A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945 Vol 4: Sicily and Italy to the Fall of Rome (14 May, 1943 – 5 June, 1944) - Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello

This review has been submitted to the RCAF Journal.

Title: A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945 Vol 4: Sicily and Italy to the Fall of Rome (14 May, 1943 – 5 June, 1944)

Author: Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello

ISBN: 978-1-91162-110-2

Publisher: Grub Street

Year: 2018

Hardcover

Pages: 696

Photos/Maps: Many hundreds/5

This book represents the fourth installment of this comprehensive review of the air war in the Mediterranean theatre of operations. The previous books have provided a phenomenal foundation for anyone interested in this period of the war. Building upon that base, Vol 4 moves forward the narrative outside of the North African theatre and into the invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland. Shores maintains the depth of detail and vast scope of research that he and his colleagues have brought to their previous works.

The structure of the narrative appeals to both the serious historian as well as the casual reader. The period covered by the book is broken into daily installments. A synopsis of the events of that day from both the allied and axis perspective is followed by a detailed breakdown of Allied claims and losses (with as much detail relating to the event as possible) and a similar synopsis of Axis claims and losses. Additional detail is provided by further breaking down the claims sections by nationality. A fascinating element to this kind of side by side presentation of the details is that the reader can compare claims and casualties by each side and appreciate the deltas between the claimed kills and the actual losses. It is indicative of the gradual but inexorable tipping of the balance away from the Axis air forces that German claims from flak as opposed to aircraft combats began to assume a more prominent place.

What sets this book, and the previous books in the series, apart, is the depth of research and detail undertaken by the authors. It is truly remarkable that, even with loss of veterans through the passage of time, so much detail and ‘personal’ elements are still captured. One begins to better appreciate the resilience of the Axis powers even as they are forced out of mainland Africa, to resist the ever increasing power of the Allied air forces. Furthermore, the authors include numerous examples of individual operations that provide a great deal of insight into the tactics and challenges unique to the Mediterranean theatre of operations.

The pictures and narrative also provide a sense of the spirit of the adversaries despite the pressures of combat and loss. One gets a real understanding of the coping abilities and the mental strength of the individuals involved in this war. Also, the African theatre of operations has been described as one of the few ‘Wars Without Hate’ in WW2. The implication being that, with the absence of significant collateral damage targets, there was less of a negative emotional component to the fighting, and a great deal more respect for ones adversaries leading to an ability to appreciate their company once the fighting was over. Be that as it may however, one is also left with a sense of the hostility of the environment within which these forces clashed. A crash caused by combat, mechanical failure or becoming lost over water or over the desert as often as not led to a slow and lonely demise. Very rarely were searches ever undertaken.

Some of the more fascinating aspects of the book include the photo montage and narrative surrounding the sinking of the Italian battleship Roma by Do217’s of KG100 using the PX1400X ‘Fritz X’ radio-guided weapons systems. A detailed account by crewmen of the two aircraft that undertook the strike is included in the book. It makes for absorbing reading and speaks to the advances in air to ground/sea weapons systems. The PX1400X is a little known system that was guided remotely via an onboard camera from its launch aircraft to target. Launched from 7000m, the ‘mothership’ was impervious to anti-aircraft fire. In the case of the Roma, the attackers escaped without a scratch.

Grub Street publishing has once again produced a book of the very highest quality. The printing is a bit small for those of a certain age; however, the layout is clean and clear. The photos have been reproduced with astonishing clarity. Many of these photos are very rare or have never been published before. The variety of aircraft types presented in the book really do emphasize the challenges to the support elements of the different nations. Overall, this work provides the reader within outstanding overarching perspective of the air war in the Mediterranean. It is very strongly recommended for those looking to garner a deeper appreciation of the Mediterranean theatre.  

Allies Are a Tiresome Lot: The British Army in Italy in the First World War - John Dillon

This review has been submitted to War History Online.

Title: Allies Are a Tiresome Lot: The British Army in Italy in the First World War

Author: John Dillon

ISBN: 978-1-910777-32-9

Publisher: Helion

Year: 2015

Hardcover

Pages: 224

Photos/ Maps: 15/4

As part of their Wolverhampton Military Studies program, Helion has published this interesting study of the experiences and undertakings of the British Army deployed to Italy in support of the Italian Front. Dillon has provided a comprehensive overview of the unique challenges, social environs and environmental differences facing the British and how they adapted their doctrine and regulations accordingly.

The Italians were a late comer to the war and were not held in high regard by the British command; however, a number of setbacks had, by 1917 driven the Italian government to the brink of surrender. The Allies, specifically the British, under significant pressure on the Western front due to the war weariness of the French (having recently mutinied), the recent loss of Romania and the deteriorating situation in the East with Russia, could not afford to lose the Italians without incurring a substantial threat to the entire war effort. They therefore reluctantly agreed to pull badly needed troops from the Western Front to bolster the Italians.

The Italian Front for soldiers recently engaged in the horrors of the Western Front was, in many respects, a paradise. Combat was infrequent, distances to the enemy trenches were as far as over a kilometre in many cases, the weather was mild, the ground dry and the daily routine easy; boredom became as much a challenge as the enemy. These unique challenges form the basis of Dillon’s work. He divides his narrative into distinctive sections, each stand-alone and covering such areas as medical, crime and punishment, morale and working with the Italians. He also provides, at the outset, a synopsis of the Italian war effort both in terms of the fighting as well as the relations of the Italian Government with its Allies. He closes his book with the British/Italian engagement with the Austro-Hungarians during the final months of the war and the challenges associated with the tense post war regional relations and the need to bring the soldiers home.

As this is a relatively unknown aspect of the First World War Dillon’s work is significant in the light it sheds on the unique facets of this campaign. He writes with clarity and humour, relating conditions and situations not seen on other fronts. This is a serious work however, well researched and presented. He draws on a plethora of primary source material to provide not only the strategic perspective but also the soldier’s narrative, weaving in many firsthand accounts into his writing.

Helion has maintained its high standard of quality with the production value of this work. Dillon’s book is a fascinating account of the strange world that the British soldiers, fresh from the Western Front, found themselves; the challenges that they faced and the methods that they used to adapt to this new environment.