REBEL WARSHIP SUNK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 89, 1 May 1937, Page 5

REBEL WARSHIP SUNK

j— JPre89 Asan.

Loyalist Bombers Score Direct Hit CREW ALL RESCUED

(By Telefirrapl

— Cdpyri®ht.)

(Received 1, 11.0 a.m«) BILBAO, April 30. It is officially annouficed that a Government aeroplaue sank the rebel battleship Espana off Oaboinayoi', Nortb Spain. The rebel destroyer „Velasco rescued all the Espana' s officers, and would have allowed the seamen to perish, only that Santander flshiligboats saved them. An ofBeial account of the eiuking of the Espana states that a Loyalist squadron Went out to assist a merchantman of unknown nationality which appealed for help by Wifeless when it was stopped by the insurgents, Another account says that the Espana was summoned " by an insufgciit destroyer which fired 12 shots at th© British vessel Knitsley (formerly the Thorpe Hall), which was attempting to enter Santander. Several squadrons of Government planes wero called tip by the Santander authorities and dropped powerful bombs, on© hittittgj th© Espana's stern which was immediately submerged, Th© battleship sank in half an hour, ^ It is believed that the Espana's persoxinel included German and Italian officers and gunners. The merchantman, after the sinking of the Espana, returned to Santander A Santander message says that it was an aerial bomb penetrating the magazine that sank the Espana. The successful 'plane was ono of Santander s new air fleet. A later message says: The Espana is th© first warship in history to he sunk by aircraft. It lies in thirty fathoms fchree miles off Cape Mayor, near Santander. It is believed that 600 of her company of 800 are lost.

The whole incident was observed by crowds clustered on the seafront. The Government aircraft consisted of three bombing planes escorted by fighters. The bombing planes dropped seven very powerful missiles, two of which struck the" Espana's stern. Then, to the aceompankuent of a huge burst of smoke and an appalling expldsion, the Espana slowly heaved up by the bows and sank. hundreds of the crew flinging themselves into the sea. They were mostly sehool-teachers and clerks who weta unable, through lack of experience, to launch the boats, despit© the calmness of the sea. The Government bombing planes, their pilotS flushed with success, followed up their aehievement by seeking "out the Almirante Cervera and bomb' ing her, but they failed to hit the target. A report from Madrid says that the Government destroyer Alsedo seized a rebel steamer off Gibraltar with a cargo of 100 aeroplaue engines and 40,000 rounds' of ammunition.