FATE OF IRUN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22515, 4 September 1936, Page 11

FATE OF IRUN

REBELS' ONSLAUGHT FALL THOUGHT IMMINENT STUBBORNNESS OF DEFENCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright HENDAYE, Sept. '2 The fall of Irun is regarded as being imminent, though the defenders express their determination to fight to the last. It is feared that the massacre which followed the fall of Badajoz will be repeated when Irun is captured. Sea mists rolling inland suspended hostilities yesterday, causing a respite in the six days' battle, which resulted in 1600 combatants being killed and wounded. -

The lull enabled the rival forces to take their casualties to hospital and bury their dead in rough graves near where they fell. Fighting was resumed to-day, machine-guns and artillery exchanging bombardments. Tho rebels gained a strategic point on Unclia Hill and captured Mount Turiarte, the main bastion of the Irun defence, thus opening the way to the main road to San Sebastian.

A hurricane fire developed when General Mola ordered a general bombardment, to which the defenders, aided by an armoured train, desperately replied.

Rebels Within a Mile of Town

• The loyalists finally succeeded in repulsing tho strongest attack yet launched by the rebels, inflicting heavy losses. However, the rebels desperately counter-attacked late in the afternoon, engaging in hand-to-hand conflict loyalists in machine-gun nests on tho outskirts of tho Franco-Spanish frontier village of Behobia. Tho foremost of tho rebels advanced to within one mile of Irun. The attack was accompanied by the heaviest land and sea bombardment of the civil war. The defenders threatened to shoot 25 hostages for every non-com-batant killed. They did shoot five host-, ages in Fort Guadaloupo as a reprisal for yesterday's bombardment. Attack Resumed at Night

In spite of tho employment by their assailants of their entire resources in yesterday's attack on Irun, the positions surrounding it were virtually unchanged and internal damage was limited.

Heartened by to-day's successes, however, the rebels to-night resumed their desperate attack. In spito of strenuous resistance they captured Fort San Marcial, where the Carlist flag was hoisted. This is the most important point dominating Jrun. Desperate street fighting continues in Behobia, causing grave danger to the town on the French side of the river, where bullets are flying.