VELDWAGTER! (1967) & GAME-RANGER [1972]

1.) VELDWAGTER!

First Afrikaans edition published by Janssonius & Heyns, Fairland, Transvaal, 1967.

Publisher's brown hardcover binding with pictorial dust jacket.

289pp. Black & white photographs and numerous text illustrations.

Book and jacket in very good condition.

2.) GAME-RANGER

First English edition published by Juta and Company, Cape Town, [1972].

Publisher's orange hardcover binding with illustrated dust jacket.

285pp. Black & white photographs and numerous text illustrations.

Book and jacket in very good condition.

The author, Hannes Kloppers, was an administrative official of the department of nature conservation at Skukuza, Kruger National Park.

Harry Kirkman (1899-1989), the subject of this biography, was one of the early game rangers of the Kruger National Park. He joined the armed forces at age 15 and during WWI served in the East African Campaign. In 1933 he joined the National Parks Service and was initially employed as a clerk by Col. James Stevenson-Hamilton. In 1935 he was appointed as a ranger in the Sabi Section of the Park. He once found himself in a similar situation to that of Harry Wolhuter when he was attacked by a lion whilst patrolling the Park on horseback. The frightened horse threw him off his saddle but unlike Wolhuter Kirkman was armed with more than just a stick knife and managed to take a shot at the lion with his rifle. The wounded predator retreated and after retrieving his horse, he tracked the spoor of the lion and despatched it.