COSTLY INSURGENT OFFENSIVE IN SPAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 7

COSTLY INSURGENT OFFENSIVE IN SPAIN.

"PUSH" AT MALAGA.

Operation " 111-Organised

Attack."

SPIRITED LOYALIST REPLY.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 12 noon.) MADRID, February 4.

A big insurgent advance against Malaga opened this morning. The rebels' fleet bombarded Government positions. It is believed General Dellano is directing operations from a warship.

A Government communique states that the militia is resisting bravely. Aeroplanes are bombing the rebels.

Heralded, by the evening papers as a great Mediterranean naval engagement, the latest rebel demonstration resolved itself into an ill-organised attack on Malaga by such air, land and sea forces as the insurgents can command.

The first reaction to it was a successful retaliation by Loyalist aircraft which brought down three rebel bombing 'planes, while an insurgent 'plane mistakenly machine-gunned a large party of advancing rebels simultaneously with a Government aeroplane demolishing a lorryful of them.

This was followed by Loyalist 'planes swooping down on the rebel fleet and driving the ships to sea.

Other news from the front is scarce, but tlie position can be gauged from the fact that lorries laden with wounded rebels continue to arrive at La Linea from the front.

The Spanish Government has replied to the British protest against the dropping of bombs near the battleship Royal Oak, expressing concern and promising an immediate inquiry.

VISIT TO VALENCIA.

BRITISH CALLS EXPLAINED.

British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 4. A question was asked in the House of Commons regarding the recent visit of Admiral Sir Roger Backhouse to Valencia. Replying for the Admiralty, Lord Stanley, Parliamentary Secretary, said the visit was made on the occasion of the Home Fleet's taking over the duties off the coast of Spain previously undertaken by the Mediterranean FVeet. During the visit, at the suggestion of the British Charge d'Affaires. Mr. Ogilvie Forbes, the Commander-in-Chief paid, unofficial calls on the Prime Minister, Senor Lergo Caballero, and the Minister of Marine, and these calls were returned informally. No political significance was attached to the visit, which the Commander-in-Chief would naturally make to acquaint himself with the position at first-hand and to dt-scuss matters personally with Mr. Forbes.

WOMEN PLAY A PART.

DEFENDERS OF MADRID

MADRID, February 4.

The Madrid defence forces are organising a "battalion of Carmeus" consisting of women workers from cigar and cigarette factories to replace the wastage in the so-called "Amazon" battalions.

General Miaja apparently has fully superseded General KJeber, the former head of the International Brigade, as commander on the Madrid front, in spite of General Kleber having been mainly instrumental in repulsing the earlier attacks launched by the rebels.