FIERCE FIGHTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1939, Page 7

FIERCE FIGHTING

COMMUNISTS IN MADRID STREET A'SHAMBLES [by CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] MADRID, March 12. In spite of the Republican claim that the Communists have surrendered, violent fighting continues. Bitter fighting raged in the fashionable northeastern quarter of Madrid. The entrances of the underground railway were the scenes of savage conflicts. ' The Communists are machine-gun-ning the streets, where a mass movement of troops is impossible. The Republicans attacked the office of the newspaper “A.8.C.” in the hope of dislodging the Communists, who I captured the secret police headquarters and repeatedly assailed the Princess Hospital. Civilians are starving.. Many of them were shot on the outskirt in attempting'to escape. Republican artillery bombarded the Communist headquarters, which vainly called tanks by telephone. The defenders yielded after an hour’s fighting. The Republicans then recaptured the SalamaiTcfi fitfarter; and recovered a trench in the scarred northeastern districts. A message sent on Saturday stated

that the Republicans, with mortars and I heavier guns, were attacking the Communist positions. Fierce fighting continued. From Valencia it was reported that the dreaded Communist secret police had been dissolved and their leaders arrested. It was reported from Alicante that the Communist members of the Town Council had been dismissed. General Franco’s troops, who are entrenched on the opposite side of the city to Canallejas Barajas, where the Republican’s are bombing redoubts, are fortunately inactive, apparently awaiting the outcome of the internecine struggle which is playing into their hands.

The Communists’ most spectacular loss was the 17-storey telephone change, which has figured in many' accounts of the bombardments of Madrid and was further damaged in the latest encounters.

The conflict in the Plaza de Manuel Becerra, which was supposedly settled in favour of General Miaja, engaged all the available weapons of both sides and transformed the street into a shambles with fierce hand-to-hand bayonet and hdnd-grenade encounters. Meanwhile the citizens remain in cellars unable to -join the food queues, and frenzied radio appeals, and aeroplanes skimming over the roofs dropping pamphlets, vainly urge the Communists to yield. Minor conflicts continue in the villages of Hortaleza, Charmartin, and Camillas north-north-east of the capital.

The result is slowly swaying in favour of the Republicans.

MIAJA CLAIMS SUCCESS.

(Received March 13, 1 p.m.) MADRID, March 12. General Miaja claims that the Communist revolt has ended, and that hundreds of prisoners have been liberated. The Republicans cleared Madrid’s eastern boundaries, and recaptured Chamartin and El Pardo. Lorries are distributing provisions. The tram service has been resumed.A few Communist posts in the Guadarama Mountains are expected shortly to be subdued. A Perpignan message states that 25,000 militiamen are shortly being repatriated to Spain from the Argeles concentration camp, via Hendaye. MINE-SWEEPER DISARMED ALGIERS, March 12. The Nationalist battleship Jaime Primeiro, has disarmed the Benisaf, a Republican mine-sweeper, and also an armed tanker. The battleship’s men also disarmed Oran refugees who were aboard, except some who escaped. The refugees were transferred to the steamer Tramontana in the outer harbour.BRITISH FOOD-SHIP. LONDON, March 11. The Admiralty announces the sending of the destroyers Intrepid and Impulsive to intercept the British food ship Stangate, which was reported to have been arrested by a Nationalist warship 23 miles north of Cape San Antonio and was being taken to Palma." Following the warning of the Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax), it is learned reliably that Burgos has been officially informed that Britain reserves the right to take any necessary action in the event of damage to British ships.

MIAJA’S SON RELEASED. HENDAYE, March 10. General Franco has released General Miaja’s son after 12 months’ eJetention as a hostage, and has permitted him to rejoin his father in Madrid He is being exchanged for the son of the late General Primo de Rivera.