Surprise Move In Dakar Action

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 26 September 1940, Page 8

Surprise Move In Dakar Action

PROJECT ABANDONED May Develop In Directions Not Envisaged At Start

(British Official Wireless—Rec. 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 25. It was learned to-night that the British force which accompanied General de Gaulle to Dakar to lend him support is now being withdrawn from that region, following General de Gaulle's withdrawal of his own troops and ships. This fact was revealed by the Minister of Information in a statement detailing the circumstances leading to the Dakar expedition, which says:— General de Gaulle had good reason to believe, from information which reached him, that a large proportion of the French population in Senegal supported the free French movement and would welcome his arrival, and that a situation might be established there similar to that which exists in French Equatorial Africa. He therefore proposed to Britain that he should proceed there with some of the troops at his disposal, with the goodwill and' support of Britain. € Britain was all the more ready to afford General de Gaulle this support as information had reached the Government that German influence was spreading to Dakar. Whilst the expedition was on the passage, the Vichy Government dispatchcd three cruisers from Toulon, which passed through-Gibraltar and eventually arrived at Dakar. It is no part of the Government's policy to interfere with the movements of French men of war as long as they are not destined for any ports under German control. French Warships Slopped. For this reason no hindrance was put in the way of the vessels in question passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. When, having done so, they pursued a southerly course, they were permitted to proceed. They therefore reached Dakar without interference. When they later put to sea again, steaming south, it was thought that they might be intending to interfere with the situation existing in French equatorial Africa, which already had declared for General de Gaulle. "Ships of the Royal Navy intercepted their passage and insisted on their reversing course, which they eventually did, two of them returning to Dakar. A third, which had engine trouble, was escorted by one His Majesty's ships towards Gasablanca. On the morning of September 23 emissaries of General de Gaulle, flying the tricolour and wfiite flag, attempted to land at Dakar and met with a hostile reception. They were fired on and seriously wounded. The port batteries opened fire on one of General de Gaulle's warships and subsequently on His Majesty's ships, which Were standing by in order to render General de Gaulle support and assistancejif needed. • ... '*• 3**')s' ''s&Cffi "iSi,m. Before returnihg tHe French fire the adrniral commanding made the following signal in plain language: 'Will be compelled to return fire unless fife ceases.' As the fire of the shore batteries did not cease, it was returned and both His Majesty's ships and ' the shore batteries scored Hts and incurred casualties."