TERUEL FIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1938, Page 9

TERUEL FIGHTING

ADVANCE BY REBELS

ENORMOUS LOSSES

(United Press Ass6clatlon —By ElectrlO Tel«BT»Dti—Copyright.)

(Received January 22, 11.40 a.m.)

BARCELONA, January 21.

The .heaviest fighting yet experienced on the Teruel front is admitted by the Government, which points out that the insurgents are striving to retake Teruel. In the past month they have accumulated more forces arid war material than have hitherto been concentrated on any front. Over a hundred planes participated in an air battle yesterday. The official statement admits that the rebels have advanced, but at the cost of enormous lossss. Shortly before dawn anti-aircraft guns at Barcelona sent up an intensive barrage to keep off raiders, who were forced to fly high and succeeded in dropping only a few bombs on the outskirts of the city. THE THORPENESS CASUALTIES. The British steamer Thorpeness, which iVas damaged in the bombing of Tarragona, was not directly hit, but several bombs exploded round the ship, shattering the bridge and damaging the engine-room. All the crew were British. The skipper (Captain Roberts) was not hurt " The Thorpeness was discharging coal at the time of the raid. It is now established that seven of the crew were killed and seven others admitted to hospital, two in a serious condition. Nationalists allege that the American 'oil-tanker Nantucket Chief, captured by rebel warships off Barcelona and taken to Majorca, was. carrying Russian oil for the Government forces. Her crew of 35 are all American citizens. i i LONDON, January 21. A message from, Teruel says that the rebels claim to-have moved^ eastward of yesterday's captured positions to the river Alfambra. They are occupying a wedge north of Teruel and are taking many prisoners.