REBELS REPULSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19104, 27 August 1936, Page 5

REBELS REPULSED

BATTLE FOR IRUN ONSLAUGHT AT DAWN CHECK BY MILITIAMEN ROADWAY BLOWN UP LOSS OF SEVEN PLANES (.Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assu.) (Reed. Aug. 27, 12 noon.) LONDON, Aug. 26. The battle in the Spanish civil war for San Sebastian and Iran was reported to-day to be in full swing. The rebels at dawn converged thenattack on Irun in thick mist. They were assisted by tanks and a battery of six-inch guns. Their first onslaught was driven off, and the attack was later reported to have failed. The rebel advance on Irun was checked by militiamen blowing up the road and thus blocking armoured ears. Government troops scored with a six-inch gun, while a Government plane obtained a direct hit on an insurgent anti-aircraft battery.

The British United Press Service correspondent, who watched the battle of Irun from the French village of Biriatonx, just across the frontier, says that, between (i a.m. and 11 a.m. the rebels advanced 11 miles. Two hundred shells and bombs were dropped in Trim during the morning. The lighting was fierce, but on a comparatively small scale.

It is understood that the rebels employed 750 Moors as a spearhead to their attack. The rebels' solitary tank defeated the loyalists' improvised armoured train, the gunnery duel causing the train to retreat to Irun. Meanwhile French villagers scattereo as spent bullets fired at rebel aeroplanes dropped in the streets.

FOKKER AEROPLANES

Polish airmen are reported to havcdelivcred at the insurgents' headquarters at Burgos two Fokker planes reportedly sold in London for delivery •to Poland. Two others have mysteriously disappeared.

The Government claims to have destroyed seven rebel planes yesterday. It claims now an air force equal to the rebels, and asserts that the Moors at Cordoba shot their officers _ and handed over their arms and munitions to the Government.

The British United Press correspondent at Oviedo says that Ashman miners who for several weeks have besieged Oviedo are now trying t.' storm the city-

A Seville radio message announces that the rebel high command welcomes the extension of the existing German conscription, thus strengthening the barrier against Russia's Communistic hordes. ALFONSO'S ATTITUDE DISCLOSURE IN LETTER COM M ENT DECLIN ED VIENNA, Aug. 20. EK-King Alfonso of Spain is staying in 'a village in the Carinthian mountains. He refuses to comment on a letter found in Don Ramon Albareda,'s Madrid home, in which the, police say the ex-King wrote: "Go ahead with your movement. Don't respect, anything. Triumph is ours. I am at your disposal for anything you need." PORTUGUESE LEANING SIDE WITH INSURGENTS NEUTRALITY Dl FFICULTV LONDON, Aug. 26. The Manchester Guardian says that the attitude of Portugal has caused a serious hitch in the carrying out of the proposals for non-intervention in the Spanish conflict. The Portuguese Government is entirely pro-rebel, partly because of natural Fascist sympathies, but chiefly because of fears of the extension of the Spanish Popular Front to Portugal. The rebels have been able to transport arms from Portugal. Several hundred Spaniards fleeing from the rebels have been handed over to the rebels by the Portuguese and shot. Arms are still going through Portugal to Spain, and until the gap is closed, which is only possible with full Portuguese cooperation, non-intervention will remain illusory.

The Irish Free State refuses to sever diplomatic relations with Spain in response to overtures by Spanish Catholics. It affirms its sympathy with Spain in her terrible suffering, but considers that a rupture of relations would not be in the interests of Spain or European peace.