WAR IN SPAIN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21183, 2 November 1938, Page 7

WAR IN SPAIN

OFFENSIVE RENEWED BIG LOSSES IN AIR BATTLE United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 2, 12.40 a.m.) BURGOS, November 1. Heavy fighting has been renewed at Ebro, where General Franco is personally directing the battle. He claims to have brought down 22 planes in a spectacular air battle. The Republicans state the offensive was repulsed. PLIGHT OF WAR VICTIMS SEEKING HAVEN IN FRANCE □ ruled Press Association -By Electric Telegraph —Copyright LONDON, October 31. The Cerberes correspondent of “The Daily Herald” states that acting on the orders of the Minister of Interior (M. Sarraut) the French mobile guard prevented 368 wounded members of the International Brigade from Spain entering France after they had stood without food at the station for six hours. After a trunk call to Paris, 86, who were proved to be of French nationality, were allowed to cross the frontier. The French Government will not bear the cost of their hospital expenses. Others are being provided with travelling expenses, but the remainder were ordered back to the train, those slightly wounded carrying on stretchers those who were severely wounded. There were nine Britishers and some Americans and Canadians among them. Frank Lewis, of Liverpool, said: “They are sending us back through Barcelona. The doctors are crazy with overwork and we have got to lie in hospital and listen to the bombers overhead. I shall see that my Government gets me out.” FATE OF REBEL SHIPS GENERAL FRANCO DENIES RUMOURS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 1, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 31. "General Franco is incapable of so gross an impropriety,” states the insurgents’ London agent, the Duke of Alba, in denying "The Daily Herald's report that General Franco had told the British Foreign Office that he would close all his ports to British shipping in the event of an adverse judgment by the Appeal Court in the case of the steamer Arantzazu Mendi. The judgment will decide the fate of fourteen other rebel ships detained in Britain at the request of the Loyalist Government.