arriving in kimberley in the early days of the diamond rush, aylward initially posed as a medical doctor despite having no training in that field. thereafter he edited one of the papers on the diamond fields in between serving a jail sentence for attempted murder. he was a leading figure in the so-called black flag rebellion – an abortive attempt to challenge british authority in kimberley. this was followed by a military career of sorts fighting against the bapedi, under their leader sekukuni, on behalf of the unpopular president of the south african republic (zar), thomas francois burgers. despite his supposed irish hostility towards the english, he stayed on after the british annexation, before re-emerging in pietermaritzburg as the editor of "the witness."