s, Stuarts and Shermans. Contains 136 b/w photos, 19 full-color plates of artwork, 1 table of unit serial numbers, 4 tables of organization & equipment.

Armor Camouflage & Markings of the 2nd New Zealand Division, Part 2: Italy - Armor Color Gallery 2

Historical Study & Educational Resources

Model Centrum Progres

An authoritative guide to the New Zealand Stuart tanks' camouflage and markings during training in New Zealand, combat operations in Mid East and Italy, and post-war use till 1955. Illustrated with many rare and previously unpublished photos with very detailed captions. Includes: Stuart I, Stuart I Hybrid, Stuart III, Stuart V Recce, Stuart APC.

Camouflage & Markings of the Stuarts in New Zealand Service (Armor Color Gallery)

An authoritative guide to the New Zealand Valentine tanks' camouflage and markings during training in New Zealand, combat operations in the Pacific and post-war use until 1960 when replaced by the M41 Walker Bulldog. Illustrated with many rare and previously unpublished photos with very detailed captions. Includes: Valentine II, III, III CS, V and Bridgelayer.

Camouflage & Markings of the Valentines in New Zealand Service (Armor Color Gallery)

Published to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of the battle for Cassino, this is an authoritative guide to the armor deployed by the Allies over the course of the fighting for this strategic objective. Covering American, British, Indian, Canadian, French, New Zealand and Polish armor, this book includes a number of rare and unpublished photos with detailed captions. It includes: M3A1 Scout Cars, Universal Carriers, Indian Wheeled Carriers, M8 HMCs, M10s, Stuarts, Shermans, Churchills, Grant ARVs, M31 TRVs and Valentine Bridgelayers. Contains: 56 pages, 78 b&amp;/w photos and 20 full color plates of artwork.

Camouflage and Markings of Allied Armor in the Battle for Cassino, January-May 1944 (Armor Color Gallery)

Americas

Published as a companion volume to Camouflage and Markings of Allied Armor in the battle for Cassino (#12 in the Series), this is an authoritative guide to the armor deployed by the Germans over the course of the fighting for this strategic objective. This book includes a number of rare and unpublished photos with detailed captions. It includes: SdKfz 251s, Marder IIs and IIIs, Semoventi M42s, PzKpfw IVs, Sturmgeschütze IIIs and IVs, Nashorns, Panthers, Pantherturms and captured Shermans. Contains: 48 pages, 65 b&amp;w photos and 19 full color plates of artwork.

Camouflage and Markings of German Armor in the Battle for Cassino, January-May 1944 (Armor Color Gallery)

Guglielmi, Daniele

Published as a companion volume to ACG #14, Camouflage and Markings of Commonwealth and Greek Armor in the Balkans Campaigns April – May 1941, this is an authoritative guide to the armor deployed by the Axis in the Balkans during 1940 and 1941, particularly some of the lesser known operations. Starting with the Hungarian annexation of North Transylvania from Romania, it moves through to the Italian invasion of Greek-controlled Epirus in Albania, and ultimately the Axis attack on Yugoslavia followed by the German invasion of continental Greece and the island of Crete. To put together this book the author has collected a remarkable set of photographs from public and private archives in Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Poland, Australia, the UK and US as well as Germany. Covering a wide variety of armored vehicles fielded by the Hungarian Motorized Corps, the Italian 131 Divisione Corazzta “Centauro,” five German Panzer-Divisions and two Sturmgeschütze Abteilungs, this book includes many rare and never before published photos of early war Axis armored vehicles, with very detailed captions. Most of these photos would never see daylight without online markets. It includes: PzKpfw I, II, III and IV tanks, SdKfz 221, 222 and 231 armored cars, SdKfz 251 and Sdkfz 253 halftracks, StuG IIIs, Toldi tanks, Csaba armoued cars, M13/40 tanks and L3/33 tankettes. Contains: 72 pages, 142 b&amp;w photos and 25 full color plates of artwork.

Camouflage & Markings of Axis Armor in the Balkans Campaigns 1940-1941 (Armor Color Gallery)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Plowman, Jeffrey. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Plowman, Jeffrey