IN SOUTH AFRICA IN SOUTH AFRICA

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 64, 14 November 1914, Page 4

IN SOUTH AFRICA IN SOUTH AFRICA

xEBEL LEADEE CAPTURED. Frees Associati.n. —Cooynght. (.Received 9.a a.m.) 1 ’RETORiA, November 13. General Muller has been captured, wonaded. DS WET’S FORCES ROUTED BY BOTHA. NARROW ESCAPE OF ARCHREBEL. 260 TAKEN PRISONERS. (Rec. 9.55 a.m.) PRETORIA, Nov. 13. (Official). —Botha, by a forced night march to Marguard, east of Windurg, surprised De Wet, capturing two laagers and taking 260 prisoners. Lukin and Brets, cmmanding other commandos, failed to reach their allotted points in time, otherwise there would have been a good chance of surrounding and capturing De Wet and two thousand followers. OFFICIAL REPORT OF RECENT FIGHTING. REBELS BADLY HANDLED. 1 ~ WELLINGTON November 13. The Prime Minister has received the following from the High Commissioner dated London, 12th just.:— Official.—The Governor-General of South Africa reports on November oth as follows: — Yesterday we drove the enemy from Weltevrendcn over Zandfonteiu in the direction of Reitfuntehi, and. took a , portion of their laager. At Zandfonteiy, SO miles west of. Warm baths, about 120 of the enemy were killed and wounded and 25 captured. The loss on our side was 12 killed ami 11 wounded, three slightly. Officers and men conducted themselves very bravely. The left wing was held by Commander Jones and the right by Commander Geyser. Afcti ng-Oommandant Botha Hofmitii, although wounded, led his men throughout the engagement. The officers and men killed were, with few ex- , ceptions, shot by dum-dum bullets and suffered frightful wounds. This rebel commando is supposed to lie under Jaeic Piemaur, an expelled Major of the Permanent Force staff A sharp engagement occurred outside Kroonstadt on tiie tltli, November. The rebels in strength, had been gathering round Kroonstad, and it was evident that they intended attacking the town. On the sth November patrols approached and tired on an outpost at Kroonstad. Colonel Manic Botha took 200 men and attacked the rebels 12 miles out.. The result was one killed, seven wounded and seven prisoners. Our losses were two wounded. The rebels, 400 strong, charged right through the ranks, but withdrew' on the arrival of our reinforcements. Botha reports that he chased the rebels under Meyer Colliers thirty miles south-east of Kroonstad until the horses gave in. He captured ten rebels. Amongst them was Hendricks, member of the Assembly. The rebels’ losses are unknown. Three of Botha’s mon were wounded. A small patrol of tire South African Mounted Rifles earne under fire from a farce of Germans in khaki between Nakob and I’pington on November 7. Rifleman Decoy was wounded slightly. A squad of Natal Light Horse on the previous day had a brush with a small roving band under the rebel leader Stabler, at Maraisvlci. The oncisv attempted to hold a bridge, upon which our men ad\ a need across an open country without cover. They succeeded in dislodging the rebels, who hastily retreated in the direction of Schnitdrift.