TENSION AT DAKAR

Southland Times, Issue 24883, 24 October 1942, Page 5

TENSION AT DAKAR

DARLAN’S VISIT

• (Rec. 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 22. j Tension throughout French ’ West Africa has heightened as j a result of the visit to Dakar of , the Vichy Commander-in-Chief, ; Admiral Jean Darlan, and Marshal Petain’s warning of new dangers threatening. Axis broadcasts are continually em- ■ phasizing the arrival of American troops in West Africa and General Charles de Gaulle’s visit to French Equatorial Africa and the Belgian Congo, which is being linked with alleged accounts of intense British air activity at Gibraltar. Berlin radio tonight said that Berlin political circles attach great importance to Admiral Darlan’s visit to Dakar, which is the most seriously threatened point in the French colonial empire. The radio added that Admiral Darlan was anxious to convince himself of French West African military preparedness and will discuss with the Commander-in-Chief, General Barrau, measures for the protection of Dakar and other parts of the French West African Empire from attack. Admiral Darlan, broadcasting from Dakar, read a message from Marshal Petain to the people of French West Africa: “You demonstrated your devotion to the unity of the empire when in September 1940 under ceaseless attack you offered a victorious resistance, of which unhappy France has still the right to be proud. New dangers today hang over you, while in other parts of the empire heroic defenders are yielding only to superior numbers, knowing their sacrifice will not be in vain when the day of justice dawns. These threats have no shadow of excuse. You will give every aggression the same answer as you did in September 1940. Dakar, for which so many Frenchmen have given their lives in its defence and development, is closer to our hearts on such a day.” The official Vichy Gazette announces that Brigadier-General Jacquot and General Vallat, who is inspector of the Medical Corps, also a colonial governor, M. Parisot, have been retired “in application of the law against secret societies.” M. Parisot was formerly Governor of Senegal. Last year he became Secretary-General to the GovernorGeneral of French West Africa. RAID ON~GIBRALTAR Italian Planes Driven Off LONDON, October 22. An official Italian announcement claimed that Gibraltar was raided last night with visible success, but the official Gibraltar announcement says the Italian raiders were driven off with a heavy barrage. No damage was done. Bombs fell on Spanish territory.