The Banker (Part 3) - The Drill Hall
No sooner had the Union of South Africa declared war on Germany than young men started to show up to enlist. The Union Defence Force (UDF) was wholly unprepared for the administration of such a process. Without formal orders having been issued permitting a volunteer force to mobilise, the UDF bureaucracy was caught flat-footed as queues began to form. The Drill Hall in Twist Street became a hive of activity – outside prospective servicemen, inside clerks scurrying about, chasing their own tails, as it were. Scores of eager young men were turned away to await official announcements regarding a call to arms. The Defence Force had to get its house in order and the mindset had to change from neutrality to a war footing. The permanent force was itself split on the issue. Many were not willing to sign the Africa Oath for active service on the continent. For some months Findlay wrestled with a conundrum that young fellows throughout the Union struggled to resolve. Plausible argumen...
