LOYALIST ARMY IMPROVES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22305, 20 January 1938, Page 11

LOYALIST ARMY IMPROVES

EFFICIENT MILITARY MACHINE DISCIPLINE SHOWN AT TBEUEL GENERAL FRANCO’S LOST OPPORTUNITY

tUKITEB PBBSS ASSOCIATION —COPTBIGHT.J

(Received January 18, 5.5 p.m.)

LONDON, January 18,

The Teruel correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” reveals that an immense increase has taken place in the fighting power of the Loyalists. He adds that for the first time they have shown a really efficient military machine in operation, displaying a discipline and a manoeuvring capacity which even the most sanguine observers had not expected six months ago. An outstanding feature of their new efficiency is the superiority of the Loyalist infantrymen, and not only in shock troops. The result of the Teruel conflict indicates that the fiercest fighting of the campaign may be expected in the spring and that the result will depend on the infantrymen. General Franco found that the Tooth of Teruel (Mount Muela) broke the line, but his infantry failed him, because he used numbers of half-trained soldiers—a strange state of affairs after 18 months of warfare.

Significance attaches to the humanitarianism and discipline of the Loyalists in taking a town containing 14,000 civilians. Admittedly one priest and four civilians were shot, but on the other hand 20,000 persons, including soldiers, were evacuated in orderly fashion. There was some small-scale looting as a result of which arrests were made.

Strategy of Contending Leaders The chief interest does not lie with Teruel, which is a mass of ruins, but with the strategy of the contending forces. The two outstanding Loyalist leaders are General Vincente Rojo, Commander-in-Chief, who directed the Teruel operation, and Lieutenant-Colonel Enrique Lister, who cut the rebel communications and afterwards parried their violent attempt to relieve the town. , ,

He' commands 14,000 shock troops, intensively trained in the art of war, who improve immeasurably every month. More will be heard of him. _ The Minister for War, Senor Don Indalecio Prieto, and the Chief of Staff have competently organised the Loyalist army, securing adequate petrol and food supplies. The Government is short of officers, but by the end of summer there should be a first-rate fighting force. General Franco’s army, on the contrary, has improved little since the outbreak of the struggle. Unless he can produce better infantry than at Teruel, his prospects are not bright. _______________