REBELS FORCED TO RETIRE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 279, 7 September 1936, Page 5

REBELS FORCED TO RETIRE.

LOYALISTS ADVANCE ON SARAGOSSA. MAJORCA EXPEDITION FAILS. LONDON, September 5. While Madrid claims to have stopped the insurgents’ westerly advance in the Estremaduro Province, the rebels, in a wireless announcement irom Burgos, claim a great victory and the capture of artillery at Talavera de la Reinn, opening the road to Toledo. A Hendaye message says the rebels have captured the bridgehead between Iran and San Sebastian, and have begun to bombard Fort Gaudaloupe. Reinforcements consisting of Foreign Legionaries, are arriving from Pamplona. The special Hendaye correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says , that Iran, which 24 hours ago was a town of 12,000 inhabitants, is now a heap of blazing ruins. Not a house remains standing. Anarchists are still holding out amidst the flames. A later message states that the victory of the rebels at Talavera was only temporary. They have been forced to retire along the whole of the 12 mile front, which was due to the strategy, of the insurgent General Cavfejon, who ordered a retreat on the pretence that his troops were demoralised. Tho loyalists quitted their positions and .dunged the retreating column, only to lie ambushed between two other columns, who fired on both flanks. General Yagues, rebel commander, said: “We killed everyone defending the town. lam sorry tor poor Genual Riqueline, tiie Government leader lor falling into a trap like an inexperienced child.” This exultation turned out to be premature, a Government airman later reporting that the loyalists had completely recovered the lost ground. Strong batteries of artillery and seven triple-engined bombers flanked oil both sides by chaser aeroplanes supported the Government attack, which was driven gallantly home by Colonel Asensio and Colonel Burillo of the Shock Guard. Many prisoners were taken. ' Senor Azana arrived at Talavera alter the victory and was enthusiastically greeted. The rebels had hoped to break the Government line screening the road to Madrid, also to relieve the starving occupants of Toledo and Alcazar. The loyalists, under Senor Buenaventira Durriti and Major Perez F arras, on the Saragossa front, numbering 10,000 are within sight of the city, on which an attack is being launched after the arrival of 25,000 reinforcements from Catalonia. The rebels are doing their utmost to hamper the advance and claim to have inflicted a reverse, killing 300 near Pamplona. The Government attack on Majorca has admittedly failed after the loss ot prisoners, arms and munitions. The remainder will ho sent to Aragon to support tho attack on Saragossa. Majorca was Gallipoli on a small scale. An official communique dealing with tho withdrawal says that a heroic Catalan column withdrew, and after a magnificent action embarked scathless owing to Captain Bayoa’s admirable strategy in accordance with the orders of tho Republican Government which innot consult the Catalonian Government. The landing was hugely a Catalonian idea to which Madrid was opposed, the Cabinet declaring, “Majorca can wait.” The rebels captured the seaside village of Fuentarrabia after a two hours’ battle, the garrison fleeing in boats to Franco under fire. Several were wounded.

NEW AMBASSADOR TO LONDON. '(Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 5. It is officially announced that Don Pablo de Azcarate has been appointed Spanish Ambassador in London. The new Amlin'# ador is the Deputy-Secre-tary-General of the League of Nations. —British Official Wireless.