PLANES' TRIUMPH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19314, 3 May 1937, Page 13

PLANES' TRIUMPH

SINKING OR WARSHIP FIRST TIME IN HISTORY CROWDS SEE INCIDENT 600 OF CREW PERISH (Elcc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 1, 2.30 p.m.) MADRID, April 30. To-day's bombardment killed three persons and wounded 25. A message from Santander says tinvt, the first warship in history to be sunk bv aircraft, lies in 30 fathoms of watei three miles off Cape Mayor, war hantander. It, is believed that 600 ot hei company of 800 are lost. The whole incident was observed joy crowds clustered.'on the seafront. .1 he Government aircraft consisted of three bombing planes, escorted by fighters. Three coastal batteries had already opened five in the hope of protecting the Knitslev. The "bombing planes dropped seven verv powerful missiles, two of which struck the F.spana's stern, to the accompaniment of a huge buret of smoke and an appalling explosion. The Espana slowly heaved up by tlie hows and sank, hundreds of the crew flinging themselves into the sea. They were mostly school teachers and clerks who were unable, through lack of experience, to launch the boats, despite the calmness of the sea. The Government bombing planes, their pilots flushed with success, followed up their achievement by seeking out the Almiranle Cervera and bombing her, but, they failed to hit the target.

A report, from Madrid says that tho Government destroyer Alsedo seized a rebel steamer off Gibraltar with a cargo of 100 aeroplane engines and 40,000 rounds of ammunition.

Tho Times correspondent at Bilbao learns that the bombing planes had no difficulty in locating the Almirante Cervera, because immediately the lat-. ter learned of the Espana disaster she proceeded at full speed eastwards, near Kerrol. She was reported at, 15.30 p.m. by a signaller at Cape Mayor to be ~>~i "miles west of Santandcf.'

The bombing planes hud time to drop only three bombs when the Cervera, remembering the fate of her, consort, fired off all her anti-aircraft guns and departed northwards. ° The Bilbao evening papers jubilantIv featured tho sinking of the Espana (in the front page, and sent cars tearing through the town with posters: "Espana in Halves." The Knitslcy berthed at Castro Urdialos,' ISO miles east, of Santandcr. The captain, in obedience to Admiralty orders, is uncommunicative, but a sailor disclosed that hardly had tho Velasto stopped the Knitslev, with the Espana half a mile off, when tho aeroplanes came into action. The Basques are heartened by the. new incident, nnd further encouraged by advancing nearlv two miles in tho Biwazgui hills, near Arra/.ua, two miles east of Guernica.