WAR ON THE RAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1922, Page 5

WAR ON THE RAND

STRIKE BECOMES REVOLT HEAVY CASUALTY LIST (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

CAPETOWN, March 10. ■ A Johannesburg message states that a ' ieport from Benoni states that firing commenced early in the morning there round the Workers’ Hall. Several casualties occurred on both sides, and also among spectators. Foot police advanced up several streets. Firing also occurred on a plantation near a lake on the outskirts of the town, and continued for two hours. The ambulances were busy. At nine o'clock aeroplanes arrived, and scouted in various directions. They fired warning flares and were greeted by scattered shots. Three circled over the Workers’ Hall and one over the lake, sniping being continued. A rattling fire of Lewis guns from the aeroplanes had a quietening effect. Protests are arriving from native bodies in all parts of the Union, protesting against attacks by strikers on the natives of the Rand. Several strike leaders, including members of the Federation Executive, have been arrested. The Durban Light Infantry have left Durban for an unknown destination, but presumably the strike area. At Capetown regiments of the Defence Force have been warned to be in readiness. The death-roll on the Government side now amounts to twenty-five. This morning there was an attack as the result of a pre-arranged plan for an attack on police and mine officials, some of whom were murdered in cold blood. A signal for the risings was given by explosions all along the reef. Brakpan is already virtually in the hands of the strikers. The Benoni strikers are mobilised under the pretence that a native rising is expected. The post office and courthouse were attacked, but the strikers were beaten off. ’The strikers, apparently, are well armed with rilles, and machine-guns are installed in the Workers’ Hall. The news is confirmed that Mr Brodigan, mine manager, and six other special constables were killed in an attack on a mine guard. A later message says that the police

have taken possession of the town Mall and Trades Hall at Benoni. The martial law proclamation has been received with much satisfaction. Fighting has taken place at Fordsburgh. It is reported that a. policeman was killed and four wounded. Twelve strikers were wounded. Fighting is also reported in Newlands, a native township near Johannesburg. J he strikers there captured twenty-seven police and threatened to shoot them if the other police surround them. A military captain in an aeroplane is reported to have been shot in the Benoni fighting, but the pilot and machine escaped. Stringent martial regulations are now published, including a censorship of the post and telegraphs and a prohibition of picketing. TRADES HALL BOMBED. CAPETOWN, March 11. The papers describe the situation on the Rand as one of civil war. 'J hey say the amazing features are the numbers and discipline of the strikers and the extent to which they are armed. The whole circumstances point to the rising having been carefully planned. Official communiques state that the situation last night was very serious, but that it must assume a different aspect shortly, when al Ithe Government reinforcements are brought into action. A concentration of Government forces is now proceeding rapidly. Large numbers .of troops will soon be available. Recruiting is stated to be good; but many citizens do not yet realise the seriousness of the situation. The total casualties is unknown, but it is estimated they are six hundred, whereof eighty arc believed to have been killed. Benoni Trades Hall has been demolished by an aeroplane bomb. It is believed that a considerable number of strikers were defending the hall, including some members of the executive of the Industrial Federation, and that they were killed. The suburbs of Fordsburg and Newlands are in tthe hands of the revolutionaries. ’ The Fordsburg strikers’ commando is entrenched behind a barricade, with machine guns. A strikers’ attack on Auckland Park failed. The strikers attacked a small force holding Ellis Park, but the latter maintained their position. EX-SERVICEMEN ENLIST. LATER. Details of yesterday's engagement at Benoni, between the strikers and the Transvaal Scottish Regiment, show that four were killed and nineteen wounded. A motor squadron has been formed there, comprising one thousand ex-servicemen, to cope with the outbreak. It is stated the revolutionaries there possess less than one thousand rifles; but others are armed with shot-guns and revolvers. The\ greatest indignation has been aroused over the reported murder of an officer and two men in a Brakpan .mine, s whom it is alleged the strikers captured I and shot in cold blood. . A general strike has been proclaimed at i Durban. The water, light and power for , the trams have been declared essential 1 services by the Government. A general ; response to the strike is regarded as un--5 likely. The engine-drivers, firemen, arid j boilermakers have already refused to join. . , The East London Trades Unionists have f also decided not to do.wn tools. Pretoria ’ reports the position there is normal. ‘ The publication of a new Nationalist ‘ newspaper, supporting the strike, has been stopped-

