AIR RAID

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22714, 28 April 1937, Page 11

AIR RAID

BASQUE CAPITAL TOWN IN RUINS APPALLING SCENES PANIC AMONG PEOPLE GREAT FIRE RAGING By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 2S, 12.35 a.m.l MADRID, April 'j.l The ancient Basque capital, Guernica, has been reduced to blazing ruins, hundreds of people being killed, by a three and a-half hours' air raid carried out by fighters and . bombers, the number of which was not counted. Hand grenades dropped from the first aeroplanes drove the panicstricken populace to bomb shelters and fields, where they were machinegunned from swooping fighters. The next wave of bombers dropped high explosive bombs. It is estimated that 1000 struck the town. After that incendiary bombs were dropped. Tin; casualties have not yet been counted, but the dead include 50 who were incinerated in one bomb shelter. , The barracks, which comprised the only military objective, also the Basque Parliament Building. miraculously escaped, but the remainder of the town is ablaze, including historic churches. Forlorn groups of people are searching in the wrecked streets for relatives. Salvage crews are almost helpless owing to the destruction. Homeless people are' evacuating the town and the roads are congested by streams of peasants with their possessions in bundles or piled on ox-carts. Rescue work is very dangerous owing to continual falls of masonry.

REBELS' ADVANCE DURANGO ENTERED. THE KEY TO BILBAO LONDON, April 26 General Mola's troops apparently are gaining impetus in their advance toward Bilbao. The Basques' resistance is breaking down and whole companies are surrendering. The total number of prisoners taken is reported to be 2000, in addition to enough war material to equip a division. The rebel advance guard entered Durango, the key to Bilbao, ■which is 16 miles away. They stormed with hand grenades and, bayonets houses in which a rearguard had been left to cover the loyalists' departure. The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph on the Bilbao front to-day reached Eibar on foot. After climbing a wrecked railway bridge blocking the road, lie saw a sight unparalleled since the destruction of Irun last year. Bursts of yellow vapour rose from where the last band of Syndicalists to i leave had chemically ignited the munition works. '< The fire spread until every house was alight, strewing the streets with blazing wreckage and broken machinery, while smoke belched from the aperture of a church wall, above a stone saint with its arm raised in a gesture of blessing. The loss of Eibar, where munitions were manufactured, will be serious to the Government. The daily bombing of Madrid by the insurgents continues. Fourteen people were killed and 22 wounded to-day. General Miaja has ordered reprisals, and war aeroplanes are bombing hostile batteries on the outskirts of the city. DEFEATED ITALIANS MENACE "IN REBEL AREAS ' TROOPS NOT REQUIRED LONDON, April '26

-« The Italian/ Fascist infantry which fled at Guadalajara is a potential menace to peace in insurgent territory, according to the special correspondent of the Sketch at Valladolid. No Spanish general will trust members of the body in the line since their defeat. From'lo,ooo to 20,000 men are billeted in cantonments over the countryside, and have no occupation. Nobody is taking any interest in tjiem, which is most destructive to their morale. Any little incident —for example, a quarrel between a drunken soldier and a civilian—might start terrible trouble, for the Italians have rifles, bayonets and- ammunition ready to hand. The correspondent's chief impression of the hundreds of miles of insurgent Spain through which he travelled is that of cleanliness and orderliness. The roads are heavily patrolled, but the atmosphere is strangely peaceful. Peasants are working peacefully in the fields.