This book deals with the paratroopers in the Heer (Army), the Fallschirm-Infanterie, from their formation in 1937 through their transfer into the Luftwaffe until their last action as a unit made up of at least 90% men from the old Heer unit in May 1940.

It can be divided into two main parts, the first 100 pages deal with the history of the unit (told through not only text but mainly through photos and militaria. The rest of the book studies the militaria in detail, for example the Army paratrooper badge.

The history of the unit is discussed in detail (even the pre-war events) and the photos are both very numerous and of high quality (the photos of the militaria are reproduced in colour), though I would have liked to see more details on their involvement in the pre-war Sudetenland and Prague operations, such as which units they were attached to. The two war-time operations are also covered in detail, these are the fighting at Wola Gulowska, Poland, and Moerdijk, the Netherlands.

The militaria section of the book goes into details on the shoulder straps, helmets, jump smocks and the rare Army paratrooper badge and other militaria relevant to this unit is also discussed.

The Army paratrooper badge is the item that is discussed in most detail, the number of pages with photos and information is over 40, so it is sure to be a very useful reference for the collector looking to buy such a badge.

This book is excellent and is a must for anyone interested in the Fallschirm-Infanterie, either from a historical perspective or from a collectors perspective.

(Reviewed by Marcus Wendel)