Bold in Battle: South African Stories from the Second World War [Paperback]

Bold in Battle reveals how ordinary South Africans faced sacrifice and resilience during World War II.We were damn near bomb happy the lot of us; this note in an artillerymans diary stands in stark contrast to an officers advice to his mother; the only thing for any of us to do now is to try & keep a stiff upper lip. These two men were both South African and, like all other servicemen and women in the fledgling Union Defence Force, they volunteered their services when the Second World War began in 1939.Fighting in East Africa, then North Africa and ultimately in the Italian Campaign, the South African contribution to the war was small compared to that of Allies such as the USA and Britain, yet on the battlefront and on the home front, many South Africans made personal sacrifices that were as difficult to bear as that of any other nations recruits.Based on previously unseen letters, diaries, memoirs and interviews, along with almost 50 new photographs, Bold in Battle tells of the war-time experiences of twelve ordinary men and women who gave up their time, and sometimes their lives, to fight fascism along with Britain and its allies. Bold in Battle offers insight into a small countrys big contribution to a global war.Based on personal correspondence, diaries, memoirs and interviews, the book relates the war-time experiences of twelve ordinary men and women who participated in the Second World War battlefront and home front.New research on South African contribution to the Second World WarPreviously unpublished letters, diaries, memoirs, and photographsUnique perspectives on the war from volunteers in the Union Defence ForceGB