DE GAULLE WITHDRAWS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1940, Page 7

DE GAULLE WITHDRAWS

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

FAILURE OF EXPEDITION

London, September 25. GJ-ENERAL DE GAULLE has decided to abandon his operations for the occupation of Dakar, it was authoritatively stated to-day. It is understood the decision was made because the operations threatened to develop in a direction not envisaged when the expedition was launched. The British force which accompanied General de Gaulle to Dakar to lend him support is now being withdrawn from that region following the general's own withdrawal of troops and ships. This fact was revealed by the Ministry of Information statement detailing the circumstances leading to the expedition. France regards the Dakar episode as closed unless it is reopened by the British, says a statement from Vichy.

The circumstances and events of the past few days have shown that only a major operation of war could secure the fall of Dakar and, as it was never the intention of the British Government or General de Gaulle to cause bloodshed among Frenchmen who feel it their duty to obey the Vichy Government, General de Gaulle and his accompanying forces are withdrawing from the region of Dakar. The Ministry of Information statement detailing the circumstances leading to the expedition says: "General De Gaulle had good reason to believe, from information which had reached him, that a large proportion oi the French population of Senegal supported the free french mow.nit-.u auu wouiu welcome nif arrival, and that a slmilar 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 jauile this support. as mlormation hao reached the Government that German m finance was -"•""-'dinB to Dakar "Meanwhile, while tlie expedition was on its passage, the Vichy Government dispatched three cruisers from Toulon, which passed tlirough Gibraltar and eventually arrived at Dakar. No Hindrance. "It is no part ot the Government's policy to lnterfere with the movements it French men-of-war so long as they are not destined for any ports under German control. For this reason no findrance was put in the way of the vessels in question passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. When, having done ^■■WWW»VW^W>Wi'W^MiV

so, they pursued a southerly course they .-.eif permuteQ to proceea They therefore reached Dakar without tnterference. "When they later put to- sea again, steaming south, it was thought they might be intending to lnterfere with the utuation existing in French Equatorial Afrtca. which had already declared for General de Gaulle. Ships of the Royal .navy tntercepiea their passage ano m.tsted on their reversing their course, vvnich they eventually did, two of them retuming to Dakar and the third, which was suffering engine trouble, being escorted by one of His Majesty's ships towards Casablanca. Emissaries Fired On. "On the morning oi September 23 emissaries of General de Gaulle, flying tnt cricoioux and the white flag, attempted to land at Dakar and met a nostile reception They were fired on and seriously wounded The port batteries opened fire on one of General de .m.iiies warships ana subsequently j;i -ti.- Ma.iesty's ships whlc.h were standing by in order to render General de _rauhe support and assistance if needea "Before returning the French fire the idmiral commanding made the following Ugria.1 tn plain language: 'Will be comjellea to return fire unless fire ceases As the fire of the shore batteries did not :ease, it was returneu and both His Majesty's ships and the shore batteries tcored ' hits and incurred casualties. Fire from the French battleship Richelieu was joined to that of the shore batteries and consequently her fire had to be returned. British Commander's Warning. "The British naval commander warned the French authorities that submarines would be engaged if they left the harbour. In spite of this warning three submarines made attacks on our ships and active measuiies had to be taken against them, with the result that two were sunk, but the entire crew of one were fortunately saved and will be repatriated at the first opportunity. "Ihe rorces oi Generai cie Gaulle atrempted to make a landing which was not successful and when it became plain jhat only a major operation of war could -.ecore all of Dakar it was decided to dlsxontinue hcstilities, as it had never been i.he intention of the Government to enter into serious warlike operations against Frenchmen who felt lt their duty to obey che commands of the Vichy Government. General de Gaulle himsell was most anxious that he should not be the cause of sloodshed to his fellow countrymen. The torces concerned, therefore, are now being withdrawn from the region of Dakar." I