Barcelona Being Evacuated as Last Defences Crumble

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1939, Page 7

Barcelona Being Evacuated as Last Defences Crumble

(Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, January 24. THE CRASHING OF BOMBS, THE ROAR OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS AND THE BOOM OF GENERAL FRANCO’S BIG GUNS, BARCELONA TODAY BEGAN FEVERISHLY TO PACK UP. The Government and the army are determined to hold on to the last, but tens of thousands are fleeing. Machinery has been stripped from factories and the whole apparatus of the Central and Catalan Administrations has been carted off. j The road to Gerona is jammed with vehicles of all descriptions. Gerona, which normally has 25,000 inhabitants, received 20,000 refugees last week, and yet new crowds are pouring in. Officials are vainly searching for q uarters in which to instal the Government departments, which are being driven further north to Figuera. Some departments came originally from Madrid to Valencia, and thence to Barcelona, and are now on the road again after travelling 600 miles in two years. Reports persist that the Loyalist G ovemrnent has left Barcelona. Its destination is unknown, but it is understood to be Mi'afja, which is on the way to Barcelona from Madrid. The people of Barcelona find it incredible that the battlefront that was 100 miles away last month is now visible from the city.

Madrid could be defended because there was at least one gun to five Insurgent guns, but in Barcelona there is probably not one to 20, while it is obvious that shallow trenches, hastily dug, are no use against massed batteries of artillery and fleets of bombers. Moors Ten Miles From City, It is officially stated in Burgos that the'•Rebels have captured the entire Llobregat Jfne—Barcelona’s last, defence.

Moors are 10 miles from the city gates and a terrific aerial bombardment is heralding the impending fall of the capital. The Rebels have been sighted from Barcelona, advancing swiftly on all sectors, and the city is under direct artillery fire.

General Franco’s forces have crossed the Llobregat aerodrome, and reached a point one mile from Barcelona’s suburbs.

The advance was made by the Moroccan forces which have been moving along the coast road. Rebel batteries tonight were pounding Barcelona ports. Over 2000 prisoners were taken by midday. > Almost Unopposed. Simultaneously with the advance of the Moroccans, the 4th division of the Navarrese crossed the Llobregat Line near Martorell, south of Manresa.; The advance continued practically unopposed on all sectors. Manresa has been occupied and Gava is completely surrounded by troops. Only three miles from the aerodrome over 100 Loyalists were killed in air raids. The destroyer Greyhound has taken off the women members of the British staff, while the cruiser Devonshire is still standing by to pick up members of the consulate. The French embassy is moving out.