DESPERATE ATTACK ON IRON

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20514, 4 September 1936, Page 9

DESPERATE ATTACK ON IRON

REBELS HEARTENED BY SUCCESS FEARS OF MASSACRE EXPRESSED DEFENDERS WILL FIGHT TO THE LAST United Press Association—By ETssrric Telegraph—Copyright (Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Setptember 2. Heartened by to-day’s earlier successes, the rebels to-night resumed the desperate attack on the Iriin front. In spite of strenuous resistance, they captured Fort San Marcial, wl-ere the Carlist flag was hoisted. This Is the most important point dominating Irun. Desperate street fighting continues at Behobie, causing grave danger. Behoble is on the French side of the river, where bullets are flying. The fall of Irun is regarded as Imminent. The defenders express determination to fight to the last. It is feared that the massacre, which followed the fall of Badajoz, may be repeated when Irun is captured. To-day’s attack was accompanied by the heaviest land and sea bombardment of the civil war The defenders have threatened to shoot 25 hostages for every non-com-batant killed. The Government claims that strong rebel attacks at Guadarrama and Siguenza were beaten off and 1,000 rebels deserted to the Government. Skirmishing continues on the Asturian fronts, as the rebels try to rescue the beseiged garrison at Oviedo. EIGHTY THOUSAND KILLED DEATH ROLL MOUNTS TO HUGE PROPORTIONS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright (Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) LISBON September " An unofficial estimate of the killed in the Spanish civil war is as follows: Government forces .. .. 34,000 Rebels .. .» 46,000 BOMBS DROPPED NEAR BRITISH VESSEL REBELS APPROACHING IRUN United Press Assoelatlon-By EleetHe Telegraph -Copyright LONDON, September 2. Rebel aircraft dropped four bombs neat the destroyer Worcester and also a German destroyer, off Malaga. The Worcester steamed to Gibraltar undamaged. Fighting on the Irun front has been resumed, machine-guns and artillery exchanging bombardments. The rebels gained a strategic point at Uncha Hill, and also captured Mount Turiarte, the main bastion di Irun-’s defence, opening the way to the main road to San Sebastian. A hurricane of fire developed when General Mola ordered a general bombardment, to which the defenders, aided by an armoured train, desperately replied.

Rebel Attacks Repulsed The loyalists finally succeeded in repulsing the strongest rebel attack yet launched on the Irun front, inflictihg heavy losses, but the rebels desperately counter-attacked later in the afternoon, engaging In a hand-to-hand conflict with the loyalists, in machinegun nests on the outskirts of the Franco-Spanish frontier village of Behobie. The foremost rebels are now within a mile of Irun. The Government claims a signal victory at Soto, 20 miles south-east of Oviedo. Humanisation of War A Hendaye message says that contact has been established between the envoys from Madrid and Burgos, with a view to discussing the humanisation of the Warfare. Senor Castro represents the loyalists, and hopes to arrange with General Mola for the discontinuance of the execution of hostages and prisoners. SYMPATHY WITH THE REBELS ACTION OF MINISTER AT TOKIO United Press Association -By Electric Telegraph- Copyright (Received September 3, 7 30 p.m.) TOKIO, September 3. The rebel flag Is flying on the Spanish Legation, the Spanish Minister announcing that he has severed relations with Madrid. MADRID IN DANGER REBELS’ FORMIDABLE OFFENSIVE United Press association -By Electric Telegraph Copyright (Received Septembei 4, 12.35 a.m.) MADRID, September 3. General Prieto in an article in “Ei Liberal” declr is: "From whom can r- hide the fact that we are now faced W‘h a formidable offensive against Madrid In recognising the exist- e of dereter. can we erect sufficient bandcades to guarantee us against the avalanche t'-reatening Us?’* At Behobia the Insurgents are keeping up a terrific machine-gun fire, and the Government forces are suffering heavy casualties as they are out. in the open While the rebels are well entfefiched, thus reversing the position of the le t few days. The morale of tiie loyalists, however, is unbroken. They deciare that they are contesting every inch, but are in need of more munitions Night Operations Hampered. At Hendaye drizzle hampered isolated night operations on the Irun front but the Government successfully car-

ried out a strprise attack at dawn under cover of a bombardment Fontarabia and dislodged the rebels from their position in the fields outside Behobia. Every hotise in Behobia is barricaded with sandbags and mattresses. Irun Doomed Government artillery is ceasel n ssly shelling San Marciel to prevent an advance from this quarter. Important loyal reinforcements have arrived from San Sebastiah. Goverhment aerop’-nos also ate impatiently awaited. Irun. however, seems doomed. The Government forces are organising e house to house defence declaring that rather than surrender they will destroy the town Many of the principal buildings have already been m’tied. Hundreds of refugees streamed across the frontier all night long. If the exodus continues France will be faced with a serious problem in housing and feeding them The Ministry of the Interior ni» ,p ady has sent 125,000 francs to the Mayors of frontier villages to help the refugees. Minor Successes Only The Government can only claim minor successes against the setback at ’run On thousand regular soldiets are rcbbt'tbd tn have deserted from the rebels ci the r 'u.irarrama front. Govrarhmrnt submarines have arrived nt Bilbao and San Sebastian from the ■Mediterranean. Loyalists completely surrounded Huesca end all communications are cut. states a Catalan Government com-