Quote:
Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
Please do Stewbud, thanks!
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Hanno,
I finally got a chance to review this book yesterday after work.
The book was delivered from our pal Clive at Service Publications - and was it ever packaged well. Plenty of bubble wrap, a cardboard box and another big thick envelope. I often get parcels that have been posted through a rock crusher, so getting the book in good condition was a welcome surprise.
The book follows the same format as the previous 2 in the series by this author. JB has learned a thing or two and this one is even better, in my opinion. The book is full of pictures of uniforms and small equipments used by Canadain soldiers in the NW European theater. Very few of the confusing reprints from French language training pamphlets are employed - much to the delight of this monolingual reader. The detail shots of uniformed models looks good, although the uniforms looka little green to me.
The issue of recycling photographs is a thorny one. I for one, think that a new book should have new stuff in it, by and large. This one uses very few new pictures. Anyone who has surfed for long, or has more than a few other WW2 reference materials will find few new pictures for reference. There are a couple good colour snaps I had never seen previously, but not nearly enough, thought I. I know that it is hard to get new material for a subject that is 60 years old, but I had hoped for more.
That said, the work can serve as a stand alone refernce for the Canadian WW2 person. By including some old pics, the author provides a very complete review of what our boys did over there. The organizational flow charts, orders of assembly, unit histories will provide many hours of fun over the coming winter for me. MV build ups of any scale will benefit from these tables and marking references.
On the particluar point of pictures of CMPs - not too much new to offer, as I have stated. There are a few new armour pics, but not nearly enough views of trucks, nor armour for me. War production of vehicles is laid out, with the ubiquitous Universal Carrier at the top of the list for most numbers of armoured vehicles made in Canada - but where are the pictures of these impressive vehicles? Without a few good pictures of UC can a military book be complete? Methinks not.
Finally, I think the book is a good buy. I especially like the authors note on the back cover. Overall a well done work.
I hope this helps.
Stewart
