APPEAL TO SEAMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1940, Page 6

APPEAL TO SEAMEN

MADE BY VICE=ADM!RAL MUSELIER SAVING HONOUR OF FRENCH FLAG. NO OBLIGATION TO TRAITORS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon). LONDON, July 4. Vice-Admiral Muselier has issued a further statement calling on French warships to save the honour of their flag. He said he hoped that every French naval commander would blow up his ship rather than surrender to the Germans. “French naval vessels in British ports are still flying the French flag, but are disarmed,” the Vice-Admiral continued. "I aim at saving the honour of the French naval flag. I am going to co-operate to the utmost of my ability and strength.” In a broadcast appeal to the French Fleet. Admiral Muselier declared that members of the Navy must obey their ships’ commanders. They were free from any duty to men who had decided to surrender the fleet without fighting. Admiral Muselier is forming a battalion of marines. M. Labarthe revealed that he came to England with a shipload of copper worth over a million sterling. He refused to carry out certain work for the Bordeaux Government and escaped to England when in danger of arrest. Many eminent French scientists, chemists and engineers accompanied M. Labarthe. It is authoritatively stated that a number of modern bombers are included in French planes in Britain.