Barcelona, however, reported this afternoon. that the. Nationalist losses. were extremely heavy during the past few days of Aghting south of Ebro River, 'A Republican pursuit plane attacked by two Nationalist Fiat machines over Corbera brought down one of the Ttollan airplanes, "while the " other tumed back to its base, Republican reports said.
Nationalists attacked Republicans at Portida de Son Juana against Hill 402, They were supported by many tanks and Italian units, but stiff Republican resistance. indicted heavy {esse on the Nationalists and forced them to beat a hasty retreat, a Republican communique announced, Riots between Italians and Spantards continued at San Sebastian ompite most severe measures taken tthe military authorities, reports fom Behobie said, The friction assumed serious prom portions with the Spanish restaurant and hotel owners refusing to serve Italians, the reports said, The ne civil Governor at Guipuzcoa, fear-{ing new complications, "asked for Immediate instructions from Burgos as to how to handle the growing animosity between Spanish soldiers and Italians, the reports. claime United Press, headquarters said today.
Nationalist artillery first mowed down thousands of stunted Mediterranean pines which covered the sier-as, thus making it possible for the infantry to advance easier and clearly, see the Republicans and their posi tions, the Nationalists asserted.
Nationalist pressure in the Ebro sector became especially strong at the 'Sierra de Caballos, north and east of Gandesa, where' three columns operated in the last 24 hours.
Pressure was so furious that the Republicans suffered 1,000. casualties land 800 Republicans" were taken prisoners, the Nationalists claimed.
Republicans put, up stiff resistance! in the mountains, their defences comprising many lines of trenches among the pine-covered land which they surrounded with barbed wire entanglements, Numerous machine-guns also handicapped the Nationalists, The suicide squad of six men, how-lover, smothered most of the blazing machine-guns and then the Nationalists advanced rapidly, the Nat alists said.
The Republicans on several occasions attempted to reply to the in-{tensive Nationalist bombardment but} were unable to hold up the advance lor destroy Nationalist communications because of their weak fire. Most of the Republican heavy artillery ix on the further side of the Ebro River.
A United Press correspondent! through field glasses saw the Nation-Jalists advance. He also saw Republican ambulances in long streams taking wounded to the rear, Several hundred wounded Republi-loans were rescued from the battlefield the Nationalist Red Cross, the Nationalists claimed—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.