SEA BATTLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22946, 26 January 1938, Page 11

SEA BATTLES

SPANISH COAST REBEL WARSHIPS ATTACK BY AIRMEN FORCED TO RETREAT SMOKE-SCREENS USED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received January 25, 5.5 p.m.) BARCELONA, JAN. 24 A communique states that Gov eminent warplanes, from which 14 bombs were dropped, drove off the insurgent cruisers Canarias and Almirante Cervera, which were at tacking Portbou on the extreme north-east coast. The warships engaged the aircraft, but finally, after half an hour, retreated under cover of a smoke-screen.

Insurgent airmen twice bombed Reus, killing 22 people and wounding 30. During a sea tight oif Valencia ou Sunday, which ended indeterminately, the French destroyer La Poursuivant was moved to Corbera in order to protect the .French frontier.

Loj'alist and rebel airmen were fighting overhead and two rebel bombs narrowly missed the destroyer, which retaliated indiscriminately against rebels and loyalists alike. Three more loyalist aeroplanes arrived and began bombing rebel warships, which steamed further out to sea behind a smoke-screen, while French land batteries speeded the retreat of the rebel warplanes in tho wake of the warship.

The loyalists broke oif tlio engagoment and returned home.

CHASED BY AIRCRAFT LABOUR POLITICIANS BRITISH VISITORS LONDON, Jan. 24 Mr. William Dobbie, British Labour M.P. for Botherham, one of a party of members returning from Spain, stated in Paris that aeroplanes had been chasing the party throughout the visit. The raid on Puigcerda, Mr. Dobbio thought, was due to the belief that he and his colleagues might be passing through there, but the frontier was crossed at a point that was not revealed. AIR RAID ON CEUTA LONDON, Jan. 24 The Gibraltar correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the loyalist bombardment of Ceuta caused several civil casualties. No military damage was done.