THE "RED" TERROR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18079, 2 May 1922, Page 7

THE "RED" TERROR.

OUTRAGES ON THE RAND.

FIGHTING AT • BENONI

BRUTAL MURDER AT MINE

Cut off from all communication, enduring all the agonies of the Red Terror, the Far East Rand has at last'been lelieved and (he suspense of those who had friends and relatives in that area will soon be at an end. The full story of the episode will amaze and shock the whole country, says the Johannesburg Star of March 14.

The first news of the happenings in the Benoni and Brakpan area during the last few days disclose a dreadful story of the nature of the reign of terror which has existed there. Benoni and Brakpan were both relieved on Monday as a result of well-conceived movements by the military forces. The Benoni police station heroically withstood the attacks of the Reds to the last, and indeed sent the bulk of the forces stationed there to meet and codperate with the relief column.

The story of Benoni can now be told in detail.

Ever since the strike broke out Captain Loftus has been in charge of the town. The police had removed all the arms and ammunition, so far as was possible. On Thursday night they patrolled the town— as it proved, for the last time. Everything was perfectly quiet, and there were no visible preparations for fighting by the Reds, with the exception that the Trades Ilali was sandbagged and put in an obvious state of defence. So much for Thursday night. Continual Sniping. On Friday morning shooting commenced from all quarters. These attacks were beaten back, but since then and up to the time of the relief the charge office was subjected to constant sniping which commenced at dawn and continued until sunset, occasionally shots being fired during the night. Ihe firing came from the houses in the neighbourhood of the charge office, which the police very gallantly attacked on several occasions, clearing them of all the men found there, and in this way they captured some 60 men. Among those captured was a Russian who knows no English or Dutch, who arrived in South Africa only in January, and states that " he has no employment." Ho was very well dressed and was obviously a man of some means. He was also armed. After clearing these houses the police retired into the charge offics, but sniping was resumed from the same quarters. Again ihe police searched the houses in question, but nobody was found except women and children. Careful watch was, however, made between houses from which shots were frequently coming and it was found that these were being fired by a woman. Disguised as a Woman. So exasperated were the police at this that the woman was shot and killed. On reaching the body it was found the " woman" was one of the Beds disguised in female clothing. Later on women were observed repeatedly going across the streets carrying white nags and sheltering a man or men, and on other occasions groups of children were found round men who were trying to make progress in the streets. On Sunday morning the charge office got in touch with General van Deventer at Boksburg. Orders were given that as many men as possible should go out from Benoni to meet the relieving force, which wag advancing under Colonel Burn. This was done. At about "D o'clock on Sunday morning a fronta'. attack took place with the object of occupying the plantation round the Dunswart Iron Founary. These positions were completely occupied, and it was hero that Captain Halse was killed. The Dunswart Iron Foendry was taken by Captain Fuiton at the point of the bayonel. Ambulance Men Fired On. The ambulance and the stretcher-bearers found it utterly impossible to relieve the wounned as they were subjected to a murderous fire from the Reds in and near the location. Their fire was bo heavy and effective that our men had to lie in exposed positions until they were reinforced in the afternoon. No attempt was made to enter the town of Benoni in force. Pickets were sent cut and reached the magistrate's house, which they found riddled with bullets and looted. Every corner house in the main avenues in Benoni was found to be fortified, and parties of snipers were concealed behind sandbags on the flat roofs. Barricades and other obstructions had been stretched across the streets. The Trades' HaM hnd on Saturday been hit by a bomb and riddled with fire from the aeroplanes, and had been evacuated by the Redsj who had transferred their staff headquarters to the Jewish School. Their dispositions were perfectly well known to the Government forces. It was considered it would be too costly to life to attempt to occupy the town that nighty and the military were anxious not "to i shell Benoni except as a last resort on account of the large number of innownt people who might suffer thereby. It was particularly ..noticeable also that the street?. were continuously attacked. Tl« roiiuviflg force therefore decided to wait outside until Monday morning. A Wild Orgy. On Sundav night the town was the scene of wild orgies. Many private houseg were burned. Shimwell s shop was ransacked for arms and finally destroved; the Arcade was burned down; bottle stores were broken into and the contents looted and a large number of Reds became madly drunk. Drunken men were seen firing indiscriimnately on women, and, indeed, anyone who could be seen. Dr. Dalton, who was in charge of the wounded at the Bedford Hotel, telephoned for protection, as some of the rioters had entered the wards and threatened to kill every wounded person there. Desultory firing proceeded, but after a time bodies of mounted Reds were seen retreating in a north-easterly direction, and at four o'clock the town became quiet. The relieving force entered Benoni at daybreak on Monday, marching right through to the charge office without encountering any opposition and without suffering any casualties whatever. General van Deventer next moved on Brakpan, which had been completely in; the hands of the Reds since Thursday. Brakpan Mine Tragedy. On arrival at Brakpan the Red s were seen retreating in a south-easterly direction, and were evidently making for Heidelberg. They numbered about 700, of whom the majority were unmounted. On arrival at the Brakpan Mine General van Deventer saw Mr. Brodigan, the manager, and Mr. Roberts, the mino secretary, from whom he was able to obtain details of the murder of mine officials there. The information was that on the day of the murder the Red commando from Brakpan under the command of certain persons who can easily be identified, visited the property and demanded its immediate surrender. The officials, who numbered nine, refused, and put up a spirited defence. The odds, however, were too great. It was seen to be useless to continue and the officials accordingly surrendered. Then a party of some 90 men who had taken no part in the attack rushed in upon the surrendered men and shot them, the muzzles of their rifles were only a few feet away from' the bodies of their victims. These miscreants than proceeded to bash in the heads of the. officials with rifles and pick handles. Messrs. Roberts and Paterson were shot and clubbed into insensibility and left for dead, but they are fortunately recovering-