Evening star., 1938-03-27
Between 10000 and
10000 Reported
1mperiled.
GOVERNMENT MEN
DECLARED in ROUT
SeabOard CastellOn
Province Invaded
First Time.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Since recapture OF Teruel last
month Spanish inSurgent forces
haze gathered momentum in driue
to reach sea coast and split goU-
ernn'ent Spain. One after another
strategic defense positions hare
oiren Uay before onslaught OF in
surgent thousands, reported to in
ciude large numbers of Germans
and Italians.
BY the Associated Press.
HENDAYE, France. March 27 tSun-
day. .-Embattled government troops
numbering between 10000 and 10000
were reported trapped in the AL
cubierre Mountains early today by
insursent hordes sweeping eastward
toward the Mediterranean.
While insurgent commanders re-
ported government defenders in COM
plete rout' along sections of the
135-mile Aragon front, two insurgent
columns were said to have encircled
the mountains, 25 miles east OF
zaragoza.
At the same time third insurgent
column smashed into rich Castellon
province, hitherto untouched by
Insurgent Generalissimo Francisco
frances fighters.
Siege Laid to Town.
Military advices said insurgent
troops laid siege to Sarinena, Is miles
ncrtn of the Alcubierre Mountains.
Joining forces with motorized
column from Bujaraloz, captured by
the insurgents yesterday.
Garinena has been a base for gov
ernment forces defending elaborate
lcrtifications in the mountains to the
south.
Insurgent dispatches said the entire
sierra was surrounded and that all
villages on the northeastern slopes.
including Lanaja, were now in the
hands of Frances fighters.
Rebels Head for ZOrita.
After storming into Castellon Prov
ince, the insurgents headed for the
village of Zorita, about 40 miles from
the sea.
Gen. Frances forces on the Aragon
front north of the town put on a
forward squirt, while on the southern
front the insurgents reported they
were sweeping forward with little or
no resistance.
South of the Ebro River, the insur-
gents said the government forces we're
in full fight North of the stream
they said in5u. 2ents were in rife
shot of Sarinena. strategically located
between two rivers.
A number of government prisoners
were captured along with materials
which the insurgents said exceeded
our widest hopes"
Loyalists Claim Ell Cardosa.
Government advices said a surprise
offensive resulted in the capture of the
village of Ell Cardosa. south of Recue-
neo on the central Spanish front, 35
miles north of Madrid.
The government report said govern
ment forces continued to the outskirts
VI NAoilICJo uc Id OiSllh. LIS lIOllt is
some distance from the Aragon front
on which the insurgents were advanc-
ing
From the foothills of the Guara
north of Huesca to the
peaks Of the San Juste chain near
Castellote, Frances land and air forces
rammed against government defenses
and crumbling fortifications and
blasted retreating troops.
Cavalry Attacks Penalba.
Cavalry from Zaragoza yesterday
dashed to the outskirts of Penalba, on
the Zaragosa -Lerida highway, the last
line of defense before Fraga, gateway
to Catalonia.
Penalba, east of Bujaraloz, which
fell Friday, is less than 20 miles from
Fraga. Beyond Fraga lies the key
city of Lerida.
North and south of this sector the
insurgents continued their progress,
though hindered in the north by snow
and in the south by rain.
In the north, column operating
(See SPAIN, Page A-40