Posted on 06/09/2008 5:11:47 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Viscount Halifax. The Foreign Secretary, broke short a holiday to return to his post at the Foreign Office as public indignation mounted higher with each new bombardment of a British ship in Spain.
An Insurgent seaplane today bombed and machine-gunned the small British-owned port of Gandia in Spanish Government territory thirty-six miles south of Valencia, sinking a British dredger and destroying other property with thirty well-placed bombs.
Three British ships were damaged yesterday. In a fortnight of such Insurgent attacks, by what many persons here believe are Italian or German manned planes, twelve foreign ships have been sunk or damaged. British protests to Generalissimo Francisco Franco were followed by more raids on British craft in Spanish Government ports.
Some British newspapers concluded that Italian and German fliers in Spain were ignoring General Franco’s orders in continuing to single out for attack ships flying the Union Jack.
It is learned that Great Britain is likely to take the problem up with Mussolini in Rome. There are even unofficial reports that she already has done so. The Italian Premier presumably would be asked to use his influence to have the Insurgents halt the raids and remind them simultaneously of the possibly detrimental effect of the attacks on Italo-British relations.
Even the word “sanctions,” which is now seldom used, was revived during consideration of possible actions to impress upon General Franco the need for “proper respect toward British interests.” Other possible British moves were mentioned. A naval demonstration off Insurgent ports was suggested, but it was pointed out that that would be costly and might have a short-lived effect.
The seizure of a Franco ship whenever a British boat was sunk was considered; but such a scheme, it was said, was not likely to be adopted because of the danger of further reprisals.
Informed quarters, furthermore, pointed out that British ships going to Spanish ports were repeatedly warned by the London government that they did so at their own risk. All in all, the British position was considered an embarrassing one, especially since an Italo-British friendly agreement was signed less than two months ago, on April 16.
Several authoritative London observers believe General Franco can no longer control foreign aviators in his forces. British newspapers have demanded firm action by the government.
GANDIA, Spain, June 8 (AP). – A single Insurgent seaplane wrecked this British-operated Spanish port today. It sank a British dredger and bombed and machine-gunned the port.
British property was damaged extensively, but, there were no casualties. Edwin Apfel, British manager of the port, estimated the damage at about $87,000.
[A Madrid dispatch said a British destroyer was putting into Gandia to investigate circumstances of the attack.]
The plane, believed to be the same that bombed two British ships in Alicante harbor yesterday, dropped abut thirty bombs, five of them hitting the dredger.
Twenty railway cars and a warehouse were destroyed and another warehouse was damaged. The warehouses were machine-gunned, but there were no casualties.
Mr. Apfel said he believed the plane was German-manned. It carried two pilots and was clearly visible in the moonlight. Flying only a few hundred feet up, it circled the port slowly for a half-hour, placing bombs wherever it pleased.
Mr. Apfel said the raid was “a deliberate and brazen attack on British property.”
“The sole aim,” he declared, “was to destroy the port, which British capital established fifty years ago. Incendiary bombs destroyed one warehouse and damaged another.
“I picked up machine-gun bullets all over the harbor. The harbor was never used for anything except legitimate shipping, mainly fruit and vegetables.
[A Madrid dispatch, however, said Gandia had been used for about two weeks as a port of call for British destroyers and cruisers, owing to the frequent air raids on Valencia.]
No casualties were reported, but the British dredger Gandia, the only ship in the harbor, was so badly damaged that it sank today. Wharves, cranes and sheds were wrecked.
The harbor of Gandia, a couple of miles from the town, was constructed fifty years ago by the British Port of Gandia Company.
The white pursuit plane, marked with a black cross on its wings, swooped down over the harbor, circled Fort Socoa and then flew off at high speed in the direction of Insurgent-held San Sebastian. It dropped no bombs.
It is learned that Great Britain is likely to take the problem up with Mussolini in Rome.
Do ya think?
"I say, old chap, this is a bit awkward, but the P.M. was rather hoping we could convince you to have your chaps stop dropping bombs on our ships in port. Feels it’s not the sort of things allies do to one another, if you follow his reasoning. What with certain segments of the public already a bit put out over our new alliance." /bad upper-class British accent.
