RAPID ADVANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 January 1939, Page 6

RAPID ADVANCE

DRIVE ON BARCELONA CONTINUES REBELS CLAIM 38,000 PRISONERS NEAR APPROACH TO STRONG FORTIFICATIONS. FRANCO HOPING FOR RISING IN CAPITAL. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) BURGOS, January 17. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Hendaye correspondent states that Geneal-Gam-bara, commanding the Italians in Catalonia, was wounded by shrapnel, but continues to direct operations from a camp bed. Advancing rapidly from Cervera, along the highway to Barcelona, the rebels captured the villages of Pallerols, Guardiolada, Lluida and Agiullo, and are now within ten miles of the big industrial centre, Igualada, which is reported to be strongly fortified. Meanwhile Navarrese and Moroccan troops are cleaning up the Tarragona pocket. They have taken 1,100 prisoners and cut off the west of the city. The number of prisoners taken in the Catalan campaign, checked in concentration camps, exceeds 38,000. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Hendaye correspondent says the fact that a minor revolution occurred after the Nationalist occupation of Tarragona has strengthened General Franco’s belief in the' possibility of a similar rising in Barcelona. The Civil Guards are investigating, the identity and war time record of every citizen in the newly-occupied territory. Lorries are hurrying food to the hungry villagers. MOUNTAIN JUNCTION RETAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS. WIRELESS SETS CONFISCATED. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) BARCELONA, January 17. Government troops recaptured Santa Coloma and also a mountainous road junction south-east of Cervera. In Barcelona it is claimed that the mobilisation of the new conscripts has been completed. The Government, in view of insurgent propaganda by radio, has ordered the confiscation of all wireless sets for the duration of the war.

Senor Negrin was incorrectly reported as having gone to Paris. Instead he conferred with the French Ambassador at Barcelona.