THRUST ON MADRID

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 11

THRUST ON MADRID

TEMPORARY CHECK REAL THREAT FROM WEST GENERAL FRANCO'S PLANS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, August 30 Despatches from Madrid state that the insurgents are still unable to advance toward the capital from the Guadarrama front, where . 30 rebels were killed and 60 wounded in an engagement at Barbatona. The bombing of Madrid apparently was the beginning of a large-scale rebel offensive from the south and from the west, the earlier objective being to relieve the besieged city of Toledo. I'he Madrid correspondent of the British United Press says the fate of the capital will be settled on the Estramadura front (to the west), from which the real rebel push will be made. The threat from Guadarrama is practically ended. General Franco's drive on Madrid from the Estramadura region has been attended by minor successes, including the capture of villages along the Tagus. His regular troops and Moors are supported by armoured cars, tanks and aeroplanes, also by columns which left Seville and Corboda for the north before Corboda was completely surrounded by Government forces, who already have assaulted it 11 times unsuccessfully. A loyalist battalion is leaving Madrid to opposo General Franco before he raises the siege of Toledo.

DIPLOMATS LEAVE AMERICAN AND GERMAN REMOVAL TO ALICANTE (Beceived August 31, 5.5 p.m.) MADRID, August 30 The members of the American and German Embassies have left Madrid for the port of Alicante, on the east coast of Spain.