A CAMPAIGN OF HORRORS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21863, 17 August 1936, Page 9

A CAMPAIGN OF HORRORS

LOYALISTS BUTCHERED AT BADAJOZ CITY TAKEN BY REBEL FORCES GUNS HEARD ACROSS FRENCH BORDER {UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received August 16, 11.10 p.m.) LISBON, August 15. Messages from the frontier state I that the insurgents finally occupied 1 Badajoz at 6.45 p.m. after fierce I street fighting. English and Portuguese newspaper correspondents who flew over Badajoz during the final grim resistance report, most savage hand-to-hand fighting as the loyalists, with the courage of desperation, eontested every inch of the insurgents advance near the international bridge. Captured loyalists were butchered like sheep against the lurid background of the blazing cityNative troops who formed a considerable part of the rebel forces lived up to their reputation for ferocity. The sickened and horrorstricken correspondents landed on the Portuguese side of the frontier and unloaded medical supplies and food for the relief of refugees. The insurgent aeroplanes kept up a persistent bombardment of the town, little of which now remains. A Hendaye message says: Fighting at San Sebastian and Irun continues with increased vehemence. Every house at Hendaye is shaken by the firing of big guns, and the crackle of machine gunte is easily heard on the French side of the frontier. The rebels" are making a supreme effort to gain a victory, but the Government forces are putting up an equally determined resistance. The efficiency of the rebel air bombing has improved miraculously in the short time. Mass Executions War hostages are added to the horrors of the campaign, both aides seizing families of prominent people with the threat to kill them if this or that town is bombed. Three leaders of the rebellion in San Sebastian, all artillery officers, were court-martialled and shot after making their last confession to a Carmelite priest. The newspaper “Oseculo” reports that 1500 were killed in the battle for Badajoz, mostly in the attackers’ bomb and bayonet charges. The defenders dynamited buildings in order to hamper the insurgents, whom aeroplanes also machinegunned. Mass executions of loyalists followed the rebels’ triumph. Tv/o Government aeroplanes later bombed the insurgents. The battle for Irun and San Sebastian died down at midday and resumed in the afternoon; but in the evening the Irun and San Sebastian road was still open, although the rebels claimed to have cut the Government troops’ communications. The rebels also declared that they had captured Bobadilla in Andalusia. % An earlier message from London stated: The Spanish Minister for War claims that the rebels were defeated at Los Navalmorales. The. Government is preparing for a dedecisive offence, in the Guadarrama region. Government troops have penetrated the defences of Oviedo, and the town has become the scene of desperate street fighting. City in Ruins Badajoz is almost completely in ruins as a result of a fire started by the bombardment of rebel aeroplanes. Many citizens have been killed, and thousands of Refugees have fled to Portugal. The insurgents stormed the Trinidad gate this afternoon, and occupied the walls and ramparts, from which they are exchanging shot for shot with the 3500 men of the loyalist militia who are defending the town * Although the rebels are flinging great forces into the battle for San Sebastian and Irun, the Government so far is holding its own. The rebels have abandoned air bombing, as they fear reprisals, but gas masks have been issued to the population of San Sebastian and Irun, as the rebels are now in possession of gas bombs. The food supplies are considered sufficient for at least several days. Government supporters declare that they would rather blow up the city than surrender. The Jaime Primeiro, escorted by a cruiser and a destroyer, is going to Cartagena for repairs. Broadcasting last night from Seville, the rebel leader said: “We will grind the blood and bones of the people of Valencia with a pest:* and mortar, and make cement to rebuild- the churches they destroyed.’’ “NEUTRALITY SUICIDAL” LONDON, August 14. Two hundred Liberals from most ox the European countries, including Viscount Churchill and Sir Norman Angell, met in Paris and passed a resolution that neutrality in the face of the situation would be suicidal and tantamount to strengthening fascism.