Evening star., 1937-06-12
BILBAO BOMBED,
.|CN|TED BY REBELS
IN BIG OFFENSIVE
Franco Cracks Outer Line
of City's Defenses by
Powerful Attack.
BASQUES RUSH TROOPS
TO CHECK OFFENSIVE
Water Front of Northern Capital
Fired by 1nsurgent Aviators
and Artillery Guns.
BULLETIN.

LONDON, June IL [P.-Great
Britain announced officially to-
night the conclusion of four
power agreement guaranteeing the
safety OF foreign warships parti-
cipating in the neutrality patrol
OF Spain and the return Of Ger
many and Italy to the European
non-intervention fold.
by the Associated Press.
HENDAYE, Franco-Spanish From
tier, June 12.-Bilbao water front
houses were set aflame today by COM
bined aerial and artillery lombard
ment as an 1nsurgent offensive was
reported to have cracked the outer
line Of the city's "last-stand defenses. !"
The aerial attack concentrated on
three objectives-the water front,
militiamen's barracks and water reser-
voirs. Reports said large force of
planes shuttled between their base and
the city. making forays against neigh
boring communities and Basque de-
tense lines also.
Air observers reported Gen. Fran
cisco Francois heavy guns and air
raiders combined to smash Bilbao
with bombs and shells. They said
they could see flames rising from sew
eral houses near the water front along
the Nervion River.
A squadron Of 80 insurgent bombers
droned over Amurrio, Galdacano and
three smaller communities near Bill
bao for II hours, raining bombs on
the towns and machine-gunning de-
fense positions.
1nsurgent headquarters said Gen,
Fidelo Davila's attacking forces oc-
cupied the entire front line Of the
Basques' steel-and- concrete "Maginot''
line-a semi-circle Of intrenchments
eastward from q few miles south OF
Bilbao to few miles north.
Thousands Of Basque reinforce
ments were rushed to the front to
buttress the defense as a desperate
battle spread along Bilbaos encircling
fortihcations.
1nsursent reports said the defenders
at one point, had fallen back to the
second Of three lines in the defense
system.
Basque authorities, however, In
sisted the Iron ring around the city
was not actually broken through at
any point. At the same time, they an
nounced the body Of an insurgent
pilot. shot down yesterday, had beer
identified through documents As that
Of = German.
After almost . week Of inactivity
because Of Spring storms. the In
surgents launched powerful attack,
against Lemona and Galdacano, thei,
aviation benefited by clearing skies.
The insurgent left flank, mean
while, drove toward Cerberio in an
effort to cut the retreat of the gov
ernment forces in Amurrio, further
south Of Bilbao.
One air squadron seemed to con-
centrate on .. row OF villages skirting
Galdacano. the governments most
heavily fortified position, 5 mile.
southeast Of Bilbao.
Defense troops clung to their po-
sitions at Lemona, their main barrier
against an tnsurgent advance into
Galdacano since they lost strategic
Lemona Peak, q natural fortress.
At another vital defense point,
Munguia, on the fortified ring north
east Of Bilbao. insurgent dispatches
said defense forces were being evac-
uated.
The reports indicated the Basques
were retiring under fire as Munguia
was one focal point in the insurgent
attack in force. A prolonged she'll
ing was followed there by rife and
mortar FIRE and continuous trench
warfare.