A SEA FIGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 89, 25 January 1938, Page 5

A SEA FIGHT

THE CONFLICT IN SPAIN.

WARSHIPS AND WARPLANES.

FRENCH iDESTRJOYER. Flxt’ES

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Receive This Day, 1.20 p.m.) PARSI, January 24.

During a sea figlit off Valencia yesterday, which ended indeterminately, the French destroyer, La Poursuivant, moved to Carbere in order to protect the French frontier.

'Loyalist and rebel 'planes were fighting overhead: and two rebel bombs narrowly missed La Poursuivant, which retaliated indiscriminately on the rebels and Loyalists. Three more Loyalist ’planes arrived and began bombing the rebel warships, which steamed farther out to sea behind a smoke screen while the French land batteries speeded the retreat of the rebel warplanes in the wake of the warship. The Loyalists broke off the engagement and returned home.

REBELS BOMB MANY TOWNS.

REPRISALS BY LOYALISTS. LONDON, January 24. A Valencia message states that rebel vessels shelled the seaport of Pinedo, but the Loyalist batteries drove them off. It is reported from Barcelona that rebel aeroplanes twice bombed Figueras, an important railway centre near the Pyrenees, killing 12 and wounding 20. . '

A Barcelona communique asserts that five rebel warships, including two Italian destroyers using Spanish names which are incorporated in the insurgent fleet, shelled Valencia from a distance of five miles, firing 40 projectiles. The city was also again bombed, the objectives of the raid including the convent of Santa Monica, which is occupied by 200 nuns, some of whom were killed

The “News-Chronicle” says that for the first time since the early days of the campaign, the Loyalists bombed Ceuta t from which place the Moorish levies embark for Spain. As a result of the rebel raids bn Loyalist coastal towns 595 persons were killed between January 1 and January 21, on which date the Loyalists announced that reprisals would be undertaken at rebel objectives. A message from Paris states that after their departure from Puigcerda rebel raiders flew over Andorra, and bombed Seo de Urgel, whose bishop shares. with the French President the control of the tiny republic. The bombs, caused a heavy deathroll. Fourteen rebel aeroplanes dropped bombs near Bourgmadame, on the French side of the Spanish frontier, damaging an infantry shelter, and also bombed Puigcerda, killing and injuring many and causing panic among the populace. The prefect of the French Province of Ariege, which adjoins Puigcerda, has demanded aerial defences from Paris.

The Saragossa corerspondent of tbe “Daily Telegraph” says the rebels are completing a semi-circle on the heights round Teruel. The Loyalists have lost the strategic points which they gained a fortnight ago.

THEORY AS TO BOMBING. BRITISH LABOUR DELEGATION. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) PARIS, January 24. Mr William Dobbie, M.P., one of the members of the British Labour Party, returning from Spain, said that General Franco’s planes had been chasing the party throughout its visit. He believed the raid on Puigcerda was due to a belief that they might be passing through, but the frontier was crossed at a point that could not be revealed. The Government is protesting against the bombing of French territory during the Nationalist air raid on Puigcerda, and is reinforcing the French frontier at Rourgmadame.

WARNING TO INSURGENTS.

FRENCH WILL FIRE AT ’PLANES. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 24. “The Daily Telegraph's correspondent states: France warned the Government at Salamanca that her aircraft patrols and anti-aircraft guns will fire without warning on any Spanish aeroplane flying over French territory with a military objective.

VICTIMS OF AIR RAIDS.

35 KILLED, G 7 WOUNDED. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) BARCELONA, January 24. The casualties in the air raid on Figueras were 14 killed and 50 wounded. At Puigcerda the casualties were 21 killed and 17 wounded.

ESCORT BY DESTROYER.

(Received This jDay, 10.55 a.m. ) PATHS, ’January 24.

A message from Marseilles states that the IFrdhcffi ship Prido wirelessed

from 60 miles northeast of Barcelona that she had been seized by a warship. A later message, however, states that the French destroyer' Albatross wirelessed that she was. escorting, the Prado which had resumed her course'.!*

NO MILITARY DAMAGE.

SEVERAL CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

(Received This Day, *l2 Noon). LONDON, January 24

“The Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent at Gibraltar states that the Loyalist bombardment of Ceuta caused several civil casualties blit no military damage.