The German Navy in World War II: The Kriegsmarine 1939-45

by Nigel Thomas, Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)

Overview

An illustrated study of the uniforms and personal equipment worn by the personnel of the Kriegsmarine, the German Navy of the Third Reich, from 1935–45.

Founded in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine was established in 1935 and reached a peak strength of more than 800,000 personnel in 1944. Its original aim of amassing a surface fleet on parity with Great Britain's Royal Navy shifted with the outbreak of World War II, after which focus moved to submarine warfare, with the Kriegsmarine's U-boats exacting a heavy toll on Allied shipping across the globe. Meanwhile, several of its formidable capital ships – notably the Graf Spee, Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau – saw widespread action as Nazi Germany strove to defeat the Allies at sea.

In this new study, Nigel Thomas examines the evolving organization, uniforms and equipment used by the Kriegsmarine during its ten-year existence, spanning its pre-war beginnings, the invasion of Norway in 1940, and through to the deployment of Kriegsmarine personnel as grounds troops from 1943–45. The different gear worn by its various branches of service is described in detail and illustrated with newly commissioned colour artwork and an array of specially selected photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472863133
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	02/27/2025
Series:	Elite , #260
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	227,423

About the Author

Nigel Thomas PhD is an accomplished linguist and military historian, formerly at Northumbria University, now a freelance military author, translator and military uniform consultant. He lives in North East England.
NIGEL THOMAS PhD is an accomplished linguist and military historian, formerly at Northumbria University, now a freelance military author, translator and military uniform consultant. His interests are 20th-century military and civil uniformed organizations, with a special interest in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. He has written widely for Osprey with titles such as MAA 518 Polish Legions 1914–19 and Elite 227 Armies of the Baltic Independence Wars 1918–20. He was awarded a PhD for the study of the Eastern enlargement of NATO.

Johnny Shumate works as a freelance illustrator living in Nashville, Tennessee. He began his career in 1987 after graduating from Austin Peay State University. Most of his work is rendered in Adobe Photoshop using a Cintiq monitor. His greatest influences are Angus McBride, Don Troiani, and Édouard Detaille.

Table of Contents

[subject to confirmation]
Introduction and overview, 1848–1939
Organization and command, 1939–45
Early operations and Norway, 1939–41
The Battle of the Atlantic, 1941–45
The 'Channel Dash' and air operations, 1942
The Submarine War, 1939–45
The Battle of the Atlantic, 1943–45
The Mediterranean, Black Sea and Baltic, 1941–45
D-Day and after, 1944–45
Coastal artillery, naval infantry and other ground units
Bibliography
Index