FRENCH WARSHIPS PASS GIBRALTAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 14 September 1940, Page 10

FRENCH WARSHIPS PASS GIBRALTAR.

OUTWARD BOUND

Believed Rallying To Cause

Of de Gaulle

t'niled Press Association. —Copyright. (Reed. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 13. A message from Gibraltar says British navaJ authorities confirm that tho French cruisers Gloire, Montcalm, Georges Leygues and the destroyers L'Audacieux, Le Malm and Le Fantasque passed into the Atlantic from the east,.

Thc.il' (lostinntion whs not disclosed, but it is. believed they are rallying to Genera! de Gaulle.

According to a Vrcnch report 011 July 7, "ilvo cruisers of. the' Georges Leygucs class, a number of destroyers and soveral submarines," escaped from Oran and reached the Frcnch Mediterranean naval base of Toulon. This report was made in the course of a claim concerning tho ships which escaped from Oran undamaged.

The cruisers of the class are named Gloire, Marseilles, Montcalm, Georges Leygues, Jean de Vienne and La Galissonniere. All fexcept the last-named were built in 1935 or 1936. They are of 7600 tons, mounting nine Gin guns.

The three destroyers named are of the Fantasque class, and formed , part of 1930 building programme. They were launched in 1933-34. They are of 2569 tone' displacement.