GERMANS BOMB LOYALIST ALMERIA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 115, 1 June 1937, Page 7

GERMANS BOMB LOYALIST ALMERIA

-Pre« Assn.— Copyrlght.1

Town Wrecked by Shells ■ Hundreds Buried in Debris DREADFUL SCENES OF DESTRUCTION

6 (B* Teleftaph-

(Jieceived 1, 10.30 a.m.) VALENCIA, May 31. At & reprisal for the bombingr of the German warship Deutschland by Spanish loyalist 'plants yesterday, a German battleship and four destroyers shelled the loyalist port of Almeria for over an hour. At least 36 people were killed, 65 injured and hundreds are missing. Thirty-nine house* were destroyed. Amid scenes of dreadful destruction at Almeria, the •earch of the debris for bodies continues. .. Hundreds more must have been killed but for a false . air-raid warning which last night sent the populace into bombproof shelters where they were still huddled when the bombardment began. The rain of shells rapidly reduced much of the town to ruins. An eye witness says: "When the bombardment ceased there were terrible scenes as f ear-stri«ecen petiple emerged from cellars or hurried to the city from the nearby country. side to search shattered buildings for relatives and friends. Every house is down in one street." Apart from its own population, Almeria was packed with refugees from Malaga.

^ An official communique states ihat the Commandaiit of Almeria reported that a German battleship and four destroyers opened ftre on Almeria without warning', two htindred shots falling throughout the city. Many victims have snccumbed and several buildings were destroyed. Coastal batteries replied ancl the bombardment ceased after 65 minutes. The German fleet then turned, throwing a smoke-screen around it. The Germans also fired on minesweepers, which were hastily beached. The coastal battery apparently hit one of the destroyers. t The Loyalist Cabinet convened npon receipt of the news and Senor Del Vayo was instrucf ed to diseuss the situation with League members, affcer. officially notifying the League of Nations of the bombardment. The commiinique adds that there were ho military objectives in;the town. Britisli present in Almeria during the bombardment ineluded Sir George Yonng, also two nffrses and four ambulance attendants.