ITALIAN FORCE PUT TO FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 186, 4 May 1937, Page 9

ITALIAN FORCE PUT TO FLIGHT

Picnic Day For Basques YOUNG MINISTER JOINS FRONT LINE By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received May 3, 7.30 p.m.) London, May 3. “The Times” correspondent at Bilbao says the Basques treated as a picnic an attempted afternoon attack by the insurgents along the Bermeo Road. Senor Jose Rezola, the young Secretary of Defence, took a rifle and joined a battalion of plain-clothes soldiers. The insurgents fled, dropping their rilles and abanfloning material. Many rebels were killed. The wounded were admitted to hospital in Bilbao. Senor Rezola returned to the Ministry with booty won from the Italians. This included a trench mortar, steel helmet, three rifles, two gas-masks, and much ammunition. An Italian prisoner described tlm composition of the fleeing brigade as one Italian to one-half Spanish and half Italian. On the centre front Government troops defeated the so-called Flechas Negros (Black Arrows). These are Spaniards commanded by Italian officers and non-commissioned officers. Desertions from this cor-ps have been numerous. All complain of inability to understand orders since their officers learned only Castilian, which is not understood locally. Avenging Guernica. The Basques commemorated May Day by partly avenging Guernica and celebrating the destruction of the rebel battleship Espana by an unexpectedlysuccessful counter-offensive. The Bilbao correspondent of “The Times” says that the Basques were victorious all along the line, the rebel attacks failing at every point, with a loss of 2500 dead .and wounded. Basque reports increase this to 3500. Rebel messages for reinforcements and ambulances were intercepted. The insurgents fell into a carefullyprepared trap when pushing forward along the coastal road from Guernica. Without meeting with resistance they entered Bernie, the former headquarters for the evacuation of refugees. At Bcrme Carlist volunteers received reinforcements, only to find themselves encircled by Basque battalions and artillery.