COMMUNIST REVOLT

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1939, Page 7

COMMUNIST REVOLT

AT MADRID End of it Reported [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l 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. The Communists’ most spectacular loss was the 17-storey telephone exchange, 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 settled in favour of General Miaja, engaged all the available vfcapons of both sides and transformed the street into a shambles with tierce hand-to-hand bayonet and hand-grenade encounters. For a long time the citizens remained in cellars unable to join the food queues, and frenzied radio appeals, and aeroplanes skimming over the roofs dropping pamphlets. vainly urged the Communists to yield. Minor conflicts continued in the villages of Hortaleza, Chamartin. and Camillas north-north-east, of the capital. Lorries are now distributing provisions. The tram service has been resumed. A few Communist posts in the Guadarama Mountains are expected shortly to be subdued. General Franco’s troops, who are entrenched on the opposite side oi Madrid to Canallejas Barajas, wherw the Republicans were bombing redoubts, are fortunately inactive, apparently awaiting the outcome of the internecine struggle which is playing into their hands. A Perpignan message states that 25,000 militiamen are shortly beiwg repatriated to Spain from the Argeles concentration camp, via Hendaye,