FRENCHMEN ARE CONFIDENT

Southland Times, Issue 24241, 26 September 1940, Page 7

FRENCHMEN ARE CONFIDENT

Support For General In Africa (United Press Assn.—-Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 25, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. General de Gaulle’s headquarters in a statement said that Dakar’s guns had not ceased firing on the French forces and British ships since the start of the operations. General de Gaulle’s supporters are confident that the action will eventually produce a rally to the general throughout French Equatorial Africa. The following communique was issued: “Even after the armistice there were manifestations that French West Africa

favoured a continuance of war. These manifestations reached such proportions that the Vichy Government substituted the Governor-General (M. Boisson) for the Governor (M. Cayla). “German and Italian officers who have been going to Dakar since July assumed control of the air bases. New German infiltrations have occurred since August. The Germans intended to re-establish the air line through Dakar to South America.

“Dakar is the air key-point. It has an ultra-modern aerodrome at Ouakam, an aerodrome at Hanne and also one further inland, a military aerodrome at

Thyes, and two military aerodromes at St. Louis. Moreover, Dakar is the railhead for the railway to Nigeria and is most important from the viewpoint of telegraph communications. “French West Africa’s commerce has been paralysed since the armistice, resulting in great suffering, particularly regarding food. It was therefore necessary to aid the population by freeing the port of the merchandise lying.there and feeding the European and native populations. General de Gaulle, therefore, with forces of every military, naval and aerial kind, sailed in French ships under the French Ensign escorted by battleships of the Free French Navy. British naval forces attended merely to assure supplementary protection against air attack which Germany might have inspired, and did not participate. . “In spite of the desire of the population the local authorities rejected General de Gaulle’s ultimatum and opened hostilities, firing on three ships, the Savorgnan de Brazza, the Commandant Duboc and the Commandant Don Hanoi.”