THE MOROCCAN WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19582, 11 September 1925, Page 7

THE MOROCCAN WAR

SPANIARDS ADVANCE ON ADJIR OPERATIONS DEVELOP FAVOURABLY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, TANGIER, September 9. Following the landing in the Bay of Cebadilia and the seizure of the heights round tho Bay of Alliucemas the Spanish troops are continuing tho offensive. They have begun to advance in the direction of Adjir, tho Riff headquarters. Tho operations are developing favourably. The Riffs so far as resisting feebly.— Reuter. THE SPANISH LANDING. A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. LITTLE RESISTANCE ENCOUNTERED. MADRID, September 9. (Received Sept. 10, at 6.5 p.m.) Detailed accounts of the landing at Alhucemas Bay and tho preliminary operations do not mention the repulse described in th o French newspapers yesterday. On tho contrary they declare that everything worked with mathematical precision under efficient leaderssp. The sea wti calm when 112 warships, including a number of French, arrived at noon on Monday. The waships immediately bombarded the mountains in the hinterland while 50 Spanish aeroplanes, assisted by French seaplanes, bombed tho rebel positions. The enemy reply was ineffective. The wireless on one of the warships was slightly damaged, otherwise no vessel was hit. Orders to land were issued at 11 o’clock 1 on Monday evening to General Saro s column consisting of 10 tanks, two battalions of the Foreign Legion, three of Spanish riflemen, three of natives, one field battery, two mountain batteries, an ammunition column, four., companies oi sappers and three wireless detachments. These troops were assembled by dawn without mishap on the warships. Ihc bombardment, naval and aerial, was reopened at 5 o’clock in tho morning and continued for four hours. Boats laden with tho troops started for the - shore at 10 o’clock, and the landing began at noon. The native regulars, who were the first ashore, advanced immediately towards the enemy positions. The enemy resisted but were caught by the fire of the warships and withdraw rapidly. The objective was soon occupied and tho whole column established bivouacs at Morro Nuevo by sunset. During the course of the operation an aeroplane was hit by shellfire and sank in the bay. The crew were rescued. To-dav the landing column united with the Mellila forces and continuing tho offensive occupied Gibelchiban and Heleszawa. It is advancing on Adjir. Aeroplanes bombed Shesbuan and Adjir. iho Riffs are feebly resisting.—Reuter. THE LANDING DESCRIBED. A VIVID NARRATION. ANZAC EXPLOIT RECALLED. LONDON, September 10. (Received Sept. 10, at 9.20 p.m.) Tho Daily Express’s special correspondent on board a Spanish troopship off Allincomas says: "The same boats which took tho A naves ashore at Gallipoli landed the Spanish troops on the bleak luff coast in two forces —one on either side of Alhucemas Bay. On Adjir Abd-el Krim’s capital, tons of high explosives were poured all dav from naval guns of every calibre. This so diminished the Riffs’ resistance that tho Spanish casualties were much smaller than was expected. The Moors who wore left alive on the shell-torn hillside neither asked nor gave quarter. The attackers took only 12 prisoners alive. Tho terrific naval bombardment gave tho Moors no chance to remove their artillery, vith the result that tho Spaniards captured 22 largo guns. “Behind and all around ns was the Spanish Armada reincarnated. Almost 100 hhip^—giant cruisers, fussy destroyers, big liners, tugs, and ex-British K boats—steamed towards tho landing place. General Saro, from the flagship Victoria. Eugenie, gave a signal which sent the whole lino of K boats forward, tho men crouching in them behind the shelter ot pteel plates. It seemed as if nothing eonld live on the steel wracked hillside. Yet-, as tho beetles chugged their way towards the beach they were received with tho rattle of machine-guns. “Tho gang planks were run out and the men poured ashore and spread out fanwise. ’Hie enemy responded with a continuous volume of rifle fire, hut the attackers climbed the 200 yards to the first, crest, hv noon, constructing redoubts with stones and sandbags as they moved forward. “Tho whole fleet cheered when the flap was run np on the crest of Capo Moor.” —A. and N.Z. Cable. KRIM’S ABLE STRATEGY. RETREAT TO MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD. LONDON, September 9. (Received Sept. 10, at 9.5 p m.) Tho Madrid correspondent of the Daily News says Jhat the strategy of the Inter Spanish landing at Capo Quilates failed to attract Abd-el Krim’s attention from developing a fierce attack at Tetnan. It is now revealed that Krim purposely feebly resisted tho disembarkation with a view to drawing the Spanish out of rango of tho warships’ covering fire 16 miles inland, where the main line of dr fence consists of a. solid lino of 4in and 6in guns. The Spanish forces have halted before the well-nigh impregnable heights of Adiir, where 25,000 picked Riffs, well simplmd with guns and munitions, confidently await an onslaught.—Sydney Sun Cable. GREAT FRENCH ADVANCE. ACTIVITY ON WHOLE FRONT. LONDON, September 10. (Received Sept. 10, at 8.30 p.m.) The latest report from Moroceo states that the French artillery is blazing from Onezzane to the Ranks of the Onorgha River. Tho roads aro crowded with advancing battalions, and the sky is filled with aeroplanes, some of which are bevr.g utilised to carry the wounded to the rear. —A. and N.Z. Cable. SPANISH LINE BROKEN AT LARACHE. A FRENCH COUNTER-OFFENSIVE. LONDON, September 10. (Received Sept. 10, at 8.5 p.m.) The Daily News’s Madrid correspondent reports that the Spanish line has been broken at Earache. Tho Spanish are in a desperate plight on the Tetuan River and have appealed to Marshal Retain to commence an offensive to relieve the pressure. and avert a debacle. A later message says that the French have launched an offensive on the whole Moroccan front.—Sydney Sun Ca‘ le. SHIFTING WILL COME EASIER ON THE WOMENFOLK if you arrange with us to help yon out. You’ll have enough to do arranging things in the new home without looking after tho ciozen-nnd-ono tedious details entailed in sending furniture by rail or boat. Wo relievo you of all this trouble o,nd worry. Get. in touch with us.—.. New Zealand Express Co. (Ltd.). —Advt.