SPIRIT UNBROKEN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19124, 19 September 1936, Page 6

SPIRIT UNBROKEN

DEFENDERS OF ALCAZAR TERRIFIC EXPLOSIONS TRAGIC SCENE IN TOLEDO BILBAO ATTACK FEARED

(Eire. Tel. Copyright—llnitod Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 19, 2 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 18.

Messages from Spain stale that increditable though it seems, the survivors of the shattered Alcazar at Toledo, which was shattered by a mine to-day, are still holding out. They forced the Government forces to retire in the face of withering rifle and machine-gun fire.

The death roll of the devastating explosion probably never will be known. It mus'i be considerable, but the spirit of the desperate defenders remains unbroken. The occupants of the fortress, believed to number 12C0 to 1400, were given repeated chances to surrender or send out the women and children, but tho only reply from Ihe commander was: "We die together."

Terrific explosions shook the whole city of Toledo. Windows were shattered throughout the city. Masonry, rifles, machine-guns, and mutilated'' bodies were thrown up from the fortress. A cloud of dust and smoke rose to llio sky as the debris rattled down on the tragic scene. A St. dean Do Luz message slates that all British subjects who desired to leave Bilbao have now been evacuated. They have been taken cither there or to Bordeaux. The British consul at Bilbao and the consulate staff arrived at .St. dean De Luz this afternoon on board 11.M.5. Exmouth. Seventy British subjects preferred to remain in Bilbao for business

Bilbao is reported, though calm, to be in hourly expectation of an insurgents' attack.

The next meeting of the international committee for the application of the agreement of non-intervention in Spain will be held on. Monday.

A sub-committee of the representatives of Belgium, the United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia. 'France, Germany. Italy. Sweden, and. Russia held another meetinn to-day and will meet again on Tuesdav.