THE CIVIL WAR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 171, 3 May 1937, Page 5

THE CIVIL WAR.

REBEL STEAMER CAPTURED.

AEROPLANE ENGINES ABOARD.

(United Press Association —Copyrignt.) LONDON, April 30.

A report from Madrid says that the Government destroyer Alsedo seized a rebel steamer off Gibraltar with a cargo of 100 aeroplane engines and 40,000 rounds of ammunition. REPORTED GERMAN LANDING. SECRECY AT SAN SEBASTIAN. LONDON, April 30. The Bilbao correspondent of "The Times” states that 1500 German volunteers were landed at San Sebastian on April 24. A false air raid alarm was sounded to keep the population underground so that the Germans might not be seen as they! travelled through the streets.

The rebels have made no further advance on the Bilbao front. The defences have been strongly reinforced with both men and materials.

GERMAN DENIAL OF LANDING. LONDON, May 1. A Berlin news agency denies that German troop’s were landed at San Sebastian.

VALUE OF INFANTRY.

GUADALAJAIIA LESSONS.

LONDON, March 29-

“Infantry alone can still decide a battle, even in this mechanised age, states Mr Pembroke Stephens, tie correspondent ol tho “Daily lelcgraph,” in summarising the failure of tlH v recent rebel oflensive on G ll acla lajava. „ . The writer says: “The Nationalists Lad expected an easy victory, siniiLu to that obtained by the mechanised divisions at Malaga, but it has been proved that such divisions, while invincible in good weather on firm ground, are practically useless, ancl indeed dangerous, when the veathei is bad and the ground sodden. “Secondly, mechanised arms made for conditions in one country are of little use in another. “Thirdly, a mechanised column confined to one road is exceptionally vulnerable to air attack.”

Explaining why the Government air attack was not countered, Mr Stephens says: “Tire Nationalist aeroplanes were not able to leave the sodden grass aerodromes, while the Government aerodromes near Guadalajara had concrete runways and their machines were able to rise.”