09.01.2014

A new Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa

First published end of 2013, Nicki von der Heyde's (left) Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa presents a fresh look at South African history from the perspective of conflict and war.

First published end of 2013, Nicki von der Heyde's (left) Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa presents a fresh look at South African history from the perspective of conflict and war.

First published end of 2013, the Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa presents a fresh look at South African history from the perspective of conflict and war.

Author, historian and battlefield expert Nicki von der Heyde discusses 71 battles, which encompass three major wars and a series of conflicts, ranging from the colonial clashes of the 18th and 19th centuries to the 2nd Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. Accounts of the engagements are informative and lively, and special attention is given to historical background, action and outcomes. The book is structured geographically (with the traveller in mind) according to five main provincial sections: KwaZulu-Natal; Gauteng and surrounds (including Mpumalanga and North West); Free State and Northern Cape; Eastern Cape; and Western Cape. These sections are further divided into 10 regions and individual battles are discussed within each region. As far as possible, battle discussions are grouped to align with current provincial boundaries. However, exceptions are made where a nearby battle site falls just outside a provincial boundary but is in close proximity to other sites under discussion in the given province. Battle accounts follow a logical geographical order, again with the traveller in mind and to allow for an overall understanding of the diverse engagements that took place in a given region over time. Proposed routes are clearly indicated on the maps at the start of each of the 10 regional chapters. For a list of battles in chronological order, consult pages 334-336. Battle accounts typically feature five elements: directions to the battle site; context; action; aftermath; and a list of main combatants. Timelines accompanying the battle accounts may include references to other battles, biographical details of protagonists or historical events. In addition, some of the major engagements are illustrated with customised maps and annotations describing the events on the day of the battle. It is recommended that you use a road map in conjunction with the directions to the battlefields provided in this book. GPS co-ordinates are given for some sites that are not clearly signposted or are relatively inaccessible. Consider visiting the more difficult-to-reach sites with a registered South African Tourism (SATOUR) battlefields guide. In most centres, the local tourism offices will be able to supply a list of guides who specialise in battlefield tours. The Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa divides battles into six categories. They are colour-coded as a quick visual aid to the type of battle under discussion (or cross-referenced elsewhere in the book): Colonial and frontier conflicts, indigenous conflicts, Voortrekker battles, Anglo-Zulu War, 1st Anglo-Boer War and 2nd Anglo-Boer War. The six battle categories are explained in detail on pages 14-21.

Empfehlungen

Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa

Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa

The Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa presents 71 battles, giving directions and co-ordinates, while timelines place each battle in its time context.

Boer Boy. Memoires of an Anglo-Boer War youth

Boer Boy. Memoires of an Anglo-Boer War youth

Enthralling, poignant and richly informative, Boer Boy is a valuable addition to the history of the Anglo-Boer War.

Goodbye Dolly Gray. The Story of the Boer War

Goodbye Dolly Gray. The Story of the Boer War

Goodbye Dolly Gray is a remarkably prescient and erudite single-volume account of the Second Boer War.

A Breed Apart. The Inside Story of a Recce's Special Forces Training Year

A Breed Apart. The Inside Story of a Recce's Special Forces Training Year

A Breed Apart tells an insider's story of a South African Recce's Special Forces training year in 1986.

Emily Hobhouse and the Reports on the Concentration Camps during the Boer War 1899-1902

Emily Hobhouse and the Reports on the Concentration Camps during the Boer War 1899-1902

Two different perspectives on Emily Hobhouse and the Reports on the Concentration Camps during the Boer War 1899-1902.

Taken captive by birds

Taken captive by birds

Taken Captive by Birds is a collection of Marguerite Poland’s discovery of birds in young years and the role they have played in her life.