IN RETREAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22481, 27 July 1936, Page 9

IN RETREAT

SPANISH REBELS GOVERNMENT'S CLAIM NUMEROUS DESERTIONS TROOPS DRIVE NORTH " REVOLT DOMINATED " By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Keceived July 20, 0.55 p.m.) MADRID, July 25 The Spanish Government at 9.30 p.m. to-day announced: "The revolt now has been dominated." It is claimed that the rebels were fleeing from Cordova after executing civilian supporters of the Government.

The rebels still hold Saragossa, although they have sent out an urgent appeal for help. Government reinforcements are marching to Saragossa from Barcelona, which is returning to normality. Correspondents who are accompanying the Government forces report that the troops are driving the rebels northward and now are within sight of Aranda, with the enemy in full retreat. Also, they defeated the rebels at Burgos and Logrono, and captured hundreds of them.

A Government column is operating from Avila against Segovia, which is menaced from two directions. Moreover, Government troops are advancing on Vittoria.

Airmen bombed a party of rebels in an aerodrome at Hubesea. The Government claims that there have been numerous desertions from the rebels and that the enemy on fleeing has abandoned artillery, machine-guns, rifles and ammunition.

The Seville radio station is silent and the rebel supporters regard this as a bad sign. A Government decree states that Spanish Morocco and its territorial waters are in the war zone.

It is officially announced that loyalists stormed San Sebastian and overpowered the last of the rebels after stiff resistance. All is now quiet. British destroyers are standing by.

CARNAGE AND HORROR CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN REFUGEES' EXPERIENCES (Received July 26. 0.55 p.m.) PARIS, July 25 Three British warships arrived at Marseilles yesterday with 150 refugees. These relate terrible stories of carnage and horror. The refugees include Mrs. Ruby Beach, a cousin of the author Rex Beach. She landed from an American steamer. She says that during the fighting women continually incited men to exterminate their opponents and not to take prisoners. Mrs. Beach says she saw rebels burn a church, kill a priest, sever his arms and legs and hang his body from a statue of the Virgin. French newspapers sny that guerilla warfare continues in the San Sebastian region. L'lntransigeant says an English woman refugee arrived at St. Jcandeluz from San Sebastian and became insane after seeing her 12-ycar-okl son shot because he refused to say whether Fascists were hiding in a hotel. British refugees at Marseilles from Barcelona say the authorities issued (30,000 rifles to the loyal populace and overvone began firing at everyone else. Government troops pressed rifles, bayonets and 200 rounds of cartridges upon three Britons and forded them to fire on rebels from barricades. Only the defective tactics of the rebels saved the Britons' lives.

ITALY INCENSED CONSULATE BURNED PROTEST SENT TO SPAIN (Received July 26, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 25 Admiral Horton states that the commander of the British cruiser London is reported to have drawn alongside the Italian cruiser Montecuccoli when she was on tho point of firing on Barcelona and persuaded her commander to desist. The Italians are incensed at tho attacks on Fascist clubs. Also Italy has strongly protested to tho Spanish Government against the burning of the Italian Consulate at Barcelona.

FIRE EXCHANGED WARSHIPS AND FORTS WATCHERS AT GIBRALTAR (Received July 2(>, 5.5 p.m.) GIBRALTAR, July 25 People at Europa Point to-day witnessed a spectacular duel between a Spanish warship and the forts at Ceuta. At the same time the onlookers watched airmen bomb Algeciras. Warships which bombarded Ceuta were troubled by poor visibility and the gunners in the forts were similarly affected in replying, but the bows of tlio Jaime Primero were damaged. Crowds of people saw a Spanish Government aeroplane hit by anti-aircralt fire and crash into the sea. While tho Spanish warships were shelling shiploads of Moorish troops who were landing in tho neighbourhood of La Lmea and Algeciras, three shells 101 l on the southern end of Gibraltar. The Spanish firing also endangered ships using the Straits. Accordingly the British destroyer Beagle went out on patrol. Tho British authorities, fearing an epidemic, have ordered /000 Spanish refugees to evacuate their camps near the frontier. The Spanish Fleet has left Tangier in response to international protests. RESCUERS KILLED BRITON AND SPANIARD MADRID. July *1 A British chauffeur and a Spanish clerk at the American Embassy were killed on Wednesday while attempting to rescue tho manager of the Ford motor company.