REBELS ENTER MADRID

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 265, 9 November 1936, Page 7

REBELS ENTER MADRID

DEFENDERS FALL BACK ASSAULT FOLLOWS BOMBARDMENT REMOVAL OF SEAT OF GOVERNMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copy right* Received Nov. 8, 7.5 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 7. It is reported that General Franco entered Madrid at 1 p.m. .Jlr."Ogilvie Forbes, the British Charge d’Affaires at Madrid, telephoning on Saturday evening, reported that the insurgents ■were entering the western and southern outskirts of the city. General Franco’s troops had established themselves on the outskirts of the capital exactly five months after the outbreak of the civil war. Saturday’s advance ' followed three hours of terrifying and intense bombardment of the Government positions. The shelling silenced the Government’s guns and damaged Mediodia railway station within a mile of the centre of the city. After this General Varela’s six assaulting columns, aided by 40 tanks and 30 aeroplanes, the latter flying in batches of six and repeatedly bombing the Government troops, advanced at dawn. The defenders, who lost heavily, courageously resisted in certain quarters, but other trenches were abandoned with heaps of hand grenades and other munitions. The defenders frequently counter-attacked but the Moors and Legionaries’ machine-guns swept them away. Heavy fighting took place in the morning in the neighbourhood of Toledo bridge, where the defenders’ machine-guns, concealed among the slaughter houses, took heavy toll. By the afternoon the insurgents had reached the belt of parks and promenades on the banks of the Manzanares River, flowing on the western face of the city, which they were assaulting and concentrating on the Segovia gate, near Casa Del Campo and the Presidential palace, which Senor Azana was not occupying, being in Barcelona. The insurgents were aiming to reach the prison, where they hoped to free the prisoners. The prison is only a mile from the heart of the city at Puerta Del Sol. A message from Lisbon reported that the insurgents in the afternoon further attacked, using flame throwers and accompanied by a hundred tanks and armoured ears. They aimed at the capture of the key positions in the western parks, from which they would be able to advance to the centre of Madrid, the capture of which the inhabitants in the district which General Franco controlled already were celebrating by ringing church bells, singing and dancing in the streets. The majority of the shops were closed and numerous buildings had been damaged by shelling. Senor Gil Robles, residing at Libson, has advised his followers to join the insurgents, adding: “The days of political partisanship are ended. Spain needs military discipline.” Major Ramon Franco, the trans-Atlantic flyer, and a brother of the dictator, has arrived from America and joined the insurgents.

FRANCO’S GOVERNMENT QUESTION OF RECOGNITION ANGLO-FRENCH ATTITUDE Received Nov. 8. 6.10 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 7. Earlier reports from Berlin stated that Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Portugal, and certain South American Republics alveady had intimated their intention of recognising General Franco’s Government immediately he entered Madrid. According to a Paris message, the French and British Governments have agreed not to recognise the rebel Government. The Spanish Ambassador called on Mr Eden to announce the retirement of the Government to Albacete, 100 miles from Valencia “temporarily in order to prevent an unnecessary bombardment and loss of life among civilians.’’ Meanwhile a military Government remains in control and heavy shelling continues. The British United Press’ Madrid correspondent confirms the Government’s departure and says that the Russian Ambassador has vacated the Embassy. Moors and legionaries are reported to be advancing unopposed on the city’s outskirts. They found several barricades of death unmanned. White flags are displayed from many outlying houses. The Government forces have captured Algodor railway station, near Toledo, and are threatening the rebels’ communications with Hendaye. The Basques have resumed the offensive against the rebels at San Sebastian, which four Government ’planes bombed, and are advancing rapidly owing to the rebels’ concentration at Madrid. General Dellano, b?oadcasting from Seville, said that the civil guards at Madrid had revolted and demanded the surrender of the city. He said: “It is tragic for Caballero to persist with the idea that he is strong enough to defend the capital. The insurgents overhear hourly radio appeals to everyone to enrol in the defence of the capital, and send aeroplanes to bomb the volunteers concentrating at different points.’’ Caballero is reported to have told i friend, ‘‘l will stop them yet. but I will shoot myself if they break in. In no circumstances will I abandon Madrid alive.’’ General Varella, reporting by wireless to General Franco, declared that the anarchists are in the wildest confusion in the centre of Madrid. They are emptying arsenals, threatening to blow up munitions and shooting hostages. “We fear for the safety of 30,000 hostages imprisoned in the various centres,” said General Varella. The broadcast claims that panic has broken out in the city. Fires are burning in the many of the principal buildings and there is a huge traffic block on the Madrid-Valencia road owing to the exodus of refugees. The insurgents claim to have cap-

tured eight Russian tanks by grenades thrown in the machine-gun slits. It was reported late on Friday that fierce fighting continued in the southI era suburbs of Madrid, and the din of | battle was clearly heard in the capital, which was crowded with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing from the battle front. Rebels, who penetrated to the Casa de Campo, a big park inside the city, found all the houses deserted and flying white flags. I The British Embassy has arranged i for the protection of 200 Britishers I who are still in the capital. | The Spanish Government has issued I a statement by an Italian artilleryI man, Luigi Corsi Siliberta, who was captured on November 1 near Parla. Siliberta says that neither he nor his companions went to Spain voluntarily, but they were compelled to serve Iby Commendatore Luigi Aisny, commanding the Tenth Artillery Corps, who paraded the unit in Rome and selected 50 men for the expedition. They embarked at Genoa on August 30 and disembarked at Vigo from a vessel with an Italian naval crew and which carried guns and shells to Spain. He adds that he saw 15 Italian armoured cars driven by Italians at Caceres. ; CAPITAL NOT FALLEN Received Nov. 9, 11.15 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 8. There is no news from any source to the effect that Madrid has fallen. UNFOUNDED REPORT POWERS APPEAL TO MADRID { British Official Wireless J RUGBY, Nov. 6. There is no truth whatever in reports in two English newspapers that a joint appeal was made last night to 'the Madrid Government requesting I that some arrangement should be •reached with General Franco. State- [ ments that the Foreign Secretary , (Mr. Eden) was in telephone com- . munication on the subject with Paris and with the British Charge d’Affaires ' in Madrid are unfounded. A London cable stated that a dramatic eleventh-hour appeal by Britain and France to Madrid to come to terms with General Franco followed a telephonic conversation by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with Paris. The appeal was telephoned to Mr. G. A. D. Ogilvie-Forbes, the British Charge d’Affaires in Madrid, for presentation to the Madrid authorities, but the Daily Mail said there was little hope in British Government circles that it would receive any more attention than the previous appeal for an exchange of hostages. Nevertheless, Mr. Eden insisted on doing the utmost to prevent a possible terrible climax to the Spanish war.