TERUEL IN REBEL HANDS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22335, 24 February 1938, Page 9

TERUEL IN REBEL HANDS

♦ CITY DESTROYED BY LOYALISTS FRANCO’S FORCES PUSH SOUTHWARD GOVERNMENT RELUCTANT TO ADMIT REVERSE (united press association—copyright.) (Received February 24, 12.35 a.m.) TERUEL, February 23. The insurgents pushed on to three miles south of the city, threatening the main Valencia road. The Government admits the loss of Castralbo, a village on the Valencia road. It continues to conceal th’e magnitude of the retreat, asserting that it was orderly. Teruel presents a scene of fantastic desolation, completely uninhabitable. Hundreds of houses have collapsed, blocking the streets. The famous seminary is a chaotic heap of masonry. An earlier message said it was officially announced that the Government garrison had evacuated Teruel, breaking the rebel ring and joining the main forces outside the city. Before leaving Teruel the Government forces set fire to the city, which was a mass of flames.

The Loyalists were not greatly perturbed at the loss of Teruel, which is not regarded as strategically important. A message from Saragossa says that it is estimated that there were 60,000 Government casualties in lower Aragon and Teruel in two months. More than 3500 were killed in the final assault on Teruel. All the Government avenues of retreat have been closed. A total of 1500 prisoners and large quantities of material have been captured.

Barcelona was blacked out at 1.40 a'.m. because of the appearance of bombers from Majorca. This was the first air raid since January 31. Aided by searchlights, the batteries engaged the‘raiders for 45 minutes. No bombs were dropped in the centre of the city, but the damage elsewhere was considerable.

The city later suffered a second air raid, when extensive damage was done.

FRENCH STEAMER ATTACKED DESTROYER PROCEEDING FROM TOULON MARSEILLES, February 22. An aeroplane machine-gunned the French steamer Prado 15 miles from Valencia. One member of the crew was wounded. A destroyer is proceeding at full speed from Toulon.