The railways and the war effort, 1914 - 1915

No Abstrac

WILHELM GRÜTTER: A name among seafaring men

(A history of the training ship 'General Botha'). Cape Town, 1973, pp 173. Until recently, the South African Navy could claim the dubious distinction that of all three arms of the Defence Force, its history was the least adequately chronicled. At last the unfavourable balance has been redressed through the publication of two excellent books, that under review being the second to appeal'.Keywords:  General Botha; training ship; South African Navy; Defence Force; HMS Thames; Naval Cadet Corp

B. N. RECKITT: The Lindley Affair. A Diary of the Boer War

On May 31, 1900, the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry surrendered to General Piet de Wet at Lindley in the north-eastern Free State.The author has here published the diary of his father, a trooper involved in the 'Lindley Affair: and supplemented it with outlines of the causes and course of the Second Anglo- Boer War, along with three chapters examining the encounter from both sides and critically evaluating the episode with a view to determining responsibility for the surrender. The well-written diary, although dealing with a relatively insignificant encounter, has merit in its detailed exposition of life in the 13th during the six days of fighting which preceded the surrender. One receives an admirably clear picture of activities both in the command sector and amongst the men.Keywords: 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry; General Piet de Wet; Lindley; north-eastern Free State; Second Anglo- Boer Wa

BASLER AFRIKA BIBLIOGRAPHIEN: Mitteilungen 7/8. Reprint 'Kriegsnachrichten: Tsumeb, Südwestafrika, 1915.

The publishers of this Reprint deserve congratulation. With patience and no little effort they have brought together all fifteen issues of the virtually unknown Kriegsnachrichten published by Rudolf Kindt at Tsumeb between 15 May and 3 July 1915. At that time the German forces were isolated in the northern areas of the territory, and nearing the end of their resistance. Information on their activities has always been scarce and the availability of the Kriegsnachrichten will be a boon to researchers

B. N. RECKITT: The lindley Affair. A Diary of the Boer War.

On May 31, 1900, the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry surrendered to General Piet de Wet at Lindley in the north-eastern Free State.The author has here published the diary of his father, a trooper involved in the 'Lindley Affair: and supplemented it with outlines of the causes and course of the Second Anglo- Boer War, along with three chapters examining the encounter from both sides and critically evaluating the episode with a view to determining responsibility for the surrender. The well-written diary, although dealing with a relatively insignificant encounter, has merit in its detailed exposition of life in the 13th during the six days of fighting which preceded the surrender. One receives an admirably clear picture of activities both in the command sector and amongst the men

Book review: JAMES MARSHALL-CORNWALL: Foch as Military Commander

Book title: JAMES MARSHALL-CORNWALL: Foch as Commander.Author:Publisher:Publication year: 197

THE RAILWAYS AND THE WAR EFFORT, 1939-1945

South Africa's armed forces were small, and their material resources meagre, when the country entered the Second World War on 6 September 1939. The Permanent Force was nearly 50% under strength; the shortage of trained infantrymen was estimated at over 39000; ammunition for artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns was sufficient for one day's shooting, and only two obsolete armoured cars were available. Two experimental armoured cars had been built locally. During the first years of the war it was not possible to obtain much equipment from the United Kingdom or the United States. Local ingenuity was heavily taxed as attention concentrated on preparing the South African armed forces for long campaigns. Gradually regiments were mobilized and equipped, and an extensive munitions production drive was launche

WILHELM GRÜTTER: A name among seafaring men

(A history of the training ship 'General Botha'). Cape Town, 1973, pp 173. Until recently, the South African Navy could claim the dubious distinction that of all three arms of the Defence Force, its history was the least adequately chronicled. At last the unfavourable balance has been redressed through the publication of two excellent books, that under review being the second to appeal'

JAMES MARSHALL-CORNWALL: Foch as Military Commander

Marshal Foch will always be remembered along with Joffre, Petain, Waygand, Castelnau and the other French commanders who on several occasions helped to save their country from catastrophe during the First World War. In this book General Marshall-Cornwall considers the contribution of Foch to France's war effort and to ultimate Allied victory. As befits a volume in the 'Military Commanders' series, the bulk of the account (thirteen chapters out of twenty-one) is devoted to the period of hostilities. The first eight chapters cover Foch's early years and the development of his military throught and philosophy, and proceed to an evaluation of the European political situation in the years before 1914, including the evolution of the Entente CordiaIe

Book review: BASLER AFRIKA BIBLIOGRAPHIEN: Mitteilungen 7/8. Reprint 'Kriegsnachrichten: Tsumeb, Südwestafrika, 1915

Book title: BASLER AFRIKA BIBLIOGRAPHIEN: Mitteilungen 7/8Author:Publisher:Publication year: 191