I would like to recommend and endorse the related materials shown here. They are in no particular order. They have been produced by fellow enthusiasts & friends of WW2 Battlefield Relics, and I consider them all valuable additions to the enthusiasts book or media collection. The images are linked to the relevant person or website from which to make your orders.

Authors: To add your material for review please contact the WW2 virtual museum.

After over two years traveling and research Justin Taylan has been able to combine his interest in the Pacific theatre during WW2 with his natural IT skills to produce the first in what I hope will be a series of CD ROM's on Pacific aircraft wrecks.
This project, has been co produced with the eminent historian Michael John Claringbould and is the ideal gift for the aviation nut. The CD ROM combines stunning photography of wrecks as they lie now in the jungles of Pacific isles, with background information, original WW2 photos, many unseen before and cockpit views of the aircraft illustrated. Click on the cover at left to order your copy from the authors site. It is worth every cent!

"The Atterbury File" is a fascinating book and testimony to the great enthusiasm of young people (having been produced by school children) from the Custer Baker Middle School of Franklin, Indiana. This book will not only interest the student of WW2, detailing as it does the history of Camp Atterbury. It is also a complete record of the history of this part of the world, from the 19th Century onwards. It has everything, and I have dipped into it time and again!
Quite simply a credit to the children who produced it. Be Amazed!!

Gifted WW2 historian Justin Taylan tells the unique story of the loss of B-17 41-2446 "Swamp Ghost" in 1942. Through diligent research and his characteristic enthusiasm he tracked down the surviving members of the crew of this aircraft that was one of the first US losses after the attack on Pearl Harbour.
This multi-region DVD is highly recommended as it takes you on a tour of the "Swamp Ghost" as she lies where she came down 64 years ago.
A great addition to your historical collection and worth every cent!!
Click on the cover at left to order your copy today.

"6th June 1984… an American came to our table at the hotel…he had been a Colonel in the US Army… The Colonel put his head down on the table and burst into tears, his shoulders heaving with great sobs he said, "I lost so many men and so many buddies here."
We were stunned into silence. No one knew what to do except Ernie, the former L/C stretcher bearer. Reacting instinctively as the young man of 40 years ago he moved to the Colonels side and placed his arm around the weeping mans shoulders, Ernie assured him, "It's alright, Sir. It's all over. You've nothing to worry about now. I'm sure you did your best…"
This book by Tom Bates is the story of Sidney Bates VC of the Royal Norfolk Regiment. It has been called "Private Ryan in Print". It tells of the search for the site of his last battle on 6th August 1944 by former comrades. It is a very moving and thought provoking book. It is available in USA, GB, France, Canada and Australia and written with both French & English text.
Order your copy from the site by clicking on the cover at left.

My good friend and colleague from the Netherlands, Hans Wijers has privately produced this enthralling series of the Battle of the Bulge - as it affected what was the become known as the "Northern Shoulder". It is a must for your bookshelf. Read first hand accounts from veterans of the US 99th and 1st Infantry Divisions, the German 12th Volksgrenadier Division, the 277th Volksgrenadier Division and also soldiers of the 12th SS. These are accounts like no other as it so clearly exudes the authors own passion for this subject. No student of the Ardennes Offensive should be without these publications. Click HERE to order your copy.
Volume 1 covers Losheimergraben
Volume 2 covers Krinkelt/Rocherath
Volume 3 covers Bütgenbach/Domane Bütgenbach.
Volume 4 covers Kampfgrüppe Peiper and his race for the bridges over the Meuse.

The stories of 36 German POW's and the friendships they formed with their "enemies" is compulsive reading. The author has used her own experiences of growing up during the war years as a catalyst for compiling this book. This book proves, if proof were ever needed that peoples of warring nations could, and can live together peacefully. It is not a book about the Third Reich, but it is a book about people who had grown up under Hitler, and as such were blinded to the true horror of that regime. Many of the former Axis POW's became pillars of the local community. They were welcomed among their "former" enemies as equals and the friendships formed more than 60 years ago hold as strong today as ever. Sadly Pamela  passed away after a long battle against Leukaemia. Her books are a very fitting memorial to her spirit and the spirit of friendship borne out of warfare.

For those thinking of beginning to collect the evocative German steel helmet of WW2 we highly recommend the French language publication, "Le Casque Allemand de la seconde guerre mondiale". Written by avid collector Philippe Letonturier who also has his own website showing some of the examples featured in the book this book is packed with stunning photos and very reasonably priced (just over 13 euros).
You can order your copy by clicking the cover on the left which takes you to one of the French distributors.

"Researching and writing this book has made it impossible for me to hear any kind of report on an air strike in this or that country killing civilians without getting flashbacks of the Battle of the Bulge which I had never experience myself". Peter Schrijvers. To any student of the Battle of the Bulge this book will perhaps come as a revelation. Some might even feel embarrassed that it does. For in the legion of publications on this pivotal campaign of WW2 few have ever touched on the experiences of civilians during the battle. In our world today it may take more to shock, but I can guarantee that after reading this you will never look at the Ardennes offensive the same again. "The Unknown Dead - Civilians in the Battle of the Bulge" deserves pride of place on your bookshelf, and will be read again and again. ISBN: 0-8131-2352-6.

