BOMBING OF TOWNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23112, 10 August 1938, Page 14

BOMBING OF TOWNS

INVESTIGATION ON SPOT t COMMISSION TO INQUIRE PERSONNEL ANNOUNCED British Wireless RUGBY, August 8 The Commission to investigate the alleged indiscriminate bombing of open towns in Spain, which Britain first proposed some time ago, has been constituted and will he at the disposal of the two sides in the civil war from next Saturday onward, when the members will arrive in France to make their headquarters at Toulouse. The members are Group-Captain Smyth Pigott, a retired • officer of the Royal Air Force, and Major Lejeune, a serving officer in the Royal Artillery. The Commission may be invited by either side to visit the scene of an air bombardment in which indiscriminate bombing or deliberate bombing of nonmilitary objectives is alleged. After investigation the Commission will report to the Foreign Office, London, and the findings on the report will be made public. ITALIAN AIRMEN ATTACKS ON LOYALISTS HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED ROME, August 8 An official Italian report from Saragossa, dealing with Italian aviators' exploits in the lower Ebro sector, states that between July 25 and August 5 heavy losses were inflicted on the loyalists, A total o£ 158 bombing actions involved the use of 541 aircraft, from which were dropped 450 tons of explosives. MYSTERY MONOPLANE RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT ' *s VALENCIA, August 4 High over the Segorbe front, 30 miles north-west of Valencia, a black monoplane of unusual type flew yesterday. It was guarded above and below by 23 rebel fighting aeroplanes. Seven Government fighters soared up and the occupants did their utmost to shoot down this remarkable craft. But they discovered that it was heavily armour-plated. It carried no bombs, anCi was obviously on a reconnaissance flight above the Teruel-Sagunto road. it is believed • that the machine carried General Franco, the rebel supreme commander.