REFUGEES' ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23067, 18 June 1938, Page 15

REFUGEES' ORDEAL

ESCAPE FROM PRISON WANDERING IN HILLS TEN DAYS OF PRIVATION LONDON, June 8 Ragged, starving and" bleeding, two Spaniards staggered across the French frontier after an adventurous and trying march through the hills from San Cristobel fort in General Franco's territory. The men, Jose Sanz, aged 22, and Valentino Bajo, aged 38, were two of the 1500 who broke out of the San Cristobel fort during the revolt against General Franco at Pamplona last month. They said that their companions, many of whom were sick and halfstarved before their escape, are wandering hopelessly and dying in the mountains. Describing the escape, Sanz said there was a wild rush from the prison when the cell doors were broken down. "The courtyard was a milling mass," he said. "Outside came the sound of rifle and machine-gun fire. "We rushed the gates, smashed them down by sheer weight, and headed north into the hills like a herd of cattle at dawn. "I was with a party of 150. We spent the day hiding and the next night broke into smaller groups. We marched by night and hid by day. "Occasionally we were fired on. We were without weapons and in prison clothes. "After 10 days of hopeless wandering, we met a goatherd, who said we were near the frontier. "Thirteen went down to the valley. Bajo and I came up it." French frontier guards are awaiting further refugees, but fear that they will be few.