DANGEROUSLY NEAR THE ROYAL OAK

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 351, 4 February 1937, Page 5

DANGEROUSLY NEAR THE ROYAL OAK

SPANISH 'PLANE DROPS BOMBS CLOSE TO BRITISH BATTLESHIP. *

NAVAL AND AIR ENGAGEMENTS IN SPAIN.

GERMAN SHIP ACCOMPANIES REBEL NAVY

(Press Association—Copyright.) Received 11.30 a.m. LONDON, February 3. The captain has reported to the Admiralty that a Spanish ’plane dropped three bombs near the battleship Royal Oak off Cartagena on February 2. Britain is expected to lodge a protest, but a further report is awaited because it was not stated whether it was an insurgent or a Government ’plane. It is reported at Gibraltar that the ’plane belonged to the insurgents. A Madrid message states that the Royal Oak incident apparently occurred in the course of great Government and rebel activity on the south coast of Spain. A Government ’plane bombed the rebel cruiser Canarias, and later scored numerous hits on a concentration of rebel motor lorries at Marbella. Rebel seaplanes attempted to bomb the Spanish merchantman Delfin aground following a submarine attack. Government ’planes drove them off. Rebel cruisers bombarded the coast near Malaga and returned to Alegciras, accompanied by the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee.