RETURN TO MOROGORO: With the South African Horse through East Africa to France and Flanders, 1914-1918

1-210650

In WWI, a South African family with deep roots in all four corners of the country served in three different theaters of war. This history of their experiences starts before the war, but links generations across fronts and also the home front. Only one of the five came home unscathed, while others came home suffering from wounds and illnesses. Hazard and hardship lingered on in the form of Spanish influenza, mining strikes, and the Great Depression.

Using extracts of their letters from the front, the story is to a large extent told in the words of those who were there. Context is provided by referencing existing literature, unpublished memoirs, and archival material. It could be called a military history or a social history, but it is a truly South African story which contains much new material for historians, while for the general reader it offers an accessible insight into an unparalleled period of history. Includes 80 b/w photos and five maps.