TRAIL OF DEATH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 7

TRAIL OF DEATH

RETREATING LOYALISTS ROAD TO FRANCE MARKED BY BODIES [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Feb. 6, 5.35 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 6. The Daily Herald’s Figueras correspondent says that a great trail cf deatn runs to France. One hundred and fifty bombing planes have Been swiftly annihilating the weary refugees and retreating loyalists. Figueras is a great cemetery. The hospital has been demolished and the railway station is a shambles of 3f 0 dead. The river is full of bodies. The Daily Herald’s Leperthus correspondent says that squads of 15 to 30 bombers attacking simultaneously, surpassing even Guernica, destroyed a dozen refugee-crowded villages. The Francoites, when Sea de Urge! fell, marched 150 officers and men into the square and machine-gunned them as anarchists.

Many hours of street fighting preceded the fall of Gerona, the troops blowing up the bridges as they retreated.

The Daily Telegraph's Leperthus correspondent says that the 117th loyalist brigade, which tried to stem the rebel advance to Berga is falling back to Puigcerda and the Anarchist Derruti column is retreating thi’/ier after the fall of Seo de Urgel. Twelve thousand loyalist troops without munitions and almost without food are cut off in a triangle between Andorra Seo de Urgel. France has established dressing stations along the frontier and has taken at least 85.000 refugees. The Daily Telegraph’s Paris corresoondent says that the International Child Refugees Committee is increasing the number of children fed from 60.000 to 600.000. A Cartegena message says that the sixth Italian bombing raid killed 40. including two seamen from a British ~hip, and wounded 60 CASUALTIES ON BRITISH SHIP Received Feb. 6, 10.30 p.m. CARTAGENA, Feb. 5. A British cook on the steamer Emerald Winds was killed and an Arab fireman injured in an air raid on the port. LOYALIST PLANES LAND SAFELY Received Feb. 6. 9.30 p.m. PARIS, Feb. 6. Eighty-five loyalist planes landed safely in France. ITALIANS WITHDRAWN FROM FRENCH FRONTIER Received Feb. 6, 9.20 p.m. PERPIGNAN, Feb. 6. I General Franco has withdrawn the Italian Littorio Division from the ■ frontier section of Catalonia in order to allay French anxiety. MILITIAMEN DESERT TO REBELS Received Feb. 6. 10.20 p.m. HENDAYE, Feb. 6. Eighteen hundred republican militiamen deserted and crossed the frontier at Irun, where they joined up with the nationalists.

CONFERENCE DECISION ENTRY TO FRANCE TROOI’S AND REFUGEES LONDON, Feb. 5. A message from Le Perthus state.: that a conference of French and Spanish representatives decided that after the clearing of civilian refugees from the frontier loyalist troops would be allowed to enter France and be sent to a concentration camp at Argeles. Later the frontier was opened and 1600 Spanish troops crossed in single file down a lane of 400 French infantrymen, the foremost of six barriers of 1500 who searched and relieved the troops of their arms. A Spanish colonel, before the first battleworn soldiers crossed, said: “Henceforward you will obey Frenchmen’s orders. Do you accept?” The response was a mighty roar, “Si.' The Perpignan correspondent of the British United Press says that a detachment of the International Brigade, and 1200 women and children, crossed in the evening. The remainder of the loyalist army will begin to pass over the frontier to-morrow.