GERMANS RESPONSIBLE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 April 1937, Page 5

GERMANS RESPONSIBLE.

DESTRUCTION OF GUERNICA. FRANCO'S DENIAL CAUSES NO ' SURPRISE JOURNALIST SHELTERS FROM GERMAN PLANES •>>y Telegraph-Press Assn.-Ccpyright) Received Thursday, Midnight. LONDON, April 29. The Times' Bilbao correspondent at Eilbao says: "General Franco's denial of knowledge of the destruction of Guernica has not created astonishment here as a similar but less terrible bombing at Durango was denied by the insurgents in the presence of British eyewitnesses. 1 have spoken to hundreds of homeless and distressed and all give precisely the same description of events. '' I have seen and measured enormous bomb holes in Guernica, which, as I passed through the town -on the previous day, I can testify were not there before. "Moreover, unexploded German aluminium incendiary bombs were .found marked 'Rheindorf factory, 1936.' The Types of German aeroplanes were: Junker heavy bombers, Heinkel medium bombers and Heinkel chasers. "I myself, while sheltering in a bomb hole, was machinegunned by six of the returning chasers. "According to the statements of German pilots captured at Orchandiano at the beginning of the insurgent offensive in April the German planes are manned entirely by German pilots. Nearly all the crews of the German planes left Germany in February." LOYALISTS BLAMED. SPRINKLED PETROL ON BUILDINGS. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, April 29. A message from Hendaye says that the insurgents assert that the destruction of Guernica was clue to loyalists before ' the evaeution, spraying petrol •on the buildings of the principal neighbouring streets, which were chiefly of wood, thus a few incendiary shells were sufficient to turn the town into ,an inferno. Mines were also exploded. DESTRUCTION OF GUERNICA STIFFENS LOYALIST MORALE. Received Friday, 1.30 a.m. BILBAO, April 29.

The loyalists are retreating from Durango to prepared defences. They are showing greater steadiness than in the previous four days when their morale was shaky. The improvement is attributed to the effect on them on the destruction of Guernica. A GERMAN DENIAL Eeeeived Thursday, 9.50 p.m. BEKLIN, April 29. It is officially denied that German aeroplanes bombed Guernica. REFUGEES TO BE EVACUATED FROM BILBAO. Eeeeived Thursday, 9.30 p.m. LONDON", April 29. Despairing- appeals to Britain and France to assist the refugees from Bilbao were quickly answered. It was .announced after a private meeting of members of the Commons that a nation ■wide appeal for funds would be launched and it is hoped to begin the evacuation in two days. A spokesman said the Foreign Office would fully approve and tihis is interpreted to mean that the Navy would assist. Senor Picavea, representative of the Basque Government in Paris, interviewed M. Delbos, after which he said 'there were enough sihips at Bilbao to evacuate the refugees who want France and Britain to protect the ships against the rebels. GERMANY WANTS BILBAO'S IRON MINES. ALLEGATIONS BY BASQUE MINISTER. Received Thursday, Midnight. PARIS, April 2S. Santiago Anzar, Basque Minister of Oommerce, declares: "We are now involved in a direct struggle with Germany for Bilbao's steel factories and iron mines of which Germany has hopes of possession without destruction, thus aiming at forcing evacuation." FOUR FOOD SHIPS LEAVE FOR BILBAO Received Thursday, 9.50 p.m. ST. JEAN DE LUZ, April 29. Hscorted by .the British cruiser Shropshire four British cargo steamers, ihe Marvia, Thorpe Hall, Sheaffield and Pertelet, left for Bilbao.

IRISH BRIGADE LEAVES REBEL RANKS. Received Friday, 1.30 a.m. LONDON, April 29. General O'Duffy's Irish Brigade will shortly be going home from Spain owing to the Free State non-interven-tion legislation preventing the iilling and replacing of casualties and the men

who enlisted for six months or the duration of the war whichever was shorter. SAFE ARRIVAL Received Thursday, Midnight BILBAO, April 29. The Thorpe Hall, Sheaffield, Portelet and Marvia have arrived. The British foodsihip Backworth also arrived without incident. She was accompanied to the three-mile limit by a British destroyer.