"The King's Shilling"

[bushfighter]

"The King's Shilling" by Hamilton Wende. Publisher: Jacana. ISBN 1-77009-053-3. Obtainable through Amazon.

"The King's Shilling" looks at aspects of the Great War East Africa campaign through the eyes of a South African infantry officer.

The novel is reasonably accurate in depicting the conditions in theatre and the prevailing racial attitudes of the time. The action leads up to the fight at Salaita Hill where the South African infantry mostly broke and fled when faced by charging Schutztruppe Askari.

The tale after that, when the officer goes after South African deserters accompanied by two KAR Askari and an Indian officer, stretches your imagination a little, but the descriptions of the bush scenes are good.

This paperback is a good light read about the campaign, and therefore something of a rare item.

Harry