BRITISH STEAMER ATTACKED

Southland Times, Issue 23287, 25 August 1937, Page 5

BRITISH STEAMER ATTACKED

RAID BY PLANES IN MEDITERRANEAN SPAIN AGAIN PROTESTS ABOUT ITALIAN AID (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, August 23. The British steamer Noemi Julia (2499 tons) bound for Barcelona from Susa (Tunis) reported that she was bombed off Ajaccio by two aeroplanes. The captain of the Noemi Julia declared that a plane with a death’s head painted on its fuselage circled for 10 minutes, almost touching the ship and another with the same insignia trained its machine-guns on the ship for 17 minutes. Later a bomber dropped two bombs in the sea, 30ft astern. “I protested emphatically,” said the captain. “Our cargo was harmless, we were flying the British flag and there were two non-intervention observers on board.”

The Spanish Government has protested against “attacks on Spanish and foreign merchantmen, including British, by Italian warships in the Mediterranean,” of which it alleges it possesses proof. Spain adds that the tension in the Mediterranean is being aggravated by the open assistance afforded .the rebels by Italian naval vessels, and says that the whole of the Mediterranean, from Marseilles and Barcelona to the Dardanelles, must be considered a zone in which a general conflagration may be produced at any moment. REBEL FRONT LINE ADVANCES J “PINCERS” CLOSING ROUND SANTANDER BILBAO, August 23. The rebels have captured Castro Urdiales, an important coastal stronghold. General Franco’s line now occupies a 35-mile front from the coast to Espinosa, the whole length of the rebel pincers closing round Santander being 70 miles, including the Asturian front. The rebel forces are now on the outskirts of Las Corelas, seven and a-half miles from Torre la Vega. The Italian cojumn surrounded Punto Ciesgo, capturing nine tanks, 20 armoured cars and 100,000 hand grenades. Rebel planes dropped tons of bombs on Torre la Vega, Lardo and Arenas di Eguna, the two last being almost wiped out. Santander, however, claims to have repulsed furious rebel attacks from Villa Carriedo. The loyalists who are draining the Lake Casa de Campo sector of Madrid, report that they found in the mud the bodies of 3000 Moors who apparently perished in the November attack. GERMAN ENVOY TO FRANCO RESIGNS BERLIN, August 23. After holding office for six months General Wilhelm Faupel, German Ambassador to General Franco’s “Government,” has resigned on the grounds of ill-health.