BOMBING OF BRITISH SHIP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 173, 9 August 1937, Page 7

BOMBING OF BRITISH SHIP

■Presa Assil

Insurgent Tlanes Were , Responsible STRONG PROTEST MADE

fBy Telegraph-

Copyright.1

LONDON, Aug. 7. The offieial report from the British Consul-General at AlgiCrs confirms the earlier report that insurgent 'planes attacked the British Corporal. The Consul states: "The markings on theaircraft indicate that they wero probab^ jly insurgent. A strong proteSt is being made to the authorities at! jpalma." Captain Bovill said; "At 5.15 a.m. a iterrific explosion awakened me. I saw j three aeroplanes flying low and dropjping bombs fore and aft and on the imiddle of the ship. Fortunatoly all Imissed. The 'planes came over a second Itime. "They then dived down 150 fept over the ship and opened a withering machine-gun fire as we were attempting •to take to the boats. Seyeral bnllets icrashed into my cabin and othors struck ihe bridge. The crew xushed below. fNobody was injured." An Algiers report states that it is now learned that the third ship machine-gunned from the air yestefday -iras the French cargo boat Djebel Amour, As a result of ihe attacks thej Algiers Seamen and Dockors' Uilion has! opposed the sailing of any vesselsi lunless they are escorted by a warship. Captain Ferrito and the Dutch non-. intervention' observer aboard thsi jMongioia are at presenb in hoapital,, iThe latter is injured in the righi armbut neither is in a serious cohdition. It is st&ted that the black 8t, Andrew's cross with which the attack-1 ing 'planes were marked is one of the signs used by Franco. It is carried on the rudders or seaplanes of the rebel forces based in Morocco. The cross is also painted, with. other Fascist omb* Iems, on the gun turrets of rebel war•ships. A Valencia Government commtinique states that the British Corporal and Mengioia were bombed by Franco's 'planes in mistake for two Govirhment ships trAversing the same route, which the rebel espionage service nad report,cd, but they had already reached port fwell protected.