CIVIL WAR ON THE RAND

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 5

CIVIL WAR ON THE RAND

DESPERATE BATTLE AT BENONI

VERY HEAVY CASUALTIES

STRIKERS MAY CAPTURE JOHANNESBURG

(Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 5.5 p.m.) Capetown, March 10. —According to a report from Newlands, commandos of strikers numbering from 1200 to 2000 attacked the police at 7 in the, morning. Lieut. Long and 47 men were forced to Surrender, and reinforcements sent were ambushed and driven off by rifle and bomb fire. Several natives were killed. A squadron of mounted police arrived on the scene, and negotiations were opened with the commando leaders, under the white flag. It is reported that threats were ivade that if the police attempt to force the position all those captured will be killed.

Later messages state that the police appear to have established superiority at Fordsburg, though the position is uncertain.

Captain Carey Thomas was shot dead in an aeroplane at Benoni; also, 11 police were killed and 15 wounded. A lieutenant and eight special constables were killed at Brakpan, also a sergeant.

The Transvaal Scottish Reginrent occupies the Town Hall.

A column of strikers in Pretoria was ordered by the police to disperse, and did so without demur. The Government has called out several more units of the defence force, also a large number of country com The papers describe the position on the Rand as civil war. 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, tut must assume tr different aspect shortly when the Government reinforcements are brought into action. The concentration of Government forces is proceeding rapidly, and large numbers will soon be available. Recruiting is good, but many citizens do not yet realise the seriousness of the situation.

The casualties are unknown, but are estimated at 600, of whom 80 are believed to have been lulled. The Benoni Trades Hall was demolished by an aeroplane bomb. It is be lieved that a considerable number strikers who were defending hall, including some members of the Qxe’.utive of the Industrial Federation, were killed.

The suburbs of Fordburg and Newlands are in the hands of the revolutenists. The oFrdsburg commando is entrenched behind a barricade, with machine guns.

The strikers, attack on Auckland Park failed.

The strikers are attacking a small force holding Ellis Park, but the latter is maintaining its position. Details of yesterday’s engagement at Benoni between the strikers and the Transvaal Scottish Regiment shew that four were killed and 19 wounded.

A motor car squadron has been formed comprising 1000 ex-servicemen, to cope with outbreaks.

It is stated that the revolutionaries possess less than 1000 rifles; others are armed with shot guns and revolvers. The greatest indignation has been aroused over the reported murder in the Brakpan mine of an officer and two men who were captured and shot in cold blood.

A general strike has been proclaimed at Durban, but water, light, aud power for the trams have been declared essential services. A general response is regarded as unlikely. The

enginedrivers, firemen, and boilermakers have already refused to join, and the East London trades unionists have decided not to down tools. Pretoria reports show that the position there is normal. The publication of new Nationalist newspapers supporting the strikers has been stoppe L — (A. and N.Z.) THE FIGHT AT BENONI* THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS. HEAVY CASUALTY LIST. (Received 1..30 p.m.) Capetown, March 11.—Reuter’s Capetown correspondent describing the earlier fighting, says: Benoni was awakened by an exchange of shots in the market square. There was fierce street fighting, in which sightseers became mixed up. Despite warnings, thousands of spectators flocked wherever there was trouble. For two hours the market square to the Workers’ Hall was a wor area. Every now and then a bullet found its billet, and peo pie in the crowd dropped killed or wounded. The ambulance men pluckily carried on their w r ork.

In the meantime, the- Workers’ H-ill was strengthening its defences wi h sandbags, while the defenders kept up a fusillade.

It is alleged that the trouble started by strikers potting at a police cyclist wounding a native constable. Then new fighting broke out north-east of Johannesburg, the Putfontein commando firing across the lake on the police, and the Fordsburg commando started an attack in the town itself. Fighting continued during the night, but the crowds were cleared, no one being allowed in the streets.

The reports of the casualties are con Aiding. It is understood that 19 police and 30 civilians were killed, and 18 police and 21 civilians wounded. Another report slates that when the Transvaal Scottish were ambushed at Benoni 18 of them were killed and 25 wounded. The heaviness of the losses was due to attempts to assist stricken comrades. Reinfo cements extricated those ambushed from a desperate position. Lieut. V. Brodgan, not the mine manager, as previously reported, was killed at Brakpan. The latest reports state that commandos from the central area are concentrating apparently with a view to taking possession of Johannesburg before the burghers, under Generals Britz and Deventer, can arrive with reinforcements.

centraiing apparently witn a view tu taking possession of Johannesburg before the burghers, under Generals Britz and Deventer, can arrive with reinforcements. The strikers burned the Fordsburg police station.—(Reuter.) THE POSITION EASIER. POLICE USING MACHINE GUNS. (Received 1.10 a.m.) Capetown, March. 12.—An official report to-night states that the position is much better than it was yesterday. The newspaper “Star” states that the poEce are using machine gun s in the Newlands area, where the commandos are linked up with the Vredorp and Fordsburg forces, thus forming a line of two miles from Johannesburg. About 100 rebels were arrested in the town yesterday. Railways were blown up at a number of places, and several areas, including the Far East Rand, are out dF communication. The task of the police and volunteers ie immensely difficult, owing to the condition of the street fighting. it is reported that Mr Roos, a Nationalist leader in the Transvaal, has offered his services to the Government to do anything possible to terminate hostilities.—(Reuter).