SPANIARDS BOMB WARSHIPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1937, Page 7

SPANIARDS BOMB WARSHIPS

ITALIAN AND GERMAN

MANY KILLED & WOUNDED [BY CABLE—-PRESS ASSN. COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, May 28. The task of the Non-Intervention Committee was further complicated topight. The. Italian Ambassador (Signor Grandi) reported that the Italian .warship “Barletta,” which was acting as a patrol vessel to prevent the importation of war materials into Spain, was bombed by a Government aeroplane in Palma harbour, resulting in six officers being killed and others, including the captain, wounded. Signor Grandi added that British warships in the vicinity, were able to witness the bombing.

A GERMAN WARNING.

BERLIN, May 30.

A German official communique warns Spanish Government ’planes not to attack in the vicinity of German ships. ,It adds: “Only the restraint of the German commanders will prevent the guns from going off.”

DEFIANT REPLY (Recd. May 31, 10.30 a.m.). VALENCIA, May 30. The German Admiral, Von Feschel, commanding in the Mediterranean, wirelessed fo the Spanish Government asking a cessation of aeroplane flights, as if intending to attack German warships, which were acting in compliance with the duties of control, and warning that in the event of a recurrence, corresponding countermeasures will be taken.

Senor Prieto, Minister of Defence, replied denying that the planes made aggressive flights, adding that the warships occupied in control duties were perfectly safe if at the distance fixed by the Non-Intervention Committee, but this guarantee cannot be offered ii ships anchor imprudently, or without justification, in zones or ports which are notorious centres of rebel activity, against which the Spanish Government will not restrain action.

SHIP OPENS FIRE ?

(Recd. May 31, 11 a.m.) VALENCIA, May 30.

While two Government aeroplanes were making a reconnaissance flight over the Balearic Islands, a warship reported to be the German battleship Admiral Scheer, stationed in Ibiza Harbour, opened fire without provocation, whereon the planes dropped twelve bombs, four scoring hits. It is pointed’ out that if the warship was really the Admiral Scheer, her presence was a contravention of the control scheme under which control ships must remain ten miles from the coast. Moreover, the control of the Island of Ibiza rests with the French Navy, so the German warship had no business there under any circumstances.

20 KILLED—6O INJURED. (Received May 31, 1.30 p.m.) BERLIN, May 30. The Navy Department announces that it was the Deutschland, not the Admiral Scheer, that was bombed by Spanish loyalist aeroplanes. Only two bombs struck the vessel, but many were killed and wounded. Hitler is presiding at a Cabinet meeting at present considering the incident.

NAVAL SYMPATHY.

GIBRALTAR, May 30.

The “Deutschland,” with flag at half mast, entered the Admiralty Harbour, with twenty dead, and sixty wounded. All British and foreign men of war in port flew flags at half mast in sympathy. LATER. The injured were admitted to the hospital. The services of all available doctors were requisitioned. All the victims are naval ratings. No officers were killed or wounded.

GERMAN VERSION.

“PROPER ANSWER” PROMISED. (Received May 31, § p.m.) BERLIN, May 30. A German wireless broadcasts the Deutschland’s casualties as: twenty dead and seventy-three wounded. Cabinet met after Hitler conferred at Munich with Baron Von Neurath and Admiral Raeder, Naval Com-mander-in-Chief, all three then flying to Berlin. Marshal Blomberg and General Goering were present.

The following communique was subsequently issuled: “Following the recent incident, when a red aeroplane bombed English, German and Italian ships in the harbour of Majorca, killing six Italian officers, German vessels were forbidden to call there. The Deutschland belongs to the international naval control forces. Nevertheless it was suddenly bombed between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday. The ship was stationary in Ibiza harbour. , . . "The crew were unprotected in tlie forecastle, inasmuch as the ship was not; readv for action. A bomb fell in the middle of their quarters. A second hit the quarter-deck, causing minor damage. The ship completely’ retained its fighting and navigable ability, and went to Gibraltar in order to disembark the injured. She did not fire a single shot at the aeroplanes. “This fresh criminal attack, alter the Valencia Government, was twice warned, compels Germany to take measures which will be communicated to the Non-intervention Committee. The incident is scarcely credible. Germany knows how to give a proper answer to this unheard of provocation by tlie Spanish criminals.”

NAVAL VESSELS’ SAFETY (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, May 29. The chairman’s sub-committee of the Non-Intervention Committee, will meet. on Monday, when it is understood, consideration will be given to possible measures for ensuring the safety’ of naval vessels of the participating powers engaged in patrol duties, under the control scheme. The observation scheme is not recognised by the parties to tlie conflict and therefore naval patrols

are not entitled to use Spanish ports as bases. Such vessels, however, subject to complying with the usual formalities, enter these ports as warships of a friendly power. Activities of civil war necessarily create, risks for neutral shipping, but insurgent authorities indicated the safety zones, in the principal government ports. It is naturally expected, with or without safety zones, that armed forces of both sides' will take every precaution against damaging neutral shipping. A plenary session of the International Committee will take place on Tuesday, and it is anticipated the committee will then be in a position to resume discussion of the appeal to both sides in Spain for greater respect lor humanitarian principles in the conduct of the civil war.

BA RCELONA BOM BE D. BARCELONA, May 30. Seventy-one persons were killed and 100 injured in an insurgent air raid which lasted half an hour. Six insurgent aeroplanes circled at. a great height. Thirty of those who were killed were in two houses. Many buildings were shattered. The aeroplanes later • extensivelybombed Santa Barbara, killing 60 and wounding 50. They then returned to Barcelona, and attacked the workingclass district.