JOHANNESBURG MENACED. CAPETOWN, March 12. Reuter’s correspondent, -describing the earlier fighting, says that Benoni was awakened by an exchange of shots in the Market Square. There was fierce street fighting wherein the sightseers got mixed up, despite warnings. 'Thousands of spectators flocked wherever there was trouble. For two hours the Market Square to the Workers’ Hall was the war area. Every now and then a bullet found a billet. People in the crowd dropped killed or wounded. Ambulances phickily carried on their work. Meantime the Workers’ Hall was strengthening its defences with sandbags, while it kept up a fusilade. It is alleged the trouble was started by some strikers potting at a police cyclist detachment and wounding a native constable. New fighting broke out north-east of Johannesburg, the Putfont-ein commando firing across a. lake on the police, and the Fordsburg commando started an attack in the town itself. Fighting continued during the night, but the crowds cleared. No one was allowed in the streets. '1 he reports of the casualties are conflicting. It is understood nineteen police and thirty civilians have been killed, and eighteen police and twenty-one civilians wounded. Another report states thta the J ransvaal Scottish Regiment was ambushed at Benoni, and eighteen of them were killed and twenty-five wounded. The heaviness of their losses was due to attempts to assist stricken comrades. Reinforcements extricated those, ambushed from a desperate position. Lieut. V. Brodigan (who was not a mine manaiicr. as previously repotted) was killed at Brakpan. Latest reports state that commandos from the central area are now concentrating, apparently with a view to taking possession of Johannesburg before the Burghers, under Generals Britz ami Deventre, can arrive with reinforcements The strikers have burned Fordsburg nalipo i l()ll.

ponce sciauun. According to a report from Newlands, a. commando of strikers, numbering from 1200 to 2000, attacked the police there at 7 in the morning. Lieut. Long and 47 men were forced to surrender. Reinforcements were sent, but they were ambushed and driven off by rifle and bomb fire. Several of the natives were killed. A squadron of mounted police then arrived on the scene. Negotiations were opened with the commando leaders, under the white flag. It is reported that threats have been made that if the police attempt to force the position, all those captured will be killed. A later message says the police appear to have established superiority at Fordsburg, though the position there is unceitaiu. It was Captain Carey Thomas who was shot dead in the aeroplane at Benoni. There also have been eleven police killed and fifteen wounded there. A lieutenant ami eight “special” constables have been killed at Brakpan, and also a ; seigcant of the Mounted Rifles. A 'trans vaal Scottish regiment occupied the i Benoni Town Hall. A column of strikers in Pretoria was . ordered to disperse by the police, and did j so without demur. The Government have called out Severn more units of the Defence forces and also < ~ large number of country commandos. ■ CAPETOWN, March 10. In the course of a statement in the Union Assembly, Premier Smuts said that the Government were most reluctant to declare martial law, but the situation on the Rand was so grave that it had no choice. Fighting was now raging over a lar.rn part of the Rand, with heavy casualties The House and the country must be prepared for bloodshed on a scale not ( anticipated before. Their duty was to see the business through, and not allow the country to fall into a state of anarch}. An attack was begun m a regular lighting j style, as if it was war. The railways were < practically in abeyance. Railwaymen had } been pulled from their duties, women and * children had been maltreated and the ( natives were in a state of turmoil He em- j phasised that the natives had offered no ke least provocation. All the statements j made to the contrary were incorrect. , He appealed to the House and the { country to support the Government m eestablishing public authority, lhe bu gbu 1 hild been called upon to come to then aM There was no doubt whatever abouthen ; political feelings. They would respond nail stand by the Government V oyde t: XXX; X i effect a settlement, men and to d n(jt The Speaker ruled that tney J adjournment, U>l Ulc fi „Himo 85 lo 13, the Noboualisl- Im the voting miU. U.o Government. rosnioNi-m’i tOVINO - Reed, al LpETOWN, March U. ' urn +o .nteht states An official repo ] better than that the positron was much ye -n“ d "Staf” states the ale using ’’commandos && upTia ««. > forces, thus forming a- line j ‘r 1 ? hundred “ IhXVyeslecdoy - "pS sXa" “eluding the

