HEAVY SHELLING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 40, 26 November 1937, Page 5

HEAVY SHELLING

MOST INTENSE IN THE WAR. GREAT DAMAGE AT MADRID. HUNDREDS OF CASUALTIES.

United Press Association —Copyright i (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.)

MADRID, November 25. General Franco’s long-awaited onslaught, in a final effort to capture the cit.v, is believed to have begun last night with a furious shelling, which was the most intense since the beginning of the war. It was obviously a desperate attempt to shake the Republican troops’ positions and break the morale of the remaining civilians. There are no exact reports of the casualties, but it is believed that hundreds were killed or wounded. There would have been greater havoc but for the fact that the people were mostly at home when the bombardment began, and took refuge in cellars. The damage to property is reported to be enormous. Whole streets were ruined. A Government communique says that the city’s batteries replied to the rebel bombardment. The Republicans anticipated the blowing up of a rebel mine at University City and fired a counter-mine, wrecking a wing of the building. Insurgent advance parties were repulsed on the western outskirts and in the southern sector. Barcelona- reports heavy insurgent air raiding and bombing of rebel towns as a reprisal. HAIL OF SHELLS ON MADRID. TWO THOUSAND AN HOUR. CITY SYSTEMATICALLY RAKED. MADRID, Nov. 25. A violent bombardment of Madrid, which began before midnight, resulted in many being killed. Two thousand shells fell in one hour. i Insurgent artillery, including nineinch guns, systematically raked the city, starting from the north and gradually working southward. Republican batteries earlier bombarded westward and southward of Madrid, where troops are massing. The insurgents retaliated by shelling thickly populated working class suburbs. The Republican Cabinet has ordered the mobilisation of all 'unemployed between the ages of 18 and oQ inMadrid. A communique from Barcelona states that Republican squadrons heavily bombed troops concentrated on the Aragon river at Tudela- and Jaca in retaliation for the raids on the unprotected towns of Bnjaraloz and Alcaniz. A broadcast by the insurgents alleged that the aeroplanes flew over French territory, suggesting complicity by the French Popular Front Government. GUERILLA WARFARE. ASTURIAN MINERS’ OATH. MADRID, Nov. 24. Fierce guerilla warfare is being waged by bands of Asturian miners, organised in military formation based on tho mountains between Oviedo and Gijon. Daily clashes are disorganising the insurgent movements, inflicting heavy losses. The Asturians have sworn not to cease resistance while there is a single miner able to hold a rifle. Republican batteries bombarded westward and southward of Madrid, where troops are massing. The insurgents • retaliated by shelling the populous working suburbs. WITHDRAWAL OF VOLUNTEERS. LOYALIST ATITUDE NOT DEFINED LONDON, November 24. The diplomatic correspondent of “The Times” says that the Foreign Office has received General Franco’s reply to the proposed withdrawal of volunteers. The Barcelona correspondent' of "The Times” says that the Government has not vet decided its attitude toward the withdrawal of volunteers. It is surmised that it is not disposed to consider the proposal for withdrawal. Volunteers from all parts of the world, at their own free will, should be on a par with the troops drafted to fight under their own officers and flag among insurgents against a legally-con-stituted authority, it is felt.