The First World War in Namibia August 1914 - July 1915, by Gordon McGregor and Mannfred Goldbeck

The First World War in Namibia August 1914 - July 1915, by Gordon McGregor and Mannfred Goldbeck. Gondwana Publishers. Windhoek, Namibia 2014. ISBN 9789991689647 / ISBN 978-99916-896-4-7

You may be wondering why Gordon McGregor and Mannfred Goldbeck have produced this book marking the hundredth anniversary of The First World War in Namibia August 1914 - July 1915, then German South West Africa. The Great War or the First World War, as it later became known, continues to cast an immense shadow on us today, its course and effects having played a large part in shaping the world as we know it.

Gordon McGregor  Mannfred Goldbeck  

As one of the countries outside of Europe that was drawn into the war, inadvertently embroiled in the unique situation that was transpiring in the Union of South Africa, the country that was to invade and occupy German South West Africa, Namibia's history warrants inclusion in the worldwide WWI centenary commemorations. This book is our contribution. The unique situation referred to here was the contentious Boer Rebellion. This rebellion was intended to halt the invasion of German South West Africa by the newly formed Union Defence Force, forcing the South African government to concentrate on suppressing the uprising. The cause of this rebellion, in essence, was the feeling amongst the Boer population that it was inappropriate for the South African government to order the invasion of German South West Africa in support of their old enemy, Great Britain. It was only twelve years before the outbreak of the war when the Boer republics had been forced to surrender to Great Britain at the conclusion of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, giving up their cherished independence. The majority of Boers felt that this was now the time to rise up against the British and regain their hard-won independence while they were engaged in a war in Europe. The invasion of the German colony was also seen as an affront against Germany, a country that had supported the Boers during their war against Great Britain. This book does not give intricate detail of the campaign in German South West Africa, which has been well-documented in the past. Rather, it endeavours to give a comprehensive view of what it was like within the country and touches on various aspects of the campaign that are not generally dealt with in classic history books. We hope that our readers will find the material as fascinating as we do. After Great Britain had declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, General Louis Botha, Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, sent a telegram to the British Government on 7 August in which he offered to extend help to Great Britain. In this telegram, he stated that the South African Government was willing to deploy the newly formed Union Defence Force (UDF) for the performance of the duties entrusted to the Imperial Troops stationed by Great Britain within in the Union of South Africa. The object of the South African Government's offer was of course, to release these Imperial Troops for military service elsewhere by Great Britain. On the same day, the British Government accepted the offer and added, "If your Ministers at the same time desire and feel themselves able to seize such part of German South West Africa as will give them command of Swakopmund, Luderitzbucht and the wireless stations there, or in the interior, we should feel that this would be viewed as an act of great and urgent Imperial Service". The South African Government agreed to this on 10 August, thus effectively setting the stage for the invasion of German South West Africa. The German government did not anticipate that the colony of German South West Africa or in fact any of her colonies would become involved in the military conflict that was in essence a European war. [...]

This is an excerpt from The First World War in Namibia August 1914 - July 1915, by Gordon McGregor and Mannfred Goldbeck.

Title: The First World War in Namibia August 1914 - July 1915
Authors: Gordon McGregor; Mannfred Goldbeck
Series: Gondwana History
Publisher: Gondwana Publishers
Windhoek, Namibia 2014
ISBN 9789991689647 / ISBN 978-99916-896-4-7
Softcover, 17 x 24 cm, 364 pages, numerous b/w photos and battle map sketches