FURTHER GAINS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 9

FURTHER GAINS

SPANISH REBELS SANTANDER CAMPAIGN PRISONERS TOTAL 34,000 FRANCO THANKS IL DUOE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 29, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August Q8 Despatches from Santander, North Spain, state that the remaining Government commanders in the region of Santander surrendered without resistance.

The total number of prisoners now is 34,000. Three shiploadis of them are being despatched to Castro ur Diales to facilitate feeding them.

The capture of Laredo, a seaport 21 miles from Santander, with 5000 prisoners, is announced.

While Italian "Black Arrow" troops, after accepting the surrender of 11 Basque battalions, steadily advanced along the coast to Santona, accumulating additional prisoners, sanitary squads in Santander cleansed the filthy streets, flushing drains and burning accumulated garbage to avert a threatened outbreak of fever.

Loyalist fighting aeroplanes drove off rebel bombers after the latter had bombed Gijon, killing and injuring several people. General Franco has officially thanked Signor Mussolini for the Italians' assistance in the capture of Santander. The Italian casualties at Santander between August 14 and 23 are published as follows: —Sixteen officers and 325 men killed; 60 officers and 1616 men wounded.

General Franco made a speech in which he said: "Santander is liberated from the yoke of Moscow. Long live Spain, Germany and Italy!" A message from Rome says the press names 12 Italian generals, in addition to subordinate commanders, who are assisting the rebels on the Santander front.

The Marques di Aycimen/i, General Franco's" Charge d'Affaires at the Vatican, will present his credentials to the Pope to-day.