The capture of General De Wet - 1914 Rebellion

[sabrigade]

A DRIVER MECHANIC AND HIS ROLE IN THE CAPTURE OF GENERAL DE WET IN 1914

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Archibald Frank Thomson was 31 years old when he attested in the South African Service Corps Mechanical Transport and he was destined for service in the former Nyasaland. He listed his trade as a driver/mechanic and was single at the time. His next of kin was his mother and his place of record was in Cape Town.

As a veteran of the Anglo-Boer War, Thompson had served in Driscoll's Scouts and the Second Railway Pioneer Regiment. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal with 5 clasps: Cape Colony; Orange Free State; Transvaal; South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. The Scouts participated in the guerilla war and became a five squadron strong force before being disbanded.

Driscoll's Scouts were raised in Aliwal North in March 1900 as a body of scouts. They served with the Colonial Division. Their founder and commander was Captain Dan Driscoll, an Irish Protestant who had paid his own way to South Africa.

The Railway Pioneer Regiment was established to protect and repair railways, bridges, culverts and lines that had been damaged. It was commanded by Major J.E. Capper from the Royal Engineers and was used mainly on the Cape Town to Pretoria railway line and route. The regiment was also used on armored trains and did very good work during the guerilla phase of the Anglo-Boer War. Thompson was a trumpeter in his Regiment.

After the Anglo Boer War had ended in 1902, the first motor car in Johannesburg was registered in 1904, the first American imports arrived in 1906, and the first motor show was held in 1908. The Transvaal Automobile Club was formed in 1903, just 17 years after the founding of Johannesburg itself, to foster what was then called "automobilism". The club's motoring activities included the compilation of road maps, organizing hill climbs and campaigning against the prevailing speed limit of ten miles an hour within a radius of two miles of the Rissik Street post office in the center of Johannesburg.

The 1914 Rebellion occurred in South Africa in 1914 at the start of the First World War. in which men who supported the recreation of the former Boer Republics rose up against the government. Many members of the government were themselves former Boers who had fought with the rebels against the British in the Anglo Boer, which had ended twelve years earlier. The rebellion failed, and the ringleaders received heavy fines and terms of imprisonment. One of the main leaders was General Christiaan De Wet who was a very well known guerilla leader in the war. Some major engagements occurred during the rebellion and the official history states that 132 members of the government forces were killed and 242 wounded. Rebel losses were put at 190 killed and between 300 and 350 wounded.

The No 2 Special Motor Car Contingent had been organized by the Transvaal Automobile Club. Thomson enrolled in the contingent on the 6th of November 1914 as a driver. He was discharged on 17 January 1915, his unit having fulfilled and completed its important role in combating the 1914 rebellion within the Union of South Africa. The motor contingent was active in the rounding up of General Christian De Wet and his followers. By persistent and determined travelling the motor transport corps was able to "capture" De Wet and his men.

The cars or automobiles became an example of mobility combined with firepower. The 110 vehicles were supplied by the Transvaal Automobile Club and cars hired from D.H. Saker and Company of Johannesburg. The contingent, which included one motor-borne machine gun section complete with 16 Rexer light machine guns, was divided into two sections under the command of Captains Bullock and Saker. Although Bullock and Saker harbored intense but petty personal jealousies for each other, the contribution of the two motorized commandos was significant. Cecil Nurcombe, who served with one of these motorized machine-gun detachments, wrote that the conversion of these cars into light armored units allowed government forces to outmaneuver mounted rebel commandos, even in some of the most difficult terrain. The commemorative history of the rebellion that was published by the Transvaal Leader in 1915 also noted the contributions made by the motorcar fleet 'which harassed the rebels day and night, and which surprised all with its effectiveness over rough country'.''

The contingent chased de Wet who was aiming to break through into German South West Africa via Henning's Vlei in the Vryburg district to link up with the rebel Maritz. De Wet surrendered to Colonel Jordaan after the grueling cross country chase. General De Wet credited the motor cars for his capture. He also informed his captors that he had not expected the cars to be able to transverse the very arid area in which he had been pursued and captured. He had been able to only rest and remove the saddles from his horses once for a few minutes in 50 miles!

The 1914/15 star was not awarded to members of the Motor Car contingent as these events of the 1914 Rebellion took place within the borders of the Union of South Africa and were regarded an internal South African issue by the Imperial Authorities.

After the Rebellion Thomson re-attested with the S.A. Service Corps Mechanical Transport for service in Nyasaland from 1 March 1916 and he was promoted to Driver Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Company Sergeant Major and then 2^nd Lieutenant. He returned to the Union on 1 October 1917 on account of ill health which was common to the German East African Campaign during the First World War.

Edited September 13, 2010 by sabrigade

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TRANSVAAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB BADGE

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CARD INDICATING VERY SCARCE UNIT

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QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL

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WW1 WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS TO 2LT THOMPSON

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From a newspaper article.

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NEWSPAPER ARTICLE EXTRACT

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[Mervyn Mitton]

Will - this is 'living' history and it is an interesting and important story. Who knows what might have happened if the Rebellion had been succesful ? Certainly, the 3rd. Boer War. The Industrial Revoloution shows clearly in this story - in 1902 it was horses. However, in 1914 m/vehicles gave them the speed to out manouevre him.

The Rebellion was heavily centred in the Eastern Cape - particularly the area around Carnarvon. Some years ago I bought the DSO, OBE group to the Colonel of the Carnarvon Commando. (His name escapes me for the moment). He won his DSO in South West Africa - however, his OBE had the papers marked secret. We eventually established it was for helping to put down the troubles. He was Afrikaans.

TThis has been a very worthwhile posting.

[sabrigade]

Thanks Mervyn,

I am building up my displays etc on the Rebellion.

I am busy researching General Beyers who was drowned while attempting to escape from the government forces.

I have his named binoculars that were " liberated" by Captain Uys of Uys's Scouts when Beyers's body was found.

I will post sometime.

Regards,

Will