Rands, are out of communication. The task of the police and volunteers is immensely difficult owing to the condit ions. Roos, the Nationalist leader in the Transvaal, has offered his services to the Government to do anything possible to terminate hostilities. SMUTS TAKES COMMAND. HIS NARROW ESCAPE. Recd. 11 a.m. CAPETOWN, March 12. The situation in Johannesburg is well in hand. The Springs at Braks pan have been taken by Government Burgher forces. Benoni is holding out, but the Government position is good. Krugersdorp is in possession of the Government Burgher forces. 'Three thousand rebels located and entrenched at Newlands were bombed by aeroplanes. Forces are converging on Fordsburg. A communique states that the rebels are most active and considerable lighting took place. The ’planes were active all day. The rebels started burning houses at Benoni and Bokshurg in retaliation for the bombing. All machines are now carrying bombs in order to take advantage of the commandoes discovered in the open or on plantations. The commandos were successfullv bombed twice. sufferin'’’ bevel ely. In tiie attack on Ellis Park, one , hundred and thirty Imperial lightj horse put up a splendid light, chasing the revolutionists into side streets, J and killed and wounded many. Six- . teen were taken prisoners, including [ the chairman of the local strike nuii- . mittee. l'he Government casualties were five killed ami filteen wounded. While the rebels gained minor ad- ’ vantages at first, a considerable force now at the Government's disposal. General Smuts has arrived at Jolian- - nesburg alter an exciting journev. Ihe wheel of his motor car was hit, by a bullet. lie took charge imine'italelv on arrival, and his" 1 presence has given the greatest satUfavtion at. a critical juncture. JJ ( . immediately st ieiigthelled and Co-ordinated the forces to oppose the levolulionary nienme. which is attempting io plunge the W itwalersrand into the chaos ami terror of anar.chv. STIFF EXCO I’NTE RS. CAPETOWN, Alarch 12. Krugersdorp reports the situation is satisfactory. Rations and supplies were dropped from aeroplanes to detached police forces besieged by the revolutionaries. Other reports give details of the fight at Newlands police station on Friday. It was defended by 58 men, ami attacked in overwhelming numbers. The telephones were cut and there were no moans of securing support. The attackers threw bombs 1 over the roofs of houses into the station ana Kept up a. hot fusilade to which the defenders replied. The fight continued for lg hours before the defenders surrendered. When news of the fight reached town, a motor lorry with porty men were despatched, but it drove into a carefully prepared ambush. A pitched battle ensued. A doctor arrived under the white flag. While this was flying, the reb Is rushed in and further fighting followed during which several police escaped but thirtv-live were surrounded. Eventually an armistice was arranged and lighting ceased. It is estimated that during Saturday’s lighting over 100 were killed. General Van Deventer holds the supreme. command of the Government forces. The burghers’ response to the call for volunteers has been most satisfactory. No forces are being commandeered. The B. er commandos are mustering at Krugcrsdorf. It is reported that one Boer was murdered by strikers in cold blood after his arrival. This increased the bitterness of the Boers towards the strikers. Other commandos are expected to,-day. Meanwhile the erection of barricades is proceeding. .British volunteers are enrolling in large numbers. OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN OPENED. Reed 3 p.m. CAPETOWN, March 12. Official: Government forces have commenced planned operations against strikers in the- central area. In the Brakton area, where the Reds were surrounding two police squadrons, they were heavily bombed, causing a large number of casualties. Many Reds surrendered ami others took refuge in a native location. A commando of five hundred a plantation near New KlcinfoiHcm were also bombed. Operations in the Benoni and Brakpan areas, undei General Van Deventer, are proceeding satisfactorily. _ General Britz is moving along the railway in the eastern area. It is now ascertained that a, few officials forming the guard at Brakpan minewere clubbed to deaf after surrendering, when then ammu nition exhausted.