THE RAND REBELS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18041, 16 March 1922, Page 5

THE RAND REBELS.

KEVOLT BROKEN, CAPTURE OF FORDSBURG, BOMBARDMENT 0J? TOWN. CROWDS WITNESS BATTL& •—" SAFE CONDUCT FOR WOMEN. SAD TREK OP VICTIMS. B, Telecraph-Pross Association-Copyright. (Received 12.45 a.m.) CAPETOWN. March 15. BeaterIn official communique states: In the fetters area General Brils entered c releasing 69 police, who gallantly defended their p« sition - General Van DevenUr and General Brits have practically j° inP<l forceß ' snd are en K a S cd > D collecting prisoners. The whole of Fordsburg, the suburb of Johannesburg previously held by the revolutionaries, has been occupied by the Government forces, and armed resistance 0 f everv kind has ceased. The Government laities were slight. Reutjr's correspondent states that the greater part of the population of JohannesDr . r g, from roofs, watertanks, and every point of vantage, watched the Fordsburg drama. Everywhere were khaki lines intermingling with the police blue, big guns, machine guns, and ambulances, while a tank waddling down past the Stock Exchange completed the weird sight. Shells iad bullet* w«ra whistling over the heads of the spectators. Seventy-flve Minutes' Bombardment. When the Government forces rushed the bouses white flap began to flutter. The infantrv went forward and surrounded the Trades* Hall Then fighting died down, though aeroplanes continued clearing up sniping posts. Tbe infantry dealt with Stragglers inside a wide cordon, and a gtream of strongly-escorted prisoners began to flow into Johannesburg. It is reported that a number of the Fordsburg revolutionaries were driven toward Langlaagte, where they are likely to fall into the hands of the burghers. Some buildings were severely damaged by artillery fire. An eyewitness states that a number of wounded in the street were left lying in the road crying for water. An attempt by 1* pie in nearby houses to assist them met with murderous rifle and revolver fire.

Two rrvnliitionary leaders named Fisher and Spenriin" were killed by shrapnel while making bombs at the Trades Hall, which was discovered to contain piles of bombs.

Seizure ot Johannesburg Planned.

Documents are reported to have been found, which indicate that the revolutionary plans included the soizure of Johannesburg. Execution and assassination lists containing the names of practically all prominent. Johannesburgers were found.

Another message states that Fordsburg was captured after 75 minutes' bombardment. The attack was commenced punctually at 11 o'clock. Johannesburg reverberated to the sound of artillery, machine-guns, and rifle fire. Whippet tanks co-operated in the attack.

Thousands of leaflets were dropped over Fordsburg in the morning calling upon women, children, and others well disposed toward the Government to leave the area before 11 o'clock, and proceed to the showground with blankets and food, in view of the military operations.

At 11 o'clock a gun signalled the commencement, the infantry advanced, and the police guns on Brixton Ridge opened fire.

Pathetic Trek o! Women and Cnildrei.

Three minutes later the Durban Light Infantry linked up near the cemetery. After a brief lull the guns bombarded the trenches in the market square, &nd then the advance was resumed. Reinforcement* brought in motor-cars swelled the ranks of the attackers, who in threequarters of an hour had occupied some of the Fordsburg houses, and continued to press forward. At noon the whito flag was hoisted, firing ceased, and the Lattle appeared to be over on the northern side of the town, but intermittent rifle fire was continued in the vicimty of the railway station. This was only a Sash in the pan, and the town was virtually captured shortly after noon. Huge crowds watched the bombardment of Fordsburg from the streets of Johannesburg. In response to the leaflet warnings dropped by aeroplanes a great exodus immediately commenced, and people streamed along the appointed route. Among them were 60 police, who had been in the imprisoned area for several days. Great confusion prevailed, and there were many pathetic scenes. All kinds of transport were used to remove belongings, including wheelbarrows and perambulators. Those who were unable to secure vehicles carried what they could on their shoulders for a mile and a-half to the showground. Many also fled to Johannesburg. No such scene was ever before witnessed in South Africa. Fortunately the weather was fine. Captured Policemen Murdered. It is reported that four captured policemen were murdered in cold blood »t Fordsburg, and that others were threatened with the same fate, but a member of the Red Cross belonging to the revolutionary force intervened and his impassioned address saved their lives.

It is estimated that 2500 revolutionaries, 500 of whom were armed with rifles and ihf. others with shotguns, revolvers, and bombs, were in the Fordsburg area. Two German machine-guns of the 1918 pattern were discovered in the area. Fine work against the revolutionaries was done by a squadron of four armoured trains, manned by the Railway Rifle Corps, which inflicted severe losses at several points.

Jeppes township, in the central area, "as the scene of a hot engagement on Sunday between the Imperial Light Horse and the revolutionaries. The revolutionary sharpshooters kept up a steady fire on the troops from behind barricades, windows, and balconies. Considerable street fighting followed, in which the rebels sustained material losses.

Crowds of natives watched the bombardment of Vrededorp and Brixton on Paiday, and expressed satisfaction that the Government punished the men M*ponsible for the recent murdero,.