Solid As a Rock: Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1 on the Eastern Front and the Winter Battle for Orel (19 October 1942-31 March 1943)

is a detailed account of little-known actions fought by the German Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1 on the Eastern Front in 1942 and 1943.The 1st Parachute Regiment of the Luftwaffe is well known for its actions during the German Blitzkrieg in Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and Crete, but little has been published about its infantry operations on the Eastern Front. Solid As a Rock covers the regiment's actions as part of the 7th Flieger Division north of Smolensk in November 1942-January 1943 and the fierce fighting to save the southern flank of the German 2nd Panzer Army around Orel in February-March 1943. Supported by rare personal recollections of the participants and detailed maps and sketches drawn from seldom consulted primary sources, this book offers an intimate insight into the fighting through the eyes of the soldiers of a neglected campaign on the Eastern Front.