War in the Air

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 5

War in the Air

Spanish Conflict

MOLA'S FATAL CRASH United Press Association—By Electric Telearaph.— Copyright. * LONDON, June 3. The representative of the British United Press Agency at Segovia states that fifteen Government aeroplanes were shot down in the biggest air battle of the civil war. The fighting occurred at & great height over the La Granja front. None of the insurgent chasers were lost. A report from Bilbao states that the insurgent-radio stations at Salamanca and Vittoria announce that thfe rebe. General Mola, and also his aido-de-

camp, two pilots and two staff officers were killed when a plane crashed on the side of a mountain while reconnoitring the Basque front. An ironic aspect of General Mola’s death was that he crashed an hour before a clearing of the clouds which he had been awaiting for weeks in order to ,launch an intensive air attack on the last line of the Bilbao defences.

SHIP AT BARCELONA NOT TORPEDOED REBEL ANNOUNCEMENT LONDON, June 3. A report from Hendaye states that the insurgent headquarters announce that the steamer Ciudad de Barcelona, which was reported to have been torpedoed by a submarine of unknown nationality near Barcelona on May 30, was mined. They also allege that the passengers comprised 385 members of the international brigade who had evrnlcd the international control at Marseilles. ITALIANS VOLUNTEERS WOUNDED RETURN HOME ROME, June 3. It is officially announced that 500 Italian volunteers who were wounded in recent battles on the Madrid front have arrived at Naples. A second list of Italians killed at Malaga contains 27 names. DISCUSSIONS CONFIRMED BERLIN, June 3. Official quarters confirm discussions between London, Berlin, Paris and Rome aiming at effective safeguards for international control of vessels in Spanish waters. The cruiser Koln is going to Spain. BASQUES HEARTENED AT GENERAL MOLA’S DEATH INSURGENTS DRIVEN BACK Received Friday, 7 p.m. SALAMANCA, June 4. General Davila will succeed General Mola. A message from Bilbao says that the Basques, heartened at General Mola's death, launched an immediate attack and scored their biggest success for many weeks. They drove the invaders back five miles, and are reported to have captured most of the territory won by the insurgents in recent weeks PREVENTION OF FUTURE INCIDENTS BRITISH PROPOSALS SENT TO POWERS Received Friday, 7.45 p.m. LONDON, June 4. The Times' diplomatic correspondent days that the British proposals, which have been communicated to France, Germany and Italy, provide for:— Firstly: An extended system of safety zones in Spanish waters, which the Spanish contending forces would be pledged strictly to observe. Secondly: Immediate consultation between England, France, Germany and Italy in the event of future attack upon any of them, based ou the principle of the four fleets performing a common international duty, which in- \ csts them with common responsibility. Senor Del Vayo conferred with MM. Blum and Delbos and gave the fullost assurance to prevent incidents likely to produce further international tension. He also pleaded strongly for the withdrawal of volunteers from Spain as the only means of shortening the struggle. The Berlin correspondent of the Times says that the German Government, having settled the reprisals question, is willing to find a solution enabling it to rejoin the international control. The British treatment of the . Deutschland *s wounded, including the dispatch of nurses by air, has been greatly appreciated. A Gibraltar message states that two more members of the Deutschland’s complement died. Owing lo shortage of supplies, th* milk distribution to schools in Dunedin has been discontinued. It is hoped Id -esume it after next week.—Press Assn,