BOMBING OF SHIPS

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1937, Page 9

BOMBING OF SHIPS

BY INSURGENTS Government’s Aragon Attack [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, August 11. The British' Government announces that General Franco’s naval commander admits that the planes which bombed the British Corporal were under insurgent control. Sir H. Chilton was instructed to lodge a protest at Salamonca regarding the bombing of the British Corporal. The insurgent naval authorities at Palma acknowledged a protest made by Rear Admiral Wells. General Franco’s reply suggests the presence of insurgent aircraft off Algiers last Friday will be denied in London. There is, however, no longer any doubt that the three aircraft concerned in the attack were engaged in the civil war against the Spanish Government, and in fact on the occasion of the protest, it. is understood the insurgent commander at Palma admitted the aircraft in question were under his orders. While therefore ready to believe the attack may have been due to a mistake, it may be assumed the British Government will not accept the reply on the lines predicted in the press messages referred to.

GOVERNMENT TANKER ATTACKED. LONDON, August 11. A plane bombed a Government destroyer convoying a tanker and two mechantmen to Valencia. It was driven off by a fighter from the shore. insurgent minelayer. FIRES ON BRITISH DESTROYER. LONDON, August 11. The insurgent minelayer Jupiter and the armed merchantmen Cuidad de Palma, fired on H.M.S. Foxhound off St. Jean De Luz. Three shells exploded close to the Foxhound but no idamage was done. The insurgents were battling with the Government destroyer Cisca, and may have fired in mistake. GOVERNMENT ATTACK. ON ARAGON FRONT. MADRID, August 11. The Government is harassing the insurgents from the air and on land on the Aragon—Teruel fronts, otherwise the situation is quiet. QUARRELS ON INSURGENT SIDE. MADRID, August 11. Thirty Spanish officers were arrested and five were shot as the result of attacks on Italo-German officers at Malaga. According to Government reports rebels are experiencing _ similar troubles between the Spanish and foreign contingents elsewhere. Several Italo-Germans are reported to have been shot. French Telegraphist CHARGED. WITH SPYING. FOR THE INSURGENTS. MARSEILLES, August 12. Adrien Sentenac, a telegraph employee, has been arrested on a charge of tapping official messages that were addressed to Valencia, from Algiers, via Marseilles, and of supplying the contents to General Franco. Sentenac avoided re-transmitting messages when possible, or else took a copy which he handed over to Franco’s spies. Missing telegrams aroused suspicions of the police, who raided Sentenac’s house, where a woman friend handed over a packet containing a coded Valencia telegram. Several telegrams announced steamer sailings, including the departure for Spain last month of three Government merchantmen, which were subsequently attacked by an unknown submarine. One was sunk.