DE GAULLE AT DAKAR

Evening Star, Issue 23690, 25 September 1940, Page 9

DE GAULLE AT DAKAR

OPPOSITION ENCOUNTERED UNARMED EMISSARIES FIRED UN FREE FRENCH SLOOPS ATTACKED NO BRITISH FORCES LANDED (British Oflicial Wireless.) i RUGBY, September 24. (Received September 25, at 9.55 a.in.) There is no truth in the report emanating from Vichy that any British landing at or near Dakar has been attempted. The course of the events which occurred after the arrival of General de Gauße are described in the following communique issued by General de Gaulle’s headquarters in London;— “ Called to Dakar by numerous Frenchmen anxious to continuer to fight at his side, General de Gaulle appeared with French soldiers and sailors before the fortress. The naval authorities at Dakar ordered fire to be opened on General de Gaulle’s emissaries who had come without weapons in a motor launch flying the Tricolour and the white flag. Two of these four emissaries, Captains Dargenlieu and Perrin, were seriously wounded. Later General de Gaulle, having attempted to land his troops peacefully, fire was opened by the Dakar authorities on the French sloops Savorgnan de Brazza, Commandant Duboc, and Commandant Dom. Several men were killed and many wounded. General de Gaulle then withdrew his troops and ships, not wanting to be a party to a fight between Frenchmen.” As regards subsequent developments, it is stated authoritatively that operations are continuing. ACCORDING TO VICHY BRITISH SKIPS SHELL TOWN GOVERNMENT DETERMINED TO DEFEND COLONY LONDON, September 23. According to messages from Vichy, British ships are reported to have shelled the European quarter at Dakar, where there are 3,000 inhabitants, also the native mud-hut city behind the double breakwater. They are also reported to have shelled the radio station, the. Governor-General’s house, an aerodrome at Wakam, 10 miles northwest of Dakar, at which a powerful air force is concentrated, and an important railway junction outside the city. The British ships attacked from the south, coming from Bathurst. They left Gibraltar 10 days ago when it was learned that six French vessels were going to .Dakar. The British remained at Bathurst and. intervened for the first time several days ago when three French warships attempted to go to Libreville from Dakar. The British force is also reported to include an aircraft carrier and four transpots. FIRE RETURNED. Another report from Vichy states that at least 60 have so far been killed and 60 injured in the bombardment. It is reported that sis French warships which recently arrived from Toulon, and also the Richelieu, are returning the British fire. Reports reaching Vichy are scanty because, the Dakar radio station has been damaged. Cabinet met immediately the news was received and decided to reply to ‘ force with force.” The Vichy radio announced that the shelling began after the Governor-Gene-ral had rejected the ultimatum of surrender by General de Gaulle, who is aboard the flagship. It was officially stated later that the attack on Dakar was worse than the one on Oran, and that there was no danger of Dakar becoming German and used against England. The French Government is determined to defend its colonies against all attacks, and ordered the strongest possible military action against the British Fleet in order to preserve Senegal. Dakar is an open town and there are no important land defences, thus it is difficult to reply to the Fleet’s guns, whose shells are falling in the town and port, from which the natives are fleeing. M. Baudouin read a statement to the Press in which he said : “ Those Frenchmen hesitating to consider General de Gaulle a traitor have had their eyes opened. Britain’s action is not a casus belli, and France will not declare war against England. Though wounded, she is still capable of defending herself, replying with blow for blow.” WASHINGTON PLEASED. A Washington report says that officials commented anonymously that they were pleased that, Britain had attacked Dakar in an effort to establish the General de Gaulle regime, because Dakar was regarded as the most likely point from which the Nazis would invade South America. They added that it was a tragedy of fate that France should simultaneously be fighting Britain in Dakar and Japan in Indo-China. GIBRALTAR RAIDED BY FRENCH "REPRISAL FOR ATTACK OK DAKAR” BERLIN, September 24. (Received September 25, at 10.30 a.in.) The News Agency reports that 120 French war planes stationed in Morocco heavily bombarded Gibraltar as a reprisal for the British bombardment of Dakar.

VICHY MESSAGES BOMBING OF GIBRALTAR DENIED 1 VICHY, September 24.' ' (Received September 25, at 11.40 a.m.)’ Admiral Darlan, in an Order of the Day to the French Navy, states: “ Land, sea, and air forces in Africa repulsed the landing attempts, inflicted severe losses on the aggressor warships, and launched reprisals.” One British cruiser is reported to have been badly holed off Dakar. Marshal Petain sent a message to M Boisson, Governor-General of French ■West Africa: “ France is following with emotion and confidence your resistant* against mercenary treason and British aggression.” It is officially stated that the reported bombing of Gibraltar is untrue. No reprisals have so far been, taken, but French reprisals are imminent and will be vigorous. "FRENCH RESISTANCE INTACT '* VICHY'S VERSION OF. ACTIVITIES LONDON, September 24. (Received September 25, at 11.50 p.m.)‘ French sources in Vichy allege tha* a (British attempt to land at (Rufiscue, 25 miles from Dakar, was repulsed. A 1 British admiral is alleged to have issued an ultimatum for the second time demanding the right to land troops, which was refused. The British attempted t» land 2,000 troops, but suffered heavily from the French batteries. It is claimed that the batteries drove off the worships and that French resistance is intact. ' Captain Decourt Foch, grandson of the last war’s Generalissimo, was one of General Do Gaulle’s emissaries at Dakar.