The Baltic nations Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania enjoyed a brief independence between the World Wars before being annexed by the USSR in 1940. The grim experience of Soviet occupation made it inevitable that after the German invasion of Russia in 1941 they would fight beside the Wehrmacht as allies against the Red Army while always hoping for restored independence. That hope was crushed again in 1944-45; yet 'Forest Brother' guerrillas continued to fight against hopeless odds for years after the second Soviet occupation. This extraordinary story is illustrated here with rare photos, insignia charts, tables of units and detailed uniform plates.

This book (Volume Two) gives an historical overview of 51 countries whose armed forces served in Europe 1900-2000, together with uniform descriptions. Includes 204 full colour paintings of the regular armies, marines, airforce and para-military troops engaged in land exercises, operations and warfare in Europe, including non-European troops serving in Europe. Each entry is accompanied by a history and description of the uniforms illustrated. The author and illustrator Ron Kidd, has been interested in both police and military history, uniforms and insignia since he was a school boy in the 1950's. He has visited over 300 police and military museums world-wide, and has written and illustrated a number of magazine articles on both police and military history and uniforms. He is a member of both the Military Heraldry Society and the Military Historical Society.

The Estonian SS-Frewilligen-Panzergrenadier-Bataillon Narwa was the first and best fighting unit fielded by this small Baltic nation as part of the German-led crusade against Communism. Fully motorized and equipped with heavy support weapons, it was able to take its place in the ranks of the multinational SS Wiking Division. Because of cultural persecution, the Estonians had good reason to take up arms against Stalin and the unit contained both professional soldiers and those who had education above High School. The Estonians proved to be worthy successors to the Finns, who they replaced at the front, showing both tenacity and fortitude in the face of an ancestral foe. In one battle alone they inflicted 7,000 casualties on the Red army and destroyed nearly 100 tanks.

The Waffen-SS grew from a handful of obscure infantry battalions in 1939, to a force of more than 30 divisions by the end of World War II, including units of every type and every level of battlefield value. The mid-war divisions covered in this third title represent that range, from some of the most effective German and Western European volunteer formations – e.g. the 12. SS-Pz Div 'Hitlerjugend', and the Scandinavians and Dutchmen of the 11. 'Nordland' and 23. 'Nederland' divisions – to the Bosnian Muslims of the anti-partisan 13. 'Handschar' Division. Illustrated with rare photographs from private collections and meticulous colour artwork, the text details their organization, uniforms and insignia, and summarizes their battle records.

This book looks at the uniforms worn by the foreign volunteers integrated into the German forces during the Second World War, between the years of 1941 and 1945.