ITALIANS IN SPAIN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 402, 8 April 1937, Page 5

ITALIANS IN SPAIN

RECENT LANDINGS. STATEMENT CONFIRMED. Rebel Planes Driven Off By British Ships. Press Association —Copyright. Received 11 a.m. London, April 7. The Spanish Embassy in London has issued a statement confirming the report that 10,000 Italian troops landed at Cadiz between March 22 and 24. Rebel warships stopped! the foodiaden British steamer Thorpe Hall outside Bi bao, but. -sheered off when the destroyers Beagle and Brazen eped (o the rescue with gun crews at their stations, states the Bilbao correspondent of the Times*. The Thorpe Hall Was similarly stopped a week ago, but took refuge at Gibraltar, whence she sailed, undei the escort of the destroyer Gipsy. - Rebel aeroplanes' from. Majorca twice ineffectually bombed the Brili«h destroyer Gallant, mistaking her for a- Government warship. The Gallant drove off the attackers with antiaircraft gunfire. A message from Valencia says that the rebel planes which attacked the Gallant dropped eighteen bombs over a period of three hours. The destroyers rescued the Thorpe Hall as a result of the efficiency of wireless communication.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE. Press Association —Copyright. Received 1.5 p.m. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, April 7. In the first attack on the Gallant, a single bomber, operating at about 10,000 feet, dropped six bombs, of which one fell about 100 yards from the destroyer. The vessel immediately opened antiaircraft fire and the bomber withdrew. Later, two boiftlbers, flying at about 8000 feet, dropped nine bombs in the neighbourhood of rhe Gallant. The destroyer altered her course at a high speed and opened fire. There was no damage done..