HEAP OF RUINS

Waikato Times, Volume 120, Issue 19984, 7 September 1936, Page 7

HEAP OF RUINS

THE REMAINS OF IRUN. NOT A HOUSE STANDING. REBELS CAPTURE A BRIDGEHEAD. United Press assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON, Sept. 5. Despatches from Hendaye, on tho Franco-Spanish frontier, state that the rebels captured the bridgehead between Irun and San Sebastian and began to bombard Fort Quadaloupe. A special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at Hendaye states that Irun, whloh 24 hours ago was a town with 12,000 inhabitants, now is a heap of blazing ruins. Not one house remains standing. Anarchists are still holding out amid the flames. A GOVERNMENT BUOOEBG. REBELS FORCED TO RETIRE. GENERAL FALLS INTO TRAP. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. MADRID, September 5. A temporary victory of tha rebels at Talavera, a few miles west of Toledo, was followed by their retreat. They were forced to retire along the entire 12-mile front. The victory was duo to the strategy of the insurgent leader, General Castejon, who ordered a retreat on the pretence that his troops were demoralised. The loyalists left their positions and charged the retreating column only to be ambushed between two other rebel columns who fired at both flanks. General Yagues, the rebel commander, said: 11 We killed everyone who had been defending the town. I am •orry for poor General Rlquelme, the Government leader, falling into a trap like an Inexperienced child.'* This exultation turned out to be premature, a Government airman later reporting that the loyalists had completely recovered their lost ground Strong batteries of artillery and seven triple-engined bombers flanked by chaser aeroplanes supported the Government attack which was driven gallantly home by Colonel Asensio and Colonel Burillo of the Shock Guards. Many prisoners were taken. The President, Don Manuel Azana, arrived at Talavera after the loyalists’ victory and was enthusiastically greeted.

The rebels had hoped to break the Government line, which .screens the road to Madrid, also to relieve the starving occupants of Toledo and Alcazar. ATTACK ON MAJORCA. GOVERNMENT ATTEMPT FAILS. CAPTAIN’S FINE STRATEGY. A SMALL-SCALE GALLIPOLI. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. MADRID, Sept. 5. It is admitted that a Government attack on Majorca, Balearic Islands, failed after the loss of prisoners, arms and munitions. The' remainder of the force will be sent to Aragon to support the attack on Saragossa. Majorca was a small-scale Gallipoli. An ofiloial communique dealing with the withdrawal says: “ The heroio Catalan column withdrew after a magnifloent aotion and re-embarked. " The men escaped scathless owing to Captain Bayos’ admirable strategy in accordance with orders from the Republican Government, which did not consult the Catalonian Government on the matter.” The landing was largely a Catalonian idea to which Madrid was opposed, the Cabinet declaring that Majorca could wait. The rebels captured the seaside village of Fuentarrabia after a two hours’ battle, the garrison fleeing in boats to France under Are. Several were wounded. On the Saragossa Front. A loyalist force of 10,000 men under General Buenaventura Durruti and Major Perez Farras, on the Saragossa front, northern Spain, is within sight of that city. An attack is to be launched on it after the arrival of 25,000 reinforcements from Catalonia. The rebels are doing their utmost to hamper the advance of the reinforcements and claim to have inflicted a reverse upon them and to have killed 300 in the City of Pamplona. Torpedo-boat Sunk. In a wireless broadcast from Seville the rebels state that the battleship Espana sank a Government torpedoboat at Bilbao. It is announced that the insurgents have’ ordered the crucifix to replace the President’s portrait in all public buildings and schools. ITALIAN CRUISERS. DEPARTURE FOR BARCELONA. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. ROME, Sept. 4. It is now confirmed that the cruiser Pola departed fo” Barcelona with a landing party of 100, but a landing party is customary when ships are sent to foreign waters. More warships are' reported to be sailing from Italy.