HEROIC LERIDA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 74, 29 March 1938, Page 7

HEROIC LERIDA.

BOMBED THREE HOURS

Hapless Fugitives Gunned

From the Air.

GERMAN AND ITALIAN 'PLANES

United Tress Association.—Copyright,

(Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 28,

The "Daily Telegraph" Lerida eorlespondeiit says Lerida is now under aircraft tire preparatory to a ground assault, but the defenders display ueroic indifference to the odds against them.

lorty 'planes bombed the c-itv fee three hours, killing and wounding' hundreds of people. Doctors, hospitals iuid ambulances were unable to cope with the victims, wlio lie in thorough/ares or are buried under wreckage.

Bombers circled and chasers scooped e\en as the alarm of sirens streamed in owing down civilians as raced o shelter. fl.en bombers hu.*ed down 1 001b projectiles. wrecking ' building after buildup. The town an i,= n< » %v u> " <b'm.an and Indian "planes departed.

The road to Fraga was a shambles, 'planes machine-gunning not only soldiers, but long processions of refugees with laden mule carts and ox carts, and strewing the road with bodies of men. women, children, oxen and shattered utensils. FRANCO REPLIES. BOMBING OF OPEN TOWNS. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON", March 28. Replying to the British protest against the bombing of open towns, (ieneral Franco, while regretting the loss of innocent lives, points out that Barcelona is an important military objective with military stores and manufactures. Ho adds that he will continue to endeavour to restrict aerial activity to towns and only employ it when necessarv for military reasons.