WAR IN SNOW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 13

WAR IN SNOW

SPANISH CONFLICT ATTACKS BY NIGHT LOYALISTS' SUCCESS THE TERUEL SECTOR FROZEN BATTLEFIELD By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received December 20, 0.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 20 A message from Barcelona says the loyalists launched night attacks against Teruel from the east, west and north, while powerful searchlights lit the frozen battlefield. The attackers occupied houses in the suburbs and took an "enormous'' number of prisoners. As a reprisal the insurgents heavily bombed Barcelona from the air. Two hospitals were hit. There were many victims. An earlier message said that the Spanish Government forces claimed to have completely surrounded Teruel and to have issued an ultimatum to the civilian population to leave immediately. Thev also demanded that the rebel combatants should lay down their arms.

Prior loyalist successes included the occupation of the key fortress of Lamuela, the garrison of which abandoned it, half of them fleeing to Ternel. The remainder were annihilated. Despatches from Salamanca, however, said the rebels claimed recovery of the initiative on the Teruel front. They asserted that their aeroplanes inflicted heavy losses. The battle was fought in a temperature 10 degrees below zero and amid a raging snowstorm. An official communique issued by the rebels announces that the fighting resulted in the repulse of the loyalists with heavy losses south of the city. The rebels captured and set fire to five tanks in the Campillo and Canjul sectors. They took many prisoners, and shot down 10 aeroplanes. The Valencia correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the loyalists' success at Teruel has upset General Franco's plans for a large-scale offensive.

MADRID SHELLED

14 CHILDREN KILLED LONDON. Dec. 19 A message from Madrid says that an insurgent shell killed 14 children and three old men in the street, and injured 32 people.