Can you imagine stumbling into an underground bunker complex and gazing upon an untouched room, left exactly as it was in 1944 by its German occupiers? Well the authors of La Gotica Ritrovata - The Gothic line recovered, did just that.
Their book is the culmination of years of searching in the hills around Bologna and I recommend it highly to all our American relic addicts. Some more of the guys finds are shown elsewhere in the virtual museum, they vary from the very ordinary to the extraordinary. However all are treasures from a battle long ago. Italian text only, the book ISBN: 88-87856-18-4.

Author Neil Barber has been fortunate to bring together the reminiscences of the men of 9th Parachute Battalion, 6th Airborne Division and to chronicle their part in the liberation of France. They dropped into France in the first hours of 6th June to first attack the Merville gun battery covering the approaches to Sword beach and then the attack and holding of the Chateau St. Come against fierce counterattacks. This book honours the guts and professionalism in the legendary British paratrooper. Click at left to order your copy.

During  2003 WW2 Battlefield Relics has been featured in the media! In Ed Fedorys "Relic Hunter", part of the American Eastern/Western Treasures magazine our site was given a very favourable review. We were approached by BBC Suffolk and interviewed by Nick Pandolphy as part of his "site of the day".

The British Archaeology magazine is worth keeping an eye on as there are sometimes good courses available for keen battlefield researchers to get involved in. They also have a website, which can be accessed via the cover artwork at left.
One of the regular contributors in the past has been aircraft hunter Andrew Saunders. Many visitors will be familiar with Andy as he has been instrumental in the recovery of many MIA airmen, both Allied and Axis - thus ensuring that they are given the civil burial they and their families require.

If you have bought your copy of La Gotica Ritrovata then you will not want to be without this new book. The Italian Front 1944-45 takes you back to the battlefields and illustrates with beautifully taken photographs some of the relics recovered by the three authors. The book is in both English and Italian and includes pictures of recovered weapons as well as personal gear, helmets and medals and decorations.
WW2 Battlefield Relics are pleased to support this excellent addition to the WW2 history enthusiasts bookshelves. It is hoped that a well known UK distributor will soon take up the chance to add this book to their portfolio. In the meantime the book can be purchased from the authors directly for 18 Euros plus shipping. Already volume 3 is in preparation and promises to deliver the same high standard of presentation as well as interesting relics of the Gothic Line.

Volume Two in the Italian Front 1944-45 series takes you back to the battlefields and illustrates with beautifully taken photographs some of the relics recovered by the three authors. The book is in both English and Italian and includes pictures of recovered weapons as well as personal gear, helmets and medals and decorations. A must for collectors and those interested in the all too often forgotten Italian campaign.

The trio  of battlefield detectives from Bologna have temporarily suspended the publication of the third in their series of battlefield relics books to bring collectors and enthusiasts of the forgotten Italian campaign an exciting collection of original and previously unpublished photographs. Seen through the lenses of the main protagonists; German, Italian, American and British photographers this book has also been illustrated with several "then and now" comparisons of the originals as well as examples of relics related to both Allies and Axis forces. Highly recommended. Click on the book to order your copy.

The first of two books on the American M1 steel helmet that we are reviewing on the site. This book has been meticulously penned by Piet Oostermann who runs the M1 helmet website.
His lavishly illustrated and excellently presented tome has to be the starting point for anyone seriously interested in the M1 fixed bales helmet (this book doesn't cover swivel baled variety).
It included chapters on the various types of helmet manufacturers, liners, suspension types. Packed with 700 colour photos in 320 pages. Click on the book and order your copy today. You won't be disappointed.

Secondly and to compliment the above is Michael and Cesars book on the M1. This book is again aimed at the collector and written by collectors. It follows the development of the M1 in various guises and also shows more colour pictures of unit marked M1 pots. With a guide to the pitfalls of fakes and useful hints this is ideal for the beginner or experienced collector alike. Click on the cover and reserve yourself a copy.

Another useful addition to the ordnance collector is Tony Edwards booklet on 303 headstamps. Privately published with numerous line drawings as well as colour reproductions of ammunition packaging it is very useful. Priced at only £12 plus postage it will hardly break the bank. Click on the cover and order a copy today.

The best "nut and bolts" book on the Jagdpanzer 38t Hetzer and it's postwar derivatives. For UK orders please send a cheque made out to "Czech-Six Publications" for £13.60 to the address on their website. When ordering please indicate that you saw the review on WW2 Battlefield Relics!

Non UK buyers will need to contact Czech Six in order to obtain costs of postage to their own country. The book itself written by Vladimir Francev and Miroslav Bily is in both Czech and English. The photographs of surviving Hetzer, G13's and ST-1's (the Czech nomenclature of the vehicle) are in colour and black and white and are clear and detailed. This book is perfect for enthusiasts of armour and military modellers alike. I highly recommend it visitors of this site.

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