WAR COMBATANTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22657, 19 February 1937, Page 9

WAR COMBATANTS

MANY FOREIGNERS ITALIANS PREDOMINATE 50,000 NOW IN SPAIN ' GERMANY'S MINOR PART 3 3 By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright 3 Times Cable LONDON, Feb. 17 3 The diplomatic correspondent of the Times says it is widely assumed ; that the foreign Governments which are supporting General Franco be- » lieve they will have supplied him t with sufficient aid by the time nonintervention is enforced to enable a iiim to successfully finish the i' campaign. ' The inflow of volunteers, especially of L Italians, has been very rapid in the ' past few weeks. The total number of Italians has risen from 10,000 to 50,000, says the correspondent. 2 The Manchester Guardian's diplo--1 matic correspondent agrees that 50,000 3 Italians and ample supplies of war k material are in Spain at present. He " says the despatch of Russian war material to the loyalists is declining. ' French volunteering is at a standstill, while thousands who have been dis-. 3 illusioned aro clamouring to be repatriated. The campaign has become mainly an ' Italian war against the diminishing "loyalists. Germany now is playing a minor part ' in the conflict. It is reported that she " does not desire to leave considerable forces in Spain when they may be needed in Central Europe in the near future. i > REVERSE FOR REBELS ATTACKED IN TRENCHES FORCED TO WITHDRAW MADRID, Feb. 17 The commander of the loyalists' forces, General Miaja, launched a powerful offensive in the Jarama River sector to-day. Twenty-two bombing aeroplanes escorted by a squadron of chasers machine-gunned the rebels' trenches, after which infantry advanced under the protection of tanks and machine-guns, compelling the withdrawal of the rebels after three hours of fierce fighting. IRISH VOLUNTEERS BILL TO PROHIBIT (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) | DUBLIN, Feb. 17 The President of the Executive of the Irish Free State, Mr. do Valera, to-day secured the first reading in the Dail of a bill to prohibit men of the Free State from participating in the Spanish war. He emphasised the urgency of the measure. MADRID BOMBED ELEVEN PEOPLE KILLED (Received February 18, 11.15 p.m.) MADRID, Feb. 18 Insurgent airmen bombed Madrid three times last night. Eleven people were killed and 70 were injured. CRUISER IN COLLISION GIBRALTAR, Feb. 17 The rebel cruiser Canarias collided with the Greek merchantman Eleni today and both were damaged.