TOWN TAKEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 11

TOWN TAKEN

SPANISH REBELS COMBINED OFFENSIVE 20,000 TEOOPS ATTACK ) ' 'ONE-FOURTII ITALIANS AID FEO3I ATR AND' SEA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January 15, 5.5 p.m.) LOXDOX. Jan. 14 In spite of a communique issued by tho Spanish Government at .Valencia .declaring that a landing at Estopnna by the rebels was repulsed, the rebel authorities announce the capture of that town after fighting which lasted all day from V.30 a.m.

The rebels were commanded by General Dellano, who was aided by 31 aeroplanes, two cruisers, smaller warships and 20,000 troops, comprising 5000 Italians, 5000 Spaniards and 10,000 Moors. The combined air, land and sea offensive at Estepona was preparatory to an attack on Malaga, 50 miles distant.

Esteponrf is a strategic point on the La Linea-Malaga road. It had resisted nil previous attacks and had been a formidable obstacle to earlier advances toward Malaga.

The thunder of guns and exploding bombs was heard all day at Gibraltar, from where 15 bombers, including 10 Junkers, were visible flying eastward.

On returning to the Los Barrios Aerodrome, outside Algeeiras to reload, the airmen reported that 12 tons of bombs had been dropped on Estepona while the two cruisers bombarded the town. Malaga also was bombed from the air.

It is rumoured that an insurgent cavalry force is advancing from Estepona and approaching Marbella, about 15 miles to the north-east toward Malaga.

LA LINEA BOMBED REPRISAL BY LOYALISTS VESSEL IN DANGER ZONE (Received January 15, 10.55 p.m.) CASABLANCA, Jan. 14 Twelve Government aeroplanes« are reported to have bombed La Linea as a reprisal for the bombing of Malaga. t)ne bomb fell near a Dutch cargo vessel, killing two dock labourers. BATTLE FOR MADRID PLIGHT OF CIVILIANS FURTHER HOSTILITIES Times Cable LONDON, Jan. 14 The Madrid correspondent of the Times says the outcome of the first phase of the battle for Madrid, which bad weather has temporarily halted, has not been favourable to tho Government troops. The evacuation of the civil population continues. Most of tho 250,000 who have already departed, are people of independent means. Those remaining are poor, or people of most modest incomes, and many have relatives fighting with the rebels. Tho shortage of schools now is worse than ever, arid millions of children havo not been taught for seven months. Tho loyalists advanced to-day on University City, the scene of bitter fighting for two months, capturing the clinical hospital and tho administration building, a portion of which was blown up before the insurgents were dislodged. Government troops encountered a rebel mine and suffered severe losses. At Bayona,_the Government executed 207 hostages as a reprisal for the recent bombing of Bilbao.

GOLD RESERVES SPANISH PROTEST DISCUSSION NOT WANTED LONDON, Jan. 14 The Spanish Government has lodged a protest with the British Foreign Office against the raising of the subject of Spanish gold at a meeting of the Xon-Intervention Committee. Italy had previously urged that the Spanish Government should not bo allowed to draw on the gold reserves of Spain.