REDS DID NOT FIRE GUERNICA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 5

REDS DID NOT FIRE GUERNICA

-Pfesn Assn.

Franco's Plaiies Were Respoiisible bASQUES WILL REMEMBER

(By Telegtaph-

— Copyrlghi.)

(Received 7, 8.45 a.m.; LONDON, May 6. The' Times' special Bilbao correspon dent categorically declares that the statement "GuernicS was destroyed by Eed ineefidiariee" is falsfl. *'1 was on the spot shortly after the bombing Of the town," he declares. ' ' Eoof s which were still not burnt were a ffiass of bomb-holes and trees Weve injured by bomb-splinters, of which I coilected sev'eral. They were of exactly the saine nietal as those t used by General Mola's German aircraft. "A front line journ&iist acconxpanying ma pickecf up three incendiary bombs, all German and dated 1930. Everyon© dn the town knows that a aumber of women and children were trapped in a bomb refuge. People obviously do enter bomb refuges wheu Eeds are burning the houses abovo them. 1 entered a church burning fiercely which had a hole in the roof where bombs had entered. A priest helping to evacuate poor taking refage there forgot to tell me that anarchists had wrecked the church. ' ' Seeking evidence of the' activities of anarchists, I spent several hours in Guernica. Sniff Wlxere 1 might, I eould not catch the odouf of petrol. The houses were not burnt like those 1 saw at Irun, but shattered through the roofs an£ walla. Nest day I visited a rjxined hospital surrounded by bomb-holes and saw 40 deadjj mostly women, who were killed iiofe by petrol but by bomb wounde. '"When dnaurgents lfcad jotirnalists on a eonducted tour, * theiy may fill in bomb-holes dnd even obligxngly pr'ovide the smell of -petrol, but the fact remains that General Franco's aeroplanes burnt Guernica* The Basquee will never forget." The Times' special correspondent adds that he himself Was machinegdMed by German planes yesterday near some villages which had beeu heavily bombed. The German Ambassador, Herr von Eibbentrop, called on Mr Anthony Eden and protested at what he deecrdbed fes "inCorrect and tendehtiOus allegations in the British Press and House of Commons in reference to the alleged destruetion of Guernica, which, if continued, were bound to have an unfortuhate effect." He added that foreign newspapers conflrmed that Guernica was set on flre by Government sympathisers.