Osprey Battle Orders 15 : German Airborne Divisions : Mediterranean Theatre 1942-1945

Following the pyrrhic victory of Crete in May 1941, Hitler refused to countenance any further large-scale airborne operations, and the Fallschirmjäger took up a new role as elite 'line' infantry. It was in this capacity that they served in the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1945. They reinforced their reputation as some of the toughest troops of World War II through their performance in such battles as El Alamein and Monte Cassino. This book explains how Germany's airborne forces were developed following the battle for Crete and how their changing was reflected in different organisational structures, training and doctrine. Text by Bruce Quarrie.

Contents

• Introduction
• Combat Mission
• Doctrine and Training
• Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence
• Unit Organisation (1) 7 Flieger Division June 1941-May 1943
• Unit Organisation (2) 1 Fallschirm Division 1943-45
• Unit Organisation (3) 4 Fallschirm Division 1943-45
• Tactics
• Weapons and Equipment
• Lessons Learned