BUTTLE TO THE DEATH IN AIR OVER MADRID.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 271, 14 November 1936, Page 9

BUTTLE TO THE DEATH IN AIR OVER MADRID.

24 'PLANES FIGHT. Parachutes Riddled During Descent. USE OP GAS ALLEGED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12 noon.) MADRID, November 13. A big air battle took place over Madrid this morning between a dozen Insurgent 'planes and a dozen Government machines. . The latter claim to have brought down six insurgents. Thousands pf people in the streets and on roofs watched the battle as the combatants swiftly moved over the heart of the city. Government 'planes were sent up immediately rebel bombers and fighters appeared. The bombers promptly withdrew, leaving the fighters to engage the enemy. One 'plane was seen to be in flames and the two occupants jumped with parachutes. A pursuing 'plane riddled the parachutes with machine gun bullets and the airmen hurtled to death. The 'plane crashed in the court yard of the military barracks. An unconfirmed report says tliat the rebels have begun a big offensive. Rebel officers at Talavera assert that Government troops are using poison gas shells, adding: "We may be forced to use gas too." This allegation is categorically denied by officials at Madrid. Loyalist Offensive Begun. The Government offensive, the success of which lias not yet been established, is a, sequel to Thursday's improvement in positions largely owing to dashing attacks by reinforcements of Asturian miners with dynamite bombs and hand grenades which they hurled at tanks and tractors. They held up six rebel tanks, preceding two which were advancing with Moors, and thus halted the first rebel attempt at resistance. The militia later repulsed, with sustained rifle and machine gun fire, four more tanks screening a second Moorish effort. Loyalists, owing to the accession of foreign supplies of artillery and munitions, dominate the situation on the Estepona-Malaga front, north of Gibraltar, A British official of the Rio Tinto mines, whose employees, despite expected desperate resistance, surrendered to the rebels without firing a shot early in the campaign, states that the Insurgents shot 1500 Loyalist miners, including 100 women, during the cleaning-up operations.