PRISONERS’ STORIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 153, 31 May 1937, Page 8

PRISONERS’ STORIES

3.15 P.M. EDITION

HARDSHIPS IN SPAIN, KEPT IN FILTHY PRISON. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received May 31, 12.30 p.m. LONDON, May 30. The Bordeaux correspondent of the Times says : “Foreign ex-militiamen released by General Franco, totalling 45 and including 23 Englishmen, have entered France. One Englishman was captured at Talavera, where 540 of his battalion of 600 were killed.

A Frenchman captured in the Madrid fighting said: “I lay. for months in a filthy prison and was constantly maltreated. An officer entered every night and took out men to be shot and buried by a fatigue party. We were mustered in the prison yard a week ago while General Franco’s brother braggingly extolled Fascism and announced our early liberation. We did not believe him. because meu had been taken out and shot the same night as usual; but two days later we were crammed into cars and taken to Salamanca prison, where, with other captives, we were filmed and forced to say before the microphone that we had become Fascists and cheer for the rebel cause. Apparently we were liberated on instructions from the Italian Fascist Propaganda Committee.” Other accounts corroborate the Frenchman’s story.

WARSHIP BOMBED.

ANNOUNCED AS DEUTSCHLAND

Received Mav 31, 12.30 p.m. BERLIN, May 30.

The Navy Department announces that the Deutschland, not the Admiral Scheer, was bombed by Spanish Loyalist aeroplanes. Only two bombs struck - the vessel, but many were killed and wounded.

Herr Hitler is presiding at a Cabinet meeting at present considering the incident.

TWENTY-TWO DEAD

Received Mav 31, 12.30 p.m. GIBRALTAR, May 30

The Deutschland, with flag at halfmast, entered the Admiralty Harbour with 22 dead and 60 wounded. All British and foreign men-of-war in port flew their flags at lialf-mast in sympathy.

SAFETY OF NAVAL SHIPS;

DISCUSSION TO BE HELD.

(British Official Wireless.) Received May 31, 11.55 a.m. RUGBY, May 30. 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 the conflict and, therefore, the naval patrols are not entitled to use Spanish ports as bases. Such vessels, however* subject to complying with the usual formalities, may enter these ports as warships of friendly Powers. The activities of civil wav necessarily create risks for neutral shipping, but insurgent authorities have indicated safety zones in the principal Government ports. It, naturally, is expected that, with or without safety zones, the armed forces of both sides will take every precaution against damaging neutral shipping. A plenary session ot the International Committee will take place on Tuesday and it is anticipated that the committee will then be in a position to resume the discussion of the appeal to both sides in Spain for greater respect for humanitarian principles in the conduct of the war.. GERMANS IN FRANCE. Received May 31, 9.50 a.m. ST. JEAN DE LUZ, May 30. Herr Schulzeplanck and Herr Kienzle arrived aboard the French gunboat Audacieuse.

Earlier details appear on page 7,