TERRORS OF AIR BOMBARDMENT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22414, 30 May 1938, Page 10

TERRORS OF AIR BOMBARDMENT

FRANCO’S RAIDS ON BARCELONA DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EFFECTS a ton of Explosive an hour LONDON, April 11. With information pieced together from various sources it is possible now to give some more connected account than during the confusion of earlier moments of the series of air raids by which General Franco recently attempted to beat the Catalan capital to its knees and stampede the Generalitat, if not the Central Government, into surrender, writes the Barcelona correspondent of “The Times.” It was a new departure, especially in a civil war, and a taste of what totalitarian tactics are preparing for the future. The last census gave Barcelona a population of 1,062,000 souls, but, swollen since the outbreak m July, 1936, by masses of refugees with many thousands of peasants from invaded districts of Aragon and the inhabitants of neighbouring bombarded towns, the figure of 1,500,000 may well be nearer the mark. Up to the middle of February Barcelona at different times, notably during two fierce raids in January, had suffered 918 dead and 2500 wounded by either bombing or shelling from tl.j sea. The real deluge came on March 16, 17, and 18, beginning with one raid at 10.08 p.m. on March 16; 12 more followed between then and 3 p.m. on March 18. The times were: On March 17 four minutes past midnight, 1.37 a.m., 7.40 a.m., 10.25 a.m., 1.57 p.m., 10.17 p.m.; on March 18 1.14 a.m., 4.01 a.m., 6.59 a.m., 9.30 a.m., 1.11 p.m., 3 p.m They were each over in a few moments; the raiders, travelling at high speed, passed over the city at heights estimated to be between 12,000 and 20,000 feet Three types of aeroplanes, Heinkel hydroplanes, Junkers, and Savoia Marchetti 81, appear to have been involved. The freatest number counted was nine avoia Marchettis at 1.57 p.m. - on March 17. It is believed that some 60 aeroplanes in all participated, in flights of three or six at a time. From beginning to end the bombmg lasted with intervals for 41 hours, and it is estimated that 41 tons were dropped, that is an average of one ton an hour. More than 350 explosions were counted. Extent of Destruction It is not possible, for obvious reasons, to enter into technical details. Bombs' of very different types were used. Some were very large, weighing up to 11001b, but the majority were of 1101b to 2201b. The nights were calm and moonlit, the days fu.s. The clearness of the atmosphere gave every chance to the bombers, but the great height and speed at which the raids were executed precluded accurate, aiming. There was a preference for dropping the heaviest loads in central districts. There was no time for adequate warning. Coming in from the, sea at a great height, the raiders were over their objectives most often before the sirens sounded. Majorca, whence they came, is little more than 100 miles from Barcelona, a matter of an hour’s flight. It has been advanced that the raiders passed on to replenish at Saragossa and took in Barcelona again on the return journey to their base; this, of course, would be impossible for th- hydroplanes. The casualties by March 31 amounted to more than 900 dead and 1500 wounded in hospital, but that was not the full total, as several of the sites had not yet been fully cleared, and many of the less severely injured were attended to at dressing stations or in their homes. Forty-eight large buildings were totally destroyed, 100 partly. Three theatres and 13 cinemas were damaged. Of these nine have already been repaired and are open once more, as well as one of the theatres. The others will need complete reconstruction. . . Moral Effect Such was the material destruction wrought. What was the effect on spirits or moral? The answer was given in part by the diligence with which places of amusement were reopened, to be filled immediately with audiences. It takes a lot to still the life of a great city. It may well be interrupted momentarily, but it picks up pulse immediately. At one place where a queue waiting at the door of a popular cheap-meal restaurant was all but wiped out, a few hours later, when the next meal was due, another queue imperturbably fell into line. At a cafe where people seated at little tables y/ere swept away by the blast of a relatively distant bomb, the waiters, rushing out, helped their customers and friends to their feet and collected the crockery, tables, and chairs. Soon drinking and talking vyere renewed, the talking at a greater pace than ever. In another, alas! extremely tragic case, cafe, clients, and waiters perished all together. At a cross roads in a broad avenue no fewer than five public vehicles with their passengers and drivers were destroyed. Corners of Destiny Whether by day or by night, citizens, men, women, or children, young or old, healthy or infirm, are called to their last account without warning. Life hangs on a thread.Two friends are walking along the street chatting. They reach a corner. One of them sees an acquaintance disappearing round it and goes after him. A bomb falls and kills the man who had not turned the corner of destiny. A paterfamilias late for lunch and laden with parcels is awaiting a tram. It passes the stopping place without halting. Inwardly cursing the careless driver, the would-be passenger follows it down the street with his eyes, only to see it disappear in smoke and shambles. There is no escape' except by abandoning occupation, livelihood, family, and home. Few havq the means, the inclination, or the opportunity. So life carries pn until the next series of explosions. The psychological reactions to the bombing vary. Some people seem Effected as much by the noise of the anti-aircraft as of the bombs. It may depend which is closer. With others the clouds of smoke and dust

