This is the fourth Thomas Anderson volume about World War II German armor formations and operations I have read, the third one done in collaboration with Osprey Publishing. Like his other books, Anderson in "Panzergrenadier" concentrates on one aspect of the Wehrmacht's (and by extension the Waffen SS) armor formations--the infantry that accompanied the tanks in combined arms organizations.

This 2021 publication contains 452 pages in my Kindle edition, and it covers its subject in ten numbered chapters arranged chronologically. The first chapter dives into the doctrinal underpinnings of the panzergrenadiers that culminated in the formation of the first panzer divisions in 1935. The Germans first looked at these infantry formations as motorized units--they seemed more enthusiastic about the motorcycle rifle battalions that were thought to provide more mobility. The second chapter details the vehicles developed specifically for armored infantry, as it was realized early on that trucks loaded with infantry could not accompany tanks except on well-established roads. Thus the armored Sonderkraftfahrzeuge (Sdkfz) 250 and 251 series came to play a critical role in the development of the panzergrenadiers. Chapters 3-9 provide the narrative for the war years from 1939-1945, providing a combination of combat action reports, organizational and equipment changes and updates. The last chapter specifically addresses the weaponry equipping the panzergrenadier formations, from small arms to the 7.5cm and 15cm infantry guns that were a feature of almost every Wehrmacht and Waffen SS battalion or regiment.

What I found in this book is an uneven coverage of the topic. As in other Anderson titles, the early chapters are usually the best. These pages have a logical flow that provides details. However, once the narrative reaches 1942, there are more panzergrenadier formations and fewer details. While Anderson usefully provides organization and equipment charts for the various versions of panzergrenadier formations, how these changes actually affected the various units and their effectiveness in combat is not recounted. There is no coverage of Waffen SS formations or actions, despite the fact that the SS often had the best equipment and were often thrown into the most critical situations on the battlefield. The cited combat action reports are helpful, but there are few of them--perhaps a reflection on the lack of source material, or, as Anderson points out, a lack of appreciation for non-tank units. This is most apparent in the Eastern Front combat action reports where the writer is usually critical of field commanders misusing their panzergrenadier units.

While the narrative is not as strong as it could be, the book's strong suite is its photographs. Though not necessarily tied to the nearby text, Anderson has provided a fine selection of imagery, some of it from the late war period, a phase of the war not covered well photgraphically in other works. The selection is notable for its clarity, variety, and subject matter--unlike the text, the photographs do cover some Waffen SS subjects. "Panzergrenadier" is a useful source for modelers.

Thomas Anderson has provided us with another useful work. The story of panzergrenadier origins is covered well, but the effort falls short in the war's later years. My rating reflects the fine selection of photographs and the provision of unit organization tables. ( )