Fascinating photos of German war commander Erwin Rommel during the North Africa campaign against the British have come to light in a new book.
Under the direction of Field Marshal Rommel, whose reputation as one of the most formidable tank commanders of the war earned him the nickname Desert Fox, the Africa Korps was recognised as a superb but fearsome fighting machine.
They Korps famously outmanoeuvred the British at the Battle of Gazala in June 1942, which led to them capturing Tobruk in Libya.
A German Panzer tank climbs a sand dune. Stick grenades can be seen mounted on the turret sides, with water bottle attached to the rear turret
A destroyed Panzer tank is surrounded by debris where shells have struck the side of the vehicle, ripping off the track. One of the deceased crew can be seen sprawled out next to the vehicle
General Rommel (left), who was nicknamed the Desert Fox, stands in a vehicle leading his men from the front on the battlefield
But they were ultimately defeated in the iconic Battle of Alamein when they succumbed to an offensive led by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.
The previously unpublished black and white photos feature in military historian Ian Baxter's new book, Images of War: The Armour of Rommel's Afrika Korps.
They document German operations in North Africa between 1941 and 1943 and feature deadly heavy Panzer tanks, self-propelled guns, armoured cars and motorcycles.
Rommel, who was given command of a small force in Libya in February 1941 to shore up the Italians, can also be seen studying maps as he plotted his next move.
In another image, a crowd of locals watches on as a Kubelwagen armoured car leads a column of German vehicles through Tripoli in April 1941.
In a display of power to locals, a column of German Panzer tanks advance along a road in Tripoli, the Libyan capital in April 1941
Members of the crew are seen eating their rations following the installation of an engine on a Tiger tank - one of the deadliest heavy Panzer tanks
And there is a photo showing a Tiger tank crew resting in the desert while a Tunisian man and his camel pass by.
Away from the heat of battle, some soldiers enjoy their down time by lounging in decks, while others played the accordion.
Mr Baxter, who also is a World War Two photo collector, from Chelmsford, Essex, said: 'This book reveals the different armoured vehicles that fought in Rommel's force, ranging from the light, to the medium, to the deadly, heavy Panzers such as the Tiger.
'It shows the diverse armoured support, including self-propelled guns, armoured cars and personnel carriers, as well as field cars and motorcycles.
General Rommel (left) directs the movements of his Panzer tank force with one of his commanding officers in the north African desert
A column of the Africa Korps Tiger I tanks in the desert. The unit was recognised as a superb but fearsome fighting machine under the leadership of General Rommel
A Horch field staff car emblazoned with the Nazi swastika leading a convoy of armoured vehicles in Africa
