FRANCO’S VICTORY

Evening Star, Issue 23177, 28 January 1939, Page 15

FRANCO’S VICTORY

LOYALIST ARMIES IN CATALONIA NO FURTHER RESISTANCE EXPECTED LACK OF GUNS AND FOOD Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright BARCELONA, January 27. (Received January 28, at 8 a.m.) No further serious resistance is expected from the loyalist armies in Catalonia owing to lack of guns and munitions and semi-starvation. INTENSIVE AIR RAIDS RUFUGEES MACHINE-GUNNED LONDON, January 27. (Received January 28, at 8 a.m.) Reuters’ Perpignan correspondent says the commandant of 3,000 international volunteers who fought for the Republicans asserts that while the volunteers were waiting to entrain for France at Cardedeu station, 23 miles north of Barcelona, Nationalist war planes bombed the town, killing and wounding 800. He adds that the majority of the volunteers were mostly Czec4is, Germans, Italians, and other anti-Fascists who aro unable to return to. tlieir own countries. Two hundred have married Spanish wives, who are accompanying them, and many of whom were casualties. The survivors fled towards' France. Refugees report intense Nationalist air raids on the small territory left to the Republicans in the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees, and allege that hundreds were killed in the refugee-packed streets of the town of Granollers, the Italian and German machine-gunning being especially intense on the coast road, along which refugees are streaming. VALENCIA AND MADRID UNLIKELY TO BE TAKEN BY ASSAULT. » LONDON, January 27. (Received January 28, at. 8 a.m.) The ‘ Daily Telegraph’s ’ Perpignan correspondent says that Valencia and Madrid are so well fortified that they are unlikely to be taken by assault, but there is a grave lack of arms and ammunition. CALM IN MADRID MADRID, January 27. (Received January 28, at 8 a.m.) The civil governor, Senor Osorio, declares that calm prevails and workers resumed after registering for mobilisation. Food reserves are available. The situation at Estremadura is unchanged. CZECH RECOGNITION SEVERANCE OF RELATIONS WITH REPDBLIGANS PRAGUE, January 27. (Received January 28, at 1 p.m.) It is officially announced that the Government is recognising General Franco and is breaking off relations with the republicans. “ A BRILLIANT VICTORY " BERLIN, January 27. (Received January 28, at 1 p.m.) Herr Hitler sent a telegram to General . Franco: “Congratulations upon your brilliant victory and the liberation of Barcelona. I hope your victory will soon bring peace to the Spanish people and begin a new era for National Spain.”