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Page 4
General Botha and his brilliant Chief of Staff, Colonel J.F. Collier,
meet Von Franke at 500 Kilometres
The Last Phase. The Commander-in-Chief, General Botha, receives an
ovation from his Bodyguard after disbanding them
Generals Botha and Smuts, the Great South Africans, receive a
tremendous ovation from the crowd at the Capital on the successful
conclusion of the Rebellion and the Campaign
Homeward bound! General Botha and Staff returning on the _Ebari_
The Great Man and the Chips of the Old Block returning to the Union
after Conquest
[Illustration: Diagram of Campaign]
WITH BOTHA IN THE FIELD
PART I
CHASING THE REBELS
SECTION I
KEMP AND BEYERS
Six weeks after the war-cloud smashed over Europe a man called on me.
He was an old friend; but the point about him is that at that
particular time I fancied him on his farm at least a thousand miles
away.
"Hello!" I said in surprise. "Why this sudden appearance?"
"This is going to be a big thing, my boy. I am off 'Home.' They will
need us all."
It impressed me. He was a person calm and methodical minded, and, like
so many good men, he has been dead now many months. His words, which
have proved true, were the first to turn my mind definitely to
war-thoughts. Besides, the man whose trade is writing has always, when
events are stirring, the itch to go, look and note.
In the branch of the Union Service to which I belong--the South African
Police--none but Reservists could then proceed to Europe; but when
General Botha announced that he himself would take command of the
Expeditionary Force to German South-West Africa, a Bodyguard from the
South African Police was decided upon, volunteers came forward, and on
this unit I had the honour to serve.
The intention of the Union Authorities was to push forward with the
German West Campaign as quickly as possible. The Rebellion delayed
operations roughly some three months--a period during which some
exceedingly severe marchings and stiff rifle actions took place. I
mention this deliberately, for in the stir of well-won applause
following the victorious end of the Campaign proper, the preliminary
canter of the Rebellion is perhaps somewhat forgotten.
It does not seem, in the light of later information, strictly true to
say that the Rebellion of 1914 broke upon the Union of South Africa in
a manner wholly unexpected. But its ultimate development and extent did
cause both surprise and great uneasiness. The details of its various
activities over the country are by this time stale history. Leaving
comment of a political nature alone, I confine myself briefly to the
movements which, performed by General Botha and the loyalist troops,
were so swift and accurate in their workings that they broke the back
of the main risings before more than local disorganisation and the
least possible amount of bloodshed had been achieved.
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