SAILORS FIGHT VILLAGERS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29067, 2 December 1959, Page 5

SAILORS FIGHT VILLAGERS

Girls Attracted By Venezuelans J I ■, ■ (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 30. A six-month visit to Britain ended in gloom for 500 Venezuelan sailors tonight. The “Daily Sketch” said that early today a group of Venezuelans fought their way back-to-back for a mile along the boule-vard-style Ocean road, South Shields, County Durham. They had to battle through hordes of local men angered at the way the visitors from the destroyers Zulia and Nueva Esparta had won the local girls, the “Daily Sketch” said. When the last sailor was on board. Commander Pablo Cohen gave the order: “No shore leave till we sail.” He meant it. The 500 sailors spent tonight, their last night in port at Heb-burn-on-Tyne, on board, while at the quayside the 15 brides-to-be pleaded to see their boyfriends, said the “Sketch.” Permission was not granted, A Venezuelan spokesman said tonight: “Our men are being picked on by local men. Sailors ashore are always high-spirited and always attractive to women.”

The “Daily Sketch” said the six-month refit visit had been more like a battle cruise. Dozens of street fights had broken out in South Shields, Jarrow, and Hebburn.

Police regarded the long knives battle early today as the final settlement between the hottest heads on both sides—and hopes things would calm down when the ships sailed.

Ten men were treated for knife wounds in South Shields Infirmary—two of them Venezuelans, the newspaper said.

One sailor was stabbed in the back while police tried to get him away from an angry mob. Some injured men ran away before they could be treated—because they were afraid to give their names and addresses, the “Daily Sketch” added.