raised, choking, blinding, acrid, are a lasting memory. Imaginative teticna afflict some worse than the reality, of torn flesh and spreading blood pools. To other eyes/the dead are less fearful than the torments of the wounded. It is a question of individuality. Mass reaction is different. This is not the place to deal with it, though it may be mentioned that a fortnight after the raids many persons still go down to sleep in. the underground. Spaniards have strong nerves. They are emotional certainly, but the fatalistic strain inherited from Moorish ancestors, the courage of the Goths, and the hardihood of their own breed compose a character that, is standing the test of air terrorism more than credit-, ably. , . Services Maintained There was a certain inevitable dislocation of services during the three days of trial, but neither trams nor underground ceased 'running, nor was food, water, or light seriously interfered with. Cables and mains cut were* promptly mended. Business became slack and many a clerk thought it a good opportunity for a holiday. A notice issued by the Employees’ Association intimating that the names of young men who remained away would be given to the trench digging battalions sufficed to bring them back. Barcelona has not nearly sufficient accommodation in its cellars or underground shelters for the entire population. They might be lodged in the underground railways, of which there are several lines. Entrance and exit is the problem. Shelter, to be effective, must be at hand. The rapidity with which air attack can now be delivered arouses doubt if .sheltering the population of a huge town is feasible. Among the chief points to be cofasidered for the safety of the inhabitants is the density of population over the built-up “ area; In. this respect Paris, where people lived piled up in flats, must be more vulnerable than London, with its multiplicity of smaller dwellings. In Barcelona the spaciousness of the city has saved many lives. Types of Bomb Apart from the mediaeval town and the village of Gracia, a mile to the north-west, which have been incorporated into the city, avenues and streets cut each other at right angles and at each intersection the corners are cut so that the. crossing space becomes a square. These squares, of which there are many hundreds varying in size according to the width of the streets, avenue or rambla, admit air and sunlight. The larger give space for little gardens' or the übiquitous statuary. The high proportion of open space—higher perhaps in Barcelona than in any city of its size—is a great protection to the population, the casualties to a hit being far higher in the old town than in the new. On the other hand, the tremendous amount of glass has proved calamitous, for even at a distance of 400 yards panes shiver to fragments at the impact of modern explosives. The heavy bomb with delayed action fuse penetrates deep, steel girders are twisted, hewn stone flies apart, and ruin follows. Its action, however, is local. These large bombs do little harm in open spaces. A bomb with thinner but very high explosive content was also used in Barcelona. It hardly made a hole in pavements, but its expansive force was terrific. The local press described these missiles as “liquid air bombs.” Barcelona, like Madrid, was fortunate in possessing a magnificent fire brigade. It rendered splendid service. The Red Crpss men and volunteer helpers also worked with the greatest courage and devotion.