SHIPS BOMBED

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20507, 25 May 1938, Page 7

SHIPS BOMBED

DELIBERATE ATTACK BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S PROTEST NO REPLY FROM SPAIN (Official Wireless) RUGBY, May 23 The British Government lias not yet received a reply to the protest which the British Government agent at, Burgos, Sir Robert Hodgson, was instructed to make regarding the deliberate attacks on British shipping in Spanish ports, said the Foreign Undersecretary, Mr n. Butler, in reply to a question in the House of Commons. Mr Butler added that Sir Robert Hodgson had, however, been Instructed to take the matter up further with the Burgus authorities, pointing •ut that in addition to attacks which the British Government had definite evidence to show were deliberately aimed against British ships, there had been a number of recent raid 6 In which British ships had been seriously damaged and life had been lost. as well as cases in which bombs had been • hopped in the close vicinity of British ships lying in harbour. Incidents Must Cease ! \fter considering these incidents | "llectively, t lie British Government | had b<*en forced to conclude that < illior deliberate attacks on British ships were being made or bombs were being dropped haphazard in such a i manner ns !<• cause indiscriminate damage to ships in port. It therefore i considered it had ample ground for insisting that these incidents should crease and proper care should be . exercised by bombing aircraft in selecting their objectives. The British Government was also considering with British shipowners whether any other steps could be taken to avoid damage to British shipping in Spanish Government ports-

INSURGENTS HOLD POSITIONB REPUBLICAN OFFENSIVE FAILS A RAIN OF EXPLOSIVES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received May 25, 12.30 p.m.) SALAMANCA, May 24 The insurgents claim to hold all positions, despite a tremendous Republican offensive lasting three days east of Balaguer by 40,000 troops, supported by forty tanks, eighty planes, fifteen artillery batteries, and several -squadrons of cavalry. The offensive was prepared secretly, the Republicans relying on a surprise, but the plans leaked o*it. The Insurgents held their posts under a rain of explosives, moving only to throw bottles of petrol and hand grenades against the tanks, which gunfire held up. The advancing Republicans met withering machine-gun fire. Those reaching the trenches were knifed. PLANES SHOT DOWN ITALIAN MACHINES LOST GREAT BATTLE OF THE AIR (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received May 25, 12.55 p.m.) BARCELONA, May 24 According to the loyalists the Italians met their aerial masters over Guadalajara, when seventeen of their Fiat machines were shot down over the loyalists’ lines and a Savoia bomber crashed in “No Man's Land.” Nearly two hundred fighters participated in the battle, which lasted an hour and was the greatest of the campaign. The loyalists lost three machines.