Evening star., 1937-06-13
Spain
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
curtain Of heavy barrage and forced
Them to retire.
The insurgents have before them
how no organized line capable Of
hating the march toward Bilbao"
IN insurgent statement said
1nsurgent Gen. Queipo de Llano,
broadcasting from Seville, said Da-
villas troops would reach the out
skirts OF Bilbao today The Basques,
he said, would hold out three days
= ht the most)
Bilbao's defenses were pierced in
two places, the insurgents said, with
the lst Navarro brigade commanded
oy Col. Garcia Valino leading the way.
This brigade was composed Of IS
battalions. Border sources said 10 OF
these were made up of Italian troops,
while four were Carlist battalions.
1nsurgent aviation, communioue
announced, machine gunned the re-
treating Basques along the roads lead
ing to the capital from height Of
only $50 feet, causing great casu-
elties."
Mountain Positions Taken.
1t said Mount Cantoibagas and
Mount Gaztelumendi, heights COM
manding Bilbao, were captured in a
hayonet attack, the Basques abandon
ing great numbers" of dead.
An insurgent broadcast at 10 pm.
last night IS pm, E. s. T) reported
mountain artillery had been placed in
position and bombarded military OBJ
Against the squadrons Of insurgent
3ectives in Bilbao.
Airplanes, which took part in the at
lacks on the Basques, the insurgents
aald there were no government air
planes.
The insurgent drive yesterday was
launched at 3 am. 90 pm, E. S. T.
friday following an unsuccessful
Basque counter-attack.
Four battalions progressed down
Che northern slopes of Mount Flea, Z
miles from Bilbao, to cut off Basques
In Munguia by turning movement.
Insurgents said the troops, paced
by tanks and with their fanks pro-
eected by machine gunners, moved
shead swiftly and dislodged the
Basques from their positions with
hand grenades
After reaching the Munguia- Bilbao
road, column turned south to cut
Through the last defense trenches a
few miles from Munguia, northeast of
Bilbao.
Bilbao Within Range.
The forward movement of Insurgent
Gen. Davila's artillery placed the port
sections of Bilbao within it's range.
IN the waterfront district along the
Eervion River, northwest of the city
proper, houses burned, set alight by
tnsurgent shells or air bombs
The French Navy warned French
mariners Bilbao Port, under shell fire,
was no longer safe.
The Basque government maintained
tteadfastly its iron ring" was holding
Nowhere, declared spokesman, had
the fierce insurgent offensive broken
through. He admitted ground had
been given in the Lemona and LARA
bezua sectors, southeast Of the city,
during Fridays battles, but said the
Basque lines had been Strengthened
bgain during the night.
The spokesman declared Munguia,
Flea, Bedia and Observation-Disclosures
forming a line roughly to miles
east Of Bilbao-still were in the de-
lenders hands, and said this was
proof the iron ring" still was behind
the actual battlefront.
:. All these villages were reported to-
day to have been subjected to terrific
air and artillery bombardment by the
besiegers.
: Deny Call for Aid.
{ The Bilbao spokesman denied re-
ports the Basques had called for re-
1nforcements from Asturias, govern
nent province to the west. There Is
no shortage OF fighting men in Bilbao,
be declared.
Gen. Gamir Uribarri, regular COM
tnander of the Basque army, was d.
secting the defense of the capital, re-
porting frequently to the president of
the autonomous Basque government,
Uose Antonio Aguirre.
In Bilbao it was asserted insurgent
Aircraft dropped $50 bombs yesterday
On the Derio Cemetery, two miles
Fast Of the city, for which it is the
municipal burying ground. Refugees
from Flea, Larrabezua and other viii
lsses behind the eastern battlefront
had concentrated there and many
were killed.