Two Years on Trek: Being Some Account of the Royal Sussex Regiment in South Africa

A gritty, first‑hand portrait of the Royal Sussex Regiment’s opening months in the South African conflict, this memoir follows the unit from its march on Bloemfontein through the early skirmishes along the Zand River. Its author, a career soldier of French‑New Zealand descent, blends vivid battlefield description with a keen eye for the day‑to‑day challenges of a campaigning army—supply shortages, relentless marching, and the relentless heat of the veldt. The narrative captures the regiment’s spirit under the unflinching leadership of a charismatic lieutenant‑colonel, whose reputation for resourcefulness had already spread across far‑off campaigns in India and the Himalayas.

Interwoven anecdotes reveal the practical ingenuity that kept the men moving: a mule‑wagon burst onto a tired camp with fresh blankets and waterproof sheets, or a makeshift “coffee shop” set up beside a dust‑laden road to lift weary spirits. The book offers listeners a palpable sense of comradeship, the harsh realities of frontier warfare, and the quiet heroism that defined the early phase of the campaign, all without spoiling the later twists of the war’s long chase.