BASQUE CAPITAL IN RUINS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 86, 28 April 1937, Page 5

BASQUE CAPITAL IN RUINS

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..I- 11^ > Hundreds Killed By Bombs and Fire REBEL AIR RAID

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(Eeceived 28, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. Guernica, the ancient Basque capital, a few miles from Bilbao, was reduced to blazing ruins and hundreds were killed by a 3i hours' air raid carried out by flghters and bombers, the number of which jcOuld not be counted. Hand grenades were dropped by the first 'planes, and drove the paniestrieken populace to bomb shelters and fields, where they were machine-gunned by Bwooping flghters. The next wave' of bombers dropped higb explosive bombs, and it is estimated that a ' thousand struck the town. Thereaf ter-ineendiary bombs were .dropped. The easualties are not yet countable, but the dead include fifty who were incinerated in one bomb sheiter. The barracks, which was the only military objective, also the Basaue Parliament Buildings, miraculouSly escaped, but the remainder of the town is ablaze, including historic churches. Porlorn groups are searching the wreeked streets for their relatives. Salvage crews are almost helpless owing to the extent of the destruction. Meanwhile the homeless are evacuating the tOwn, and the roads are cotigested with streams of peasants with their possessions in bundles or piled on oxearts. Eescue wofk is dangerous, owing to the continua! falls of masonry. A rebel bomb killed an elderly parish priest named Aronategue at the assault on Guernica. The priest was rescuing terrifled children from a burning house.