Evening star., 1937-07-07
MADRID FORCES
TRY T0L|FT SIEGE
Sudden Drive Attempts to
Roll Up FIanks of In
trenChed Foe.
D, the Associated Press.

D, the Associated Press.
HENDAYE, Franco-Spanish From
tier, July IA strongly reinforced
government army struck at the in
surgent left flank west of Madrid to-
day in sudden effort to lift the
eight-month-old siege of the capital.
A Madrid communique said the in
surgent position on the new front was
very precarious."
Gen. Jose Miaja's government army,
with a salient extending Is miles
west of the beleaguered capital past
insurgent siege positions. appeared to
be trying to flank or roll up the flank
OF its intrenched foes.
An official communique in Madrid
said a very hard" battle was under
way around Villanueva de la Canada
and Quijorna and that strong insur-
gent reinforcements had been hur-
riedly brought up. The government
claimed capture of strategic Brunette
with detachment of its defenders
Town Reported Taken.
A later communique reported gov
ernment seizure Of Villanueva de la
Canada, about three miles north of
Brunette, following vigorous, simul-
taneous attack by besieging forces"
Capture of these two towns, due
west OF Madrid, may enable Miaja to
squeeze besieging forces on the west
ern edge of the capital between his
outlying troops and his Madrid posi-
tions, possibly beating off the siege
in that sector
An lnsurgent communique confirmed
the government attack on Brunette, but
asserted 'our reinforcements sur
rounded small enemy column and
turned the battle to our advantage"
Brunette was bombed from the air
early yesterday, preparatory to the
governments drive. Two German
made insurgent planes were reported
by the government to have been shot
down in flames in an air battle at Ma
valcarnero, a few miles south Of
Brunette
Miaja's communique said:
THE enemy rear guard lines close
to Madrid displayed very great ac-
tivity to come to the aid of those
forces which are being beaten by US
and are retreating and those of others
which find themselves in a very pre-
earious situation
Mass on Teruel Front.
Meanwhile, government observers
reported to Valencia, temporary seat
Of the Republican government. that
large forces of insurgents with Moor
1sh allies were massing on the Teruel
front, northwest of Valencia.
This indicated an impending mass
offensive against Valencia from that
sector-a move long planned by in
surgent strateglsts as a means not
only of besieging the temporary cap
ital, but also of cutting off autono-
NOUS Catalonia from the rest of gov
ern-held Spain.
Government forces were reported
to have staged intense attacks in all
sectors of the Granada front in
Southeast Spain yesterday.
A dispatch from Seville. southern
1nsurgent headquarters, said an in
fantry force aided by seven tanks cap
tured position at Alcala la Real, %
miles northwest of Granada.
The insurgents, however, reported
they counter-attacked and recovered
the lost ground. capturing two dis
abled tanks and many prisoners In
surgents were said to have stormed
gun emplacements at Lanjaroon, de-
stroying several field pieces.
An insurgent communique report
ed more than l,600 government mi
lltlamen were killed in an attack. but
the statement did not locate the op-
Grafton.
On the Madrid front more than l6
government planes were shot down
It was asserted.