American League
……………………..Won…Lost…Percentage………Games Behind
Cleve………………...29……15…….659………………….-
N. Y. ………………..24……19…….558………………….4 1/2
Boston……………….24……19........558………………….4 1/2
Wash………………...26……22…….542………………….5
Detroit ………………22……23…….489………………….7 1/2
Chic………………….16……23….....410…………………10 1/2
Phila………………….17……25…….405…………………11
St. L………………….14……26…….350………………...13
National League
……………………..Won…Lost…Percentage………Games Behind
N. Y…………………28……16…….636……………………-
Chic………………….29……18…….617……………………1/2
Boston ………………21……18…….538………………… 4 1/2
Cincin……………….23…….20….....535………………….4 1/2
Pitts………………….21…….20……512………………….5 1/2
St. L…………………18…….24…….429………………….9
Bklyn………………..20…….27…….426………………….9 1/2
Phila…………………11…….28…….282…………………14 1/2
This is a great post; it points out how America WAS different back in the late 1930’s, as evidenced by Major League Baseball. All Major League clubs traveled by train, and even though the use of sleeper cars enabled a team to travel overnight to make it from city to city, you could only get so far in a day by train. Therefore, there were no teams west of St. Louis. There were also no teams in the south. Of course, at that time the bulk of the American population was along the northern half of the east coast and in the midwest. In the south, while there were major cities, heat and disease were still factors, and the widespread use of air conditioning was still a generation away.
To accommodate the “long” trips from Boston to St. Louis, it was attempted to put in stops along the way, such as Cleveland (AL) or Pittsburgh (NL). However, back then, they “only” played 156 games instead of 162, which allowed for more travel days. In addition, the doubleheader was still in common use. So, if the Cards finished up a series with the Cubs in Sportsman’s Park, and then had a game in Philly or Boston, the league could schedule an extra travel day, and then play a doubleheader on Saturday or Sunday.
At this time the PCL (Pacific Coast League) was a semi-independent league on the west coast; I don’t think the teams had a formal affiliation with any major league clubs as a farm system. While some west coast fans considered the PCL a 3rd major league, it was the source of some fine AL and NL players. Joe DiMaggio comes to mind.
You are right about the doubleheaders. Browsing the standings I first thought there must have been an awful lot of rainouts in 1938. Then I realized they were scheduled that way. Most weekends most teams a doubleheader. Today the doubleheader has gone the way of the complete game pitched.
Like everything else it’s a money deal. 2 games for 1 ticket price loses money. So yes, it’s gone the way of the complete game. And, as long as major league games take today, who could stay at the park for two games? I love the game, but that’s a bit long even for me.
Five O'Clock Carlos?
I'll bet a twin bill in 1938 didn't take much longer than one of today's tortuously prolonged contests. Isn't three hours about normal today?
Quoted from Henan Campaign
Having just lost Kaifeng, the Chinese were desperate to slow the Japanese advance. The Japanese now threatened Zhengzhou, an important rail junction linking major cities of Wuhan and Xi'an. Chiang Kaishek and his advisors decided to use the force of nature to stop the Japanese. In the morning of 9 Jun 1938, dikes at Huayuankou were opened. Water of the Yellow River flooded out rapidly, creating a natural barrier between the Japanese and the Chinese, but it also gave residents no time to evacuate the area at all, if they knew to evacuate at all, that is. To ensure no intelligence leaked to the Japanese side to prepare to deal with the flooding, it was decided that the Chinese civilians were not to be warned. Somewhere between 500,000 and 900,000 lives were lost as a result of the flooding, and 54,000 km² of land destroyed, containing millions of homes. The flood waters eventually flowed into the Chia-lu and Huai Rivers, forever changing the course of the Yellow River. What the flood achieved was mediocre at best, slowing Japanese military and logistical movements, but the obstacles were overcome rather quickly.
This ranks 3rd on the list of all times worse floods based on death toll.
Well, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. I guess these deaths don't count as part of the WWII total, since as we all know the war in the Pacific theatre didn't start until 12/7/41.
Lol. Yeah. Personally I have the start of WWII as September 18th 1931 so I would count it. I’m sure this move did not endear the people to the Nationalists. Remember at the same time there is Mao and his People’s Army resisting the Japanese out of their base in Yan’an. Also, Mao himself was born in the Hanan provence.
China stuff ping
The communists were probably being supplied through the British owned port. The British shouldn’t have been whining.
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