HEAVY FIGHTING FOR SPANISH CITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 193, 15 August 1936, Page 9

HEAVY FIGHTING FOR SPANISH CITIES.

AIR BOMBARDMENTS. Badajoz Completely Ruined In Civil War. HEAVY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. United Press Association.—Copyright. (ucccived 12 noon.) tONDON, August 14. Spanish Government troops have penetrated the defences, of Oviedo and the town has becomc the scene of desperate street fighting. Badajoz is almost completely in ruins as the result of a fire started by a bombardment from rebel 'planes. Many citizens were killed and thousands -of refugees lied to Portugal. Insurgents stormccl Trinidad Gate in the afternoon and occujiied the walls and ramparts, from which they arc exchanging shot for shot with * 3500 Loyalist militia defending tlie town. The Ministry of War claims that the rebels were defeated in naval encounters and that their morale is waning. Preparations arc being made for a decisive offensive in Guadarrama. Although the rebels are flinging great forces into the battle for San Sebastian and Trun the Government reports that so far it is holding its own. The rebels abandoned air bombing owing to the fear of reprisals, but gas masks are being issued to the population of Sail Sebastian and Irun as the rebels are now in possession of pas bombs. Food supplies are considered sufficient to last several days. The "Daily Herald" special correspondent at Barcelona, after travelling over the enti*3 north-eastern front, concludes that Catalonia is out of all danger. Whatever happens elsewhere the rebels have lost the war in the east of the peninsula. In other places the rebels are on the defensive, ho states. Their superiority is purely technical. They have more modern war materials and officers with military experience than the Government forces, but the rank and file are often not enthusiastic. General Franco is uncertain of how far he can rely on their loyalty, hence his reluctance to advance for fear of desertions. The civil war is introducing fresh complications in Morocco, states a Tangier message, where tribesmen are forming a "national front" to expel Spain from the soil of Islam. General Franco's expectations that Moors would flock to his banner ore disappointed. The discipline among such natives as have joined him is affected by the irregularity of the payments of their wages. EMBASSY FRACAS. Rebel's Dramatic Seizure of Berlin Embassy. POLICE POWERLESS^ (Received 1.30 p.m.) / BKRLIN, August 14. An incident reminiscent <jf the recent occurrences in the Spanish Embassies to Rome and the Vatican took place during the absence of the ex-Ambassador, Francisco Agramonte, who had resigned after'the outbreak of the revolt. A self-styled representative of the Spanish Government arrived and informed the staff that lie had been sent to reorganise diplomatic services in Germany. Senor Agramonte, who was still quartered in the Embassy, on hearing tho news, summoned the police, who, however, were powerless to intrude on an extra-territorial area. For that reason the newcomer retained possession. In .Rome, Senor Zulueta still defiies the efforts of rebel sympathisers to dislodge him from the Vatican Embassy. BRITISH 'PLANE HELD. Detained By French En Route To Rebel Forces. EFFORTS TO STOP EXPORTS. (Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON", August 14. French authorities have impounded a British do Havilland 'plane destined for the rebels. j The British authorities are hastening the investigation of the possibility of preventing civil aircraft leaving for Spain as happened yesterday. Although it might be possible to disallow their departure by air, it may not bo practicable to forbid shipment by steamers. * I DAMAGED CRUISER. CONFLICTING REPORTS. (Received 12 noon.) LONDON, August 14. The insurgents announce through their wireless station at Seville and those at Geuta and 'Tctuan, Spanish Morocco, that the Government's battleship Jaime Primero was sunk by bombing aeroplanes in Malaga Bay, on the south coast of Spain. Tho special correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" at Gibraltar, however, says the ship is afloat with a 30ft liolo caused by a hit from a 1501b bomb. Several bombs fell in the docks and other warships also are reported to have been hit. Tlie Jaime Primero is 22 years old, of 15,000 tons. She carries eight 12in guns and has a complement of 854. Subsequent advices stated that the vessel, escorted by a cruiser and a destroyer, is going to Cartagena for repairs.