SPANISH VICTORY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 33, 7 August 1936, Page 9

SPANISH VICTORY

KEYPOINT POSITION

REBEL AIR SUCCESS

TROOPS FROM MOROCCO

■7nlted Press Association— By Electric 'Tel*-

cr.-iDb— Copyright. (Received August 7, noon.) LONDON, August 6. The Spanish Government claims to have captured Buitrago, the keypoint of the Somosierra front, taking 1500 prisoners, five guns, and 30 machine-guns. It also reports the surrender at Sastago of 2000 rebels who were marching from Pamplona to Saragossa, and that they were immediately incorporated in the Government army. , General Mola claims that the rebels routed the Government troops at Somosierra, killing 500, and also claims a victory at Avila, where they killed 600 and captured two tanks.

General Queipo de Llano, the rebel leader at Seville, is reported to have threatened to wipe Malaga off the face of the earth if his mother and wife, whom he left there, are murdered by the Government.

THREAT OF MERCILESS AIR WAR.

If the claims of the leaders on both sides can be accepted, Spain is threatened with merciless aerial warfare. The Government expects shortly to have 300 machines,«and threatens to devastate the Peninsula from one end to the other unless the insurgents surrender. General Franco, the rebel leader, also claims to have a strong air force with which he plans to annihilate the Government fleet.

A rebel spokesman at Burgos expressed the opinion that when tHe civil war is finished the total casualties will be almost equal to those in the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.

The Prime Minister, interviewed in Madrid by the correspondent of "I/Intr'ansigeant," stated that the Government intended to respect persons and property after achieving victory, and added that the Communists were absolutely on the Side of law, though anarchists were a source of trouble. -

General Franco is reported to have agreed to become dictator if the rebels are victorious.

It is reported from Tangier that rebel air. bombers sank a Government gunboat and damaged a submarine in yesterday's battle in the Strait. It is reported from Casablanca that three Government warships today engaged rebel aircraft which, were convoying troopships across the Strait. BLOCKADE BROKEN. The rebels have succeeded in breaking the sea blockade between Morocco and Spain, and landed at Algeciras 3000 regulars, foreign legionaries, and Riffs with machine-guns, 200 field guns, thousands of hand grenades, and motorlorries. They crossed in five ships camouflaged to evade detection and protected by a strong force of aeroplanes which heavily bombed Government warships trying to intercept them and compelled the warships to retreat. The rebels state that they will bring a further 3000 troops across during the weekend and will then have 10,000 men at Algeciras to advance on Malaga.

General Franco has decided to bring more troops from Morocco by air. He has fifteen large aeroplanes at Tetuan ready for this service, and hopes thus to land a thousand troops in Spain daily. IN COMMUNIST HANDS. The Gibraltar correspondent of "The Times" says that a refugee from Tarragona states that the city is in the hands of Communists. All churches, convents, and the chief public buildings have been burnt and at least 30 priests murdered. Boys and girls wearing red shirts and carrying arms,, and bands of Reds,.are murdering and looting.

A Government broadcast claims that the surrender of Oviedo and Cordoba is imminent.

i A Gibraltar message' states that medieval methods have been adopted at Ceuta, where the rebel authorities insist that the Jewish community contribute £ 12,000 to ■ the revolutionary funds, and meanwhile, are holding prominent Jews as hostages.

The "Daily Mail's" Paris correspondent says that M. Blum's paper, "Le Populaire," announces the constitution of a body to raise money and food and mobilise volunteers to help the Spanish Government forces. It expects to raise £15,000 by August 15. ITALIAN AEROPLANES. An bran message states that General Denain, French Air Minister, and other French investigators, unanimously decided that the two Italian aeroplanes forced down in French Morocco while flying to the rebels were Italian Air Force machines. The pilots admitted that they were officers of the Italian Air Force, but did not disclose whether they were on the active list or the reserve list. They started from Bologna and landed at Sardinia. They were retarded by high winds and were forced down by bad weather.

A Gibraltar message says: that refugees from Ceuta state that nine Italian and , three German aeroplanes, piloted by Italians and Germans, have arrived to participate in the rebels' offensive.