WAR IN CATALONIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1939, Page 5

WAR IN CATALONIA

REBELS NEARING FRENCH FRONTIER MORE TOWNS OCCUPIED. RESISTANCE OF LOYALISTS OVERCOME. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. BURGOS, February 4. The nationalists have occupied Girona and San Feliu de Guixols. A motorised Navarrese column, preceded by tanks and aided by a mixed legionary brigade easily overcame the loyalists’ resistance and found Girona in confusion. The rebel advance guard is 19 miles from the frontier.

AIR BOMBING SEVEN HUNDRED KILLED AT FIGUERAS. MANY BUILDINGS DESTROYED. PERPIGNAN, February 5. Six rebel air raids killed 700 at Figueras and destroyed many buildings. Refugees quadrupled the population and therefore shelters were inadequate. People are streaming out to the countryside in all directions.

The loyalist Government is leaving for Valencia.

STRUGGLE ABANDONED tHlf PRESIDENT IN FRANCE. GOVERNMENT TRANSFERRED TO MADRID. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, February 5. The British United Press Perpignan correspondent says the autonomous Catalonian Government has abandoned the struggle and now the Catalonian campaign has virtually ended. President Azana has arrived here en route to Paris, and other Ministers have already left for France. President Azana states that he is going to Paris in order to urge the British and French Governments to alleviate the suffering of Republican soldiers and civilians. He added that communique will be issued shortly, announcing transfer of the Government from Figueras by air to Madrid, and his own departure to France. It is understood that the evacuation of Figueras was ordered after Senor Negrin’s departure. PLANES INTERNED. AFTER LANDING IN FRANCE. ‘(Received This Day, 9.25 a.m. PARIS, February 5. Twelve Loyalist chaser planes landed at the Salvaza aerodrome and the French authorities took them over. SHORTAGE OF ARMS DEFENCE OF BARCELONA IMPOSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO DEL VAYO. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) FIGUERAS, February 5. A republican communique states 300 were killed and 800 wounded in continuous air raids on February 4. Senor Del Vayo said: “I have not lost hope. It was impossible, owing to lack of arms, to carry out resistance at Barcelona. We had whole regiments who could have vigorously counter-attack-ed the exhausted nationalists, but we needed 100,000 rifles and 3000 machineguns. MINISTERS DEPART TRAVELLING TO MADRID BY AIR. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) PARIS, February 5. The Prefect of Perpignan announced that Senor Negrin and his ministers have left Figueras for Madrid by air.