CIVIL WAR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 244, 28 July 1936, Page 5

CIVIL WAR

HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT.

STRUGGLE FOR SAN SEBASTIAN.

WORKERS' ARMIESI TAKE PART.

REBEL COLUMNS DISPERS’ED‘.

CRUCIFIXION AND TORTURE. [United Press Association—Copyright) , (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) ' .' ‘ LONDON, July 27. Though the Government is maintainining the ascendancy in the key areas, it is igrowingly realised that the revolution will not end until one or the otherof the main classes of the population is annihilated. Both sides diaplay desperate courage, but neither side respects the laws of warfare. Stories of atrocities are multiplying, including crucifixion and torture of their enemies in order to obtain information. Madrid authorities estimate the easualties throughout Spain at nearly 20,000. ' . Deserters say that General Mola’s ammunition 18 nearly exhausted. His forces are under 1000. _ His artillery consist: of two :batteries of 1% millimetre ,and 75 metre guns. The Government based its tactics on those oi‘._the Great War, opening with an'artillery barrage, while aeroplanes bombed detachments which escaped, the‘survivors being mopped up by advancing infantry, who captured: Roglegordo and secured 20 motor-lorries and munitiOns. Colonel Sanches Parides, who is in charge of the operations, is fully satisfied~that the, attack will be resumed tomorrow. , The campaign reveals greater disorder. More looting occurred in Government towns than in those where the rebels are in‘ command. The rebels’ loss of initiative seems to " have been due partly to leakage of information, compelling the prema—ture‘ launching of the revolt, originally planned fOr September. ' The Government claims a preliminary success at the rebel stronghold, Saragossa, which is under attack on three sides. A full-dress assault will be delivered when the, converging loyalist columns arrive. The workers’ army, under Perez Ferras, accompanied by troops and police, made a forced march through Aragon from Catalonia. Their numbers were anginented by peasants, who quitted their ploughs and seized the first weapons available. The marchers reach—ed the outskirts of the beleaguered city. Four rebel columns, sent from Caspc to stem the loyalist advance toward Saragossa, were dispersed, abandoning war material and their dead. ' The rebels are determined not to allow San Sebastian _to remain in the Government’s possession. Fierce fighting is proceeding around Oyarzun, in the valley of the Pyrenees, under a downpour of min. This town dominates the road from Navarre to San Sebastian and Irun. The conflict resolved itself into desperate hand-to-hand fighting. The rebels reached the outskirts of the town as columns of workers and militia rushed from Irun to the assistance} of the slender garrison. The conflict surged into the main street, loyalist guns on Mount San Mariel shelling the rebels, where the advance was held app but the loyalists lacked ammunition, and therefore were unable to employ the heavy guns brought up by horses and mules. Among the refugees from the north is the Belgian ballopnist, Professor Piccard, who was returning to Santander. A French steamer took him to St. Nazaire.

BOMBED BY LOYAL ’PLANES. THE TOWN OF SAN ROQUE. (Received This Buy, 10.5 a.m.) \ . GIBRAI‘TAR, July: 27 . Spanish Government 'planes :bombed San Roque. AID FOR GERMAN REFUGEES. HERB HITLER GIVES £4OOO. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) . BERLIN, July 27. Herr Hitler has given £4OOO to as sist German refugees in Spain. AVOWED OBJECT OF REVOLT. AVOIDING SOVIET RED TERROR. FALL OF MADRID EXPECTED. LONDON, July 27. General Franco (one of the rebel leaders), interviewed by the “Daily Mail,” said: “The revolution is a, Na.tionalist movement to save Spain from Russian domination and to replaCe her in the ranks of the great nations. A Government 'Victory would mean red terror. Only to-day Communists burned alive 27 persons near Seville. Three-qug-rters of the country and the colonies are already in our hands. Madrid is hourly expected to full.”