The Washington times., 1936-11-13
SUPPLY LINES
FACE ATTACK
AT SOUTH
Mystery Army Comes
To Aid in Defense
Of Capital
Continued from Page y


defensive. A loyalist communique
stated:
"Our ObjectiveS are being
slowly achieved"
The sky clash occurred when
five insurgent bombing planes ap-
peared over the southern front
about $3.50 q. m. Just as they
dropped a few bombs on loyal1St
positions on the southern side Of
the river, a group Of government
pursuit planes roared out OF the
east.
The cumbersome trimotored
bombers fled, making way for a
fleet of insurgent pursuit planes.
Stage Air Circus
With the crystal-clear skies
forming a background for the
combat, the opposing groups
backed and filled until they
reached a position directly over
the center Of Madrid, where they
split into two sections.
In one group three insurgent
planes faced an equal number OF
loyaliSt machines, while In the
other four insurgent craft op-
posed six government fighters.
Flashes of machine-gun fire were
clearly visible as the gunnerS shot
for vulnerable spots. The loyal
iSt airplaneS seemed faster, but
the enemy craft put on a demon
Stration Of aerial acrobatics which
for q few moments turned the
skies over Madrid into vast and
thrilling circus.
Little by little the loyalist planes
drove their opponents to the west.
AS the scene Of action shifted,
government planes flew so low
over Madrid buildings that OBJ
servers ducked instinctively or ran
to cover.
One Plane Crashes
Directly above the Parque del
Oeste one of the of the gunners
made a direct hit. The occupants
of the disabled plane were seen
to clamor out Of the cockpit with
parachutes, and a few second S
after they got safely away the
plane crashed in flames.
Meanwhile, the other group was
fighting and moving toward the
southwest. Suddenly one of the
planes took a nosedive, crashing
somewhere near the Toledo
Bridge.
People in the streets watched
the fight with tense excitement,
and from my window could see
one group of watchers geSticulat-
ing at the loyalist pilots, shouting
for them to make short Shrift Of
the enemy.
Gen. Antonio Miajo, chief OF
the loyaliSt defense commlSSariat,
told International News Service
q mystery army" moving up from
the south to the relief of Madrid
had already clasl1ed with the
enemy, but he weld not reveal
the site of the battle nor the
source and strength of the "myS-
terry army"
Line Exposed
He indicated, however, that the
main insurgent strength is not
now being concentrated on Ma
drid, but Is fighting to ward off
this fresh threat to its rear, proba-
bly, along the thin line Of COM
munications in the Toledo sector.
The insurgent line is exposed
all through southern and eastern
Toledo province and Madrid prov
ince.
An inSurgent radio broadcast
picked up here admitted that a
loyalist column is advancing north
ward in an attempt to attack the
inSurgent rear and flank.
Insurgents advanced their lines
half a mile nearer Madrid in the
Casa de Campo sector just west
of the capital, but elsewhere the
front remains static.
Heavy loyaliSt concentrations Of
two-centimeter anti-tank guns with
expert crews were said to have
had an important part in check
ing the nationaliStS. General
Miajo told me:
1--WE can hold out at this rate
for q year."
Reconnoitering Madrid airmer
returned with reports Of large
concentrations of troops at Cara
banchel, three miles below the
city.
Under daily bombardment OF
inSurgent artillery, two huge fires
are raging in the western section
of the city, and the Madrid gas
works has been blazing for three
days.
Friday, Thirteenth,