FRANCO MAKING OFFENSIVE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 360, 15 February 1937, Page 5

FRANCO MAKING OFFENSIVE

TOWARDS MADRID ATTACKS REPULSED Desperate Fighting Now Taking Place. Press Association—-Copyright. London. February 1-2. The desperaeness of the rebel advance from Jarama can be gauged from the fact that they hurled 1500 cavalry acrots a Wrecked bridge in a half mile charge across the plain against hills defended by machineguns.

The battle for mastery of the Valencia highway, on which the capital's food supplies depend, continues. The Government claims. 1 that its forces counter-attacked for 24 hours and captured important, positions near Vacia-Madrid and Mount Payres, the booty including two tanks. The insurgents declare they repulsed other counter-attacks, capturing five tanks and three guns. Reports telephoned tonight state that insurgents motorised forces again attempted to force Jarama in the afternoon and were met by withering fire from machine-guns, mortars and rifles. Scores of aeroplanes bombed tanks attempting to force the river. The Government claims to have crashed three insurgent aeroplanes, one, according to the papers, piloted by an Italian, who was killed. The Government acterts that all the attacks were defeatpd after six hours of terrific fighting with heavy losses. Meanwhile General Franco’s forces again took the offensive on other sectors near Mldria, making a special effort to reach the Aragon "highway in the Guadalajara region. Losses Act as Spur, The Madrid correspondent of the Tinies says' that far from being depressed by the fall of Malaga the defenders of the capital were spurred to new efforts. They demand conscription, a single high command ai/1 the cessation of party rivalries in order to present an undivided front. They repulsed attacks at Gas Rozas and Concloa and virtually brought the rebels’ Jarama assault to a standstill. The army which captured Malaga is reported to have included 5000 Moors, 5000 Legionaries, 10,000 Ger mans and 15,00 Italians. The insurgents are advancing from Motril to Alicante. The Bishop of Gibraltar has issued a statement supporting the utility of investigating the complicated issues in Spain, by deprecating the Church of England identifying itself with either tide, and adding that foreign interventionists are exploiting the Spaniards. “General Franco, broadly speaking,” he says, “is with the Spanish Church, which is the true church of the country, despite the notorious' abuses of the Spanish Protestants.” The Pope has sent twb Vatican representatives to Spain, one to each Government, while Burgos' and Valencia have accredited representatives to the Holy See.