12th Hitlerjugend SS Panzer Division in Normandy

TIM SAUNDERS/RICHARD HONE

Of all the enemies the Allies faced in Normandy, few were as feared or as reluctantly admired for their fighting tenacity as the 12th Hitlerjugend SS Panzer Division. Raised from the ranks of the Hitler Youth, these fanatical 17-year olds were bolstered by officers and NCOs from the SS Leibstandarte, then dispatched to northern France. Making use of records from the Eastern Bloc and many quotes from veterans, the authors have attempted to produce an even-handed account that neither glamourises nor vilifies the actions of the young men. The action is gripping and this is enhanced by the good quality paper on which there are liberal quantities of photos and maps. It’s a compelling look inside the desperate fighting that took place in Normandy.

• Pen and Sword

• ISBN 978-1-5267-5736-4

• 316 pages • Hardback • £25