GIJON FALLS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 25, 22 October 1937, Page 5

GIJON FALLS

-Press Assn.-

Asturian Base REBELS ENTER CITY Residents Flee in Panic to Mountains REFUGEE SHIP CAPTURED

Toloprftnh-

-Copyrieht.i

(Received 22, 11.30 a.ra;) SALAMANCA, Oct. 21. The insurgents el&im to have entered Gijon, the last etronghold of the Asturian. loyalists in the north of Spain. Asturians blew up liouses aad tridges. Tho Governor of Bilbao, in a fcroadcast speech, said that the insurgents had entered an almost desertod eity. The residents of Gijon had fled in panic to the mountains. Militiamen had jetrumed and taken refuge in mines and ,were preparing further reeistancw. An insurgent warship captured a ship •arrying 200 refugeee, including Senor Thomas, head of the Gijon Government. General Franco expects to mop up the north iu a fortnight. The completion of opfcrations there will release 45,000 troops and 120 planes. Gijon was heavily bombarded from the sea and air to-day, and the thick-ly-populated quarter was reduced to flaming mina. The insurgents allege that anarchiats pillaged and set flre to the city. A xeport received from St. Jean De Luz says that the British steamer Bramden and a British destroyor have left for Gijon. A message from Bayowie saya that the surviving planes of' the Asturian Air Force are being flown to France to prevent their capture by the insurgents. One crashed into the sea. The passenger* are believed to include leading Gijon politicians. Pending the entry of the main body of the insurgents, advance guards have taken over control of Gijon. The invaderg found houses beflagged with red and gold, the Carlist colours, and also ■aany with white flags. Political hostages were immediately released. Hundreds of Gijon inhabitants, inciuding Asturian leaders, fled by boat as the insurgents encircled the town. Tjrelve hoats were captured by insurgent warships 40 miles from Gijon. The occupants were taken prisoner. The insurgents claim to havo captured 6000 Government troops. BUbao has broadcast an appeal for tnotor lorries and other vehicles to terry food to Gijon. "When the news of the fall of Gijon reached. Oviedo, four battalions of Gov•rnment soldiers who had been besiegjng ihe city for 15 months surrendered, Thus General Franco is practically master of all North Spain. As the re■ult of his victory, General Franco will be able to withdraw large forces from ihe north and concentrate on the strugin- Central Spain, but the Government »l»o has been relieved of the harvassing jnoral necessity of sending valnable materials to the north. Sucli supplies wero a dead loss, as it was reeognised that eventually they would fall into the insurgents' hands.