DAKAR EXPEDITION

Evening Star, Issue 23691, 26 September 1940, Page 10

DAKAR EXPEDITION

BRITISH FORCE BEING WITHDRAWN EASONS FOR SUPPORTING DE GAULLE •BVMLB StYEN BY MINISTRY OF INFORMATION (Srita* Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 25. (Received September 26, at 2 p.m.) It tv as learned to-night that the Britbh force which accompanied General 4e Gaulle to Dakar to lend him support was now being withdrawn from that region following the general’s own withdrawal of troops and ships.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 similar situation might be established there 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 reached the Government that German influence was spreading , to Dakar. Meanwhile, whilst the expedition was on passage, the Yichy Government despatched three cruisers from Toulon, which passed through Gibraltar and eventually arrived at l)akar.lt is no part of the Government's policy- to interfere with the movements of French men-of-war as frag as are not destined for any ports under German control, “ For this reason no hindrance was pat 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, and they therefore reached Dakar without interference. When they later put to sea again, ■teaming, south, it was thought that they might be intending to interfere with the situation existing in French Equatorial Africa, which had already declared for GeneraPde Gaulle. Ships of the Royal Navy intercepted their passage and insisted on their reversing their course, which they eventually did, two of them returning to Dakar and the third, which was suffering from engine trouble, being escorted by one of His Majesty’s ships towards Casablanca. “ On the morning of September .23, emissaries of General de Gaulle, flying the Tricolour and the white 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 Hk Majesty’s ships, which, were standing .by in order to render General de Gaulle support and assistance if needed. Before returning the French fire the admiral commanding made the following signal in plain language:— ‘ Will be compelled to return fire unless fire «nses.’ As the fire of the shore batteries did not cease, it was returned, and both His Majesty’s ships and the «hore batteries scored hits and incurred casualties.” AMERICAN DEFENCES PENALTIES FOR SABOTAGE WASHINGTON, September 24. The House of Representatives passed the Bill providing for a 10,000-dollar §ne and 10 years’ imprisonment for peacetime sabotage of the defence indastries. HOME GUARD CALLED UP WASHINGTON, September 25. (Received September 26, at 12.50 p.m.) President Roosevelt has called up 36,700 additional National Guard, inoloding Hawaiian, units, for a year’s training, beginning October 15. SHANGHAI TRANSPDRT STRIKE INSPIRED BY JAPANESE . SHANGHAI, September 25. (Received September 26, at 11.40 a.m.) The police disclosed that the Japanese are hiring the agitators responsible for the complete disruption of communications. Tramway and bus operators in the International Settlement and Concession have already struck and the taxi drivers are threatening to strike. BRITISH BY-ELECTION HHME MINISTER'S SON RETURNED UNOPPOSED LONDON, September 25. (Received! September 26, at 11.20 a.m.) The Prime Minister’s son (Mr Randolph Churchill), Conservative, was returned unopposed lor Preston, replacing Mr A. C., Seeing (Conservative), deceased. -v *