REDUCED TO RUINS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 28 April 1937, Page 5

REDUCED TO RUINS

ANCIENT BASQUE CAPITAL PROLONGED AIR RAID PANIC-STRICKEN. INHABITANTS SHOT DOWN CASUALTIES NOT YET ESTIMATED [United l’rcus Association— By Electric Telegraph— (topyright | LONDON, 27th April. Guernica, the ancient Basque capital, was reduced to blazing ruins. Hundreds of people were killed by a three and a half hours’ air raid carried out by fighters and bombers, the number whereof were not counted.

Hand grenades were dropped from the first planes, which drove the panicstricken populace to bomb shelters and fields, where they were machinegunned from the swooping fighters. The next wave of bombeis dropped high explosive bombs. It is estimated that a thousand struck the town, after which incendiary bombs were dropped. The casualties are not yet known. The dead include 50 incinerated in one bomb shelter. The barracks, which were the only military objective, also the Basque Parliament, miraculously escaped, but the remainder of the town is ablaze, including historic churches. Forlorn groups are searching the wrecked streets for relatives. Salvage crews are almost helpless owing to the destruction. Meanwhile the homeless are evacuating the towns. The roads are congested with streams of peasants with their possessions in bundles or piled on ox carts. Rescue work is dangerous owing to continual falls of masonry.