LONDONER'S AERIAL BATTLE IS SPAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 7

LONDONER'S AERIAL BATTLE IS SPAIN.

ATTACK BY- REBELS.

Oxford Student Fights for Loyalists.

badly wounded in side.

United Press Association.—Copyright,

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, August 31. The Madrid correspondent of the British United Press says that a Londoner, John Wilson, an Oxford undergraduate, aged 21, who left his home telling his parents he was going to Folkestone, is now in hospital in Madrid.

Ho has three bullets in liis side as tho result of a battle with rebel aircraft. He was flying a tri-motor Junker with an observer, when three rebel aircraft were sighted. One Caproni machine flew on either side of Wilson, while a Hawker Fury dived upon him. All three opened up machine-gun fire, riddling the fuselage.

Wilson shot down the Hawker and then came down, with his petrol leaking, in a ploughed field. Militiamen covered him with rifles while his observer explained that Wilson was fighting for Loyalists.

The Londoner collapsed with pain and was taken to hospital.

The '"News Chronicle" Seville correspondent asserts that German 'planes, with civilian pilots, continue to fly to Spain, where they are taken over by German Army pilots, who have travelled overland, and are delivered to the rebels.

REBELS BESIEGED.

Desperate Plight of Women

And Children

STRUGGLE TOR TOLEDO,

(Received 1 p.m.)

LONDON, August 31

A War Ministry broadcast to-night claims that Government troops forced back the rebels, with 135 killed, in a sharp battle in the mountains north of Madrid. Rebels claim that a success at Oropesa, 75 miles south-west of Madrid, has opened up the road for an advance 011 the capital from the vital western area of rebellion. "The Times" Madrid correspondent says that, besieged in Toledo for six weeks, rebels still hold out. There are possibly over 1000 inside, including many women and children, while the north front of Alcazar lias been reduced to crumbling ruins by the pounding of a 6in battery. Vast underground accommodation apparently remains impervious to explosives hurled from above.

Colonel Yagues' column of insurgent regulars is marching to raise the siege of Toledo. He claims he took prisoner 1000 Loyalists in four days en route, and has taken 20 field guns and 10 machine-guns, besides quantities of supplies.

Government troops on the Guardarrama front launched an effective coun-ter-attack, repulsing the rebels after their six hours' desperate onslaught at Navalperal.

PRIMATE SPEAKS.

Keep Fire of Spain Within

Its Borders,

SYMPATHY WITH CHURCH,

(Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang, concurs in the advisability of keeping the fire of Spain within its borders. He profoundly sympathises with the Spanish Roman Catholic Church's terrible ordeal and adds: "Doubtless that Church may have grievous imperfections and have fallen short of its trust for the people, but let any Church without i mperfections cast the first stone. Our prayers must go out to the clergy, religious communities and nuns who are suffering for their faith in a country containing some of the world's noblest churches."

RIO TINTO MINES

REBEL RESPECT FOR RIGHTS

(Received 11 a.m.)

LISBON, August 31,

The Marquis of Quintana, who is in touch with the rebel junta at Burgos, declares that private interests in the Rio Tinto mines from which British workers have been evacuated, will be fully respected even in the event of confiscation. Burgos has requisitioned all minerals from the mines at average market prices.

v ' Rebels captured 07 miners escaping with 14 lorry loads of dynamite and executed them all except one lad on account of his youth. Six thrfhsand have returned to work Under a British engineer. Discipline is excellent.

IN PORTUGAL

REBELS' REAL HEADQUARTERS. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, August 31. The "News Chronicle" Tangier correspondent asserts that Portugal. is the military and political base of the rebels, whose headquarters in the Hotel Aviz, Lisbon, are in charge of Miguel Franco, brother of General Franco. They are semi-officially recognised, and openly supported by the Portuguese Government. Portuguese newspapers are fiom--pelled to be sympathetic towards the rebels.