The Road to Infamy (1899-1900): Colenso, Spioenkop, Vaalkrantz, Pieters, Buller and Warren by Coetzer, Owen
The Road to Infamy
The Untold Story of the Fourth South African Armoured Brigade’s Sacrifice
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Road to Infamy
- Author: Owen Coetzer
- Publisher: William Waterman Publications, Johannesburg
- Publication Date: 1993
- ISBN-10: 1874959102
- ISBN-13: 9781874959106
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. Standard Softcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's illustrated card wrappers (trade paperback).
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 281 pages. Enhanced with historical photographs and strategic battlefield campaign maps.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Good (G)
- Exterior / Wraps: The original illustrated gloss softcover wraps show signs of honest handling and age. Edges exhibit slight shelf-wear, micro-creasing along the corner points, and standard light storage-related friction. The spine is structurally solid and unbroken, though it displays slight surface fading typical of the ink stock used by the publisher in the early 1990s.
- Interior / Bookblock: The interior binding structure remains stable, tight, and complete. The text block edge panels display slight handling marks and modest dusting/tanning. Pages remain clear, completely readable, and structurally sound—free of text obstructions, heavy damp-staining, or severe tears.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1993, The Road to Infamy is a gripping, highly investigative military history focusing on one of the most controversial and tragic chapters of South African involvement in World War II. Author Owen Coetzer meticulously reconstructs the sequence of events that led to the encirclement and destruction of the 4th South African Armoured Brigade during the North African Campaign.
Sifting through long-buried war diaries, court of inquiry documents, and personal veteran testimonies, Coetzer challenges the official military narratives of the era. He exposes tactical command blunders, logistical oversights, and the raw courage of the soldiers who paid the ultimate price in the desert sands. It is a scarce, highly valuable asset for collectors of South African military history and World War II memorabilia.
Author Profile: Owen Coetzer
Owen Coetzer was a respected South African investigative journalist, military historian, and author. Known for his unflinching ability to dig past state propaganda and official war reports, Coetzer dedicated much of his career to recovering the lost narratives of common soldiers. His works, including his detailed historical accounts of the Anglo-Boer War and World War II, are prized by modern military researchers for their deep human empathy, investigative edge, and factual accuracy.
owen coetzer road to infamy, the road to infamy first edition, rare south african military history, used collectible book coetzer, wwii north african campaign south africa, fourth south african armoured brigade, rare books south africa, world war 2 south africa history, military history books, antiquarian book auctions
