Who and what were Sir Abe Bailey’s South African Sharpshooters?
What was their role and function on the Western Front?
How and why was the Union Defence Force formed?
What role did marksmanship play in this fledgling force?
What was the history, formation, role and functions of the newly formed South African Police?
What was the role of the Union Defence Force and South African Police during internal labour unrest?
Why was the Union Defence Force defeated in its first major engagement at the Battle of Sandfontein?
William Endley takes the reader on a long journey from the dust of Southern Africa to the mud of Flanders on the Western Front in this illustrated history and reference work on the First World War. He has provided an in-depth and exciting account of the origin of the Union Defence Force and Sir Abe Bailey’s Sharpshooters. The incredible journey, often based on first hand accounts, provides an analysis of the initial experiences of the South African contribution to the Great War. Artefacts are used to tell the story and are a unique reference and practical guide. Elaborate photographs and detailed descriptions from the Endley collection provide details of uniforms, headdress, insignia, firearms, edged weapons, field equipment as well as medals and other awards. Enlistment, recruitment and training for the Union Defence Force and Bailey’s Sharpshooters are discussed. A comprehensive analysis of the treatment of the wounded and the effects of weather related complaints on the Western Front is included. Detailed biographies feature throughout the work.
Endley’s book is a must read for the military historian, collector, researcher and World War One enthusiast.
Book details: 362 pages, Hardcover 8.5″x11″, full colour, 1.38kg
About William
William Endley has collected World War One militaria for more than forty years. An acknowledged expert on the South African contribution to the Western Front, he has acquired a vast amount of knowledge over the years. A decorated former South African army officer, he is a graduate of both the South African Army Senior Command and Staff Duties Course and the Executive National Security Program. Endley has operated in the Middle East and throughout Africa in senior management positions with Private Military Companies. As the Senior Security Consultant to the First Vice President of South Sudan, he was incarcerated in Juba in 2016 and was later sentenced to death. Pardoned and released in November 2018, Endley has written about his experiences in a book titled No Justice, No Mercy, a South Sudan Story.
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