GERMAN DENIALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19585, 17 March 1938, Page 5

GERMAN DENIALS

NEW TROOPS FOR SPAIN FRANCO MAKES PROGRESS OVER, SIXTY MILES ITALIANS CLAIM SUCCESS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 17, 10 a.m.) LONDON, March 16. The gravity of the situation of the loyalists in Spain becomes more and more obvious. The Spanish Embassy in London declares that Germany is preparing fresh intervention there, having dispatched, on March 14, 30,000 Storm Troopers.

However, a message from Berlin says that official circles categorically deny that Storm Troopers have been sent to Spain, and the Spanish Nationalist delegation in London denies reports that German troops either recently disembarked in Spain or are en route to Spain,

A message f.r„,n Barcelona states that the insurgents claim an advance of 62'miles in six days" across hostile, rough, and waterless country, capturing artillery, machine-guns and stores, and repulsing attacks. On the Hontril sector of the Granada front, they brought down seven loyalist machines. The loyalist losses during the rebel advance are claimed to be six divisions.

General Franco’s offensive has carried him halfway to the Mediterranean from his original lines. Miners’ Savage Defence

It is further reported from Barcelona that Mortalban is savagely defended by miners who are attempting to hold out against the rebels. The town changed hands several times and is now the scene of blobdy street fighting. A message from Saragossa states that the rebels are sweeping to the sea, after occupying 2000 miles in six days, including four towns and 60 villages, threatening to sunder Catalonia from the remainder of Spain.

An important rebel success is the capture of Caspe, 15 miles north of Alcaniz.

An Italian communique from Salamanca says that Italian Legionaries occupied Alcaniz and Caspe and took the Calana Hills surrounding Alcaniz, while another Italian column captured more villages, taking prisoner a French army officer and the loyalist chief of the general staff, says the Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent. A Perpignan message says that refugees going to France declare that street fighting is feared in Barcelona, where an atmosphere of panic prevails owing to the mass arrests of 4000 prisoners incarcerated in convict hulks in the harbour, including many Russians.

A French destroyer and torpedo boat have 500 refugees for Port Vendies, including several members of the Republican Government. The Nationalists were forced to halt the advance to consolidate thengains.