Barcelona is Franco’s Temporary Capital

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1939, Page 5

Barcelona is Franco’s Temporary Capital

Nationalist Troops March in Without Further Resistance

(Received 1.15 p.m.) / 1 LONDON, January 26. RATIONALISTS ARE MAKING BARCELONA THEIR TEMPORARY ' CAPITAL. GENERAL FRANCO’S TROOPS. HEADED BY THE NAVARRESE DIVISION, WITH THEIR COLOURS FLYING AND BANDS PLAYING, MARCHED INTO THE CITY. On reaching the heart of Barcelona, the troops occupied public buildings while thousands of citizens, emerging f rom their refuges, cheered the soldiers. j \ ■ . The Rebels first occupied Mount T ibidabo and the hill fort of Montjuich, overlooking the city, after which armoured cars and Navarrese and Moorish divisions moved towards the city by seven routes accompanied by small detachments of the Green Arrow and B 1 ack Arrow divisions, including Italians. It is estimated that 50,000 citizens swarmed the streets to welcome the conquerors. , ? /, . ' • 1 ">■' General Franco’s colours fluttered from almost every window. “JUSTICE AND BREAD FOR ALL ’ Behind the troops followed great convoys of food for the populace. The convoys carried banners announcing: “Franco’s justice brings bread for all.” EXULTANT CHANTS Rebel Spain celebrated Barcelona’s fall with a stoppage of work, peals of bells and exultant chants in the belief that the end of the war is visible. Rebel warships arrived in Barcelona harbour bedecked with the Rebel colours. General Franco, whose vanguard is now approaching Badalona, has ordered the compulsory adoption of the Falangist uniform, including blue shirts and red berets. THE CITY WAS SURRENDERED WITHOUT FIGHTING ALTHOUGH A FEW HOURS PREVIOUSLY THE REPUBLICAN RADIO STATION HAD BROADCAST THAT THE DEFENDERS WOULD RESIST TO THE LAST. An earlier message stated; General Franco’s latest communique claims that at 2 a.m. to-day his troops had almost surrounded the city of Barcelona. To the north they were six miles awaj r , to the west, 3£ miles, and to the south they had only a few hundred yards to go. Deserters had previous reported that no serious resistance was likely as the city was unprepared for a siege, and. that the defenders consisted of a force only sufficient to cover the retreat of the main body. The Rebels have captured Sabadell and Tarrasa, and are approaching Granollers, en route to Gerona, whore indescribable congestion prevails*.