Cannon Fodder

Cannon Fodder

An English Boy Raised and Blooded in the Cannon's Mouth.

Cannon Fodder is the prequel to War, Wine & Valour (published in 2005), and documents the author's childhood up to his volunteering to fight for king and country during the Second World War.

Like many English couples exhausted and disenchanted after World War One, Douglas Baker's mother and father emigrated with their children to South Africa searching for new opportunities to settle the restlessness that the war had engendered in them. South Africa itself was a potpourri of races and cultures which offered opportunities that favoured some, whilst allowing them to retain their very English culture.

Douglas himself, born in England, had to contend with conditions in the foreign land in which his family had chosen to raise him. South Africa was a war torn nation where there had been 82 fiercely fought battles against indigenous peoples like the Zulus, more recent settlers like the immigrant Boers, German colonials and more recently rebellious elements bordering on civil war. Added to this furore, a mix of contending civilizations was the discovery of gold and diamonds on the Rand and at Kimberly which added to the excitement and competition. It was through the English residents and Empire builders like Cecil Rhodes that the curse of Apartheid and its stark regulations were challenged.

"Douglas Baker is a remarkable man and has written a remarkable book. As an infantryman, he rescued a wounded comrade at Gazala while under intensive cross fire. In the carnage at Alamein a shell took away most of his right shoulder blade. He retrained on Sherman tanks. Near Florence an 88mm shell burst on his tank perforating his right lung and almost severing his left arm. He absconded from hospital and fought once more at the front. Although just one man's experience of the war it is a gift to the historian with its engrossing accounts and accurate detail. It is also a fascinating insight into day-to-day events and personal feelings during this difficult time. He is undecorated and receives no military pension from the British Government."

William Roach MBE

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