DUNKERQUE BOM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1940, Page 5

DUNKERQUE BOM

FURTHER BRITISH ACTION AT Ensuring Battle-Cruiser Shall Not Be Used By Enemy FALSE REPORT ISSUED FROM VICHY BOGUS STORY OF ACTION OFF CRETE (By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, July 6. A British Admiralty communique states: “As a result of the action at Oran on July 3 the French battlecruiser Dunkerque was damaged and driven ashore. The extent ol tne damage is not known, but it is considered essentia ia ie Dunkerque should be in no condition to take part m t ie vat in case she should fall into the control of the enemj. -t .ei the engagement on July 3 the French commander, J c mira Gensoul,' signalled that his warships were hors de coinbat, and that he was ordering the personnel to evacuate the ships. n view of this statement by Admiral Gensoul it is not considered necessary to give warning before carrying out further operations against the Dunkerque.” Planes of the Fleet Air Arm, the Admiralty announced, attacked the Dunkerque this morning and registered six hits. Two of the planes failed to return. A message from Vichy says the French Admiralty announces that"the French destroyer Frondeur was sunk by two British cruiser's after a two-hour battle off Crete. A- Greek steamer rescued part of the Frondenr’s crew. It is authoritatively stated that there is not a fragment of truth in this report from" Vichy which is a particularly unscrupulous example ol: propaganda aimed against Anglo-French relations. According to another message the French Admiralty announces that the colonial gunboat, Piigault de Genouilly, was torpedoed without warning off Algiers by an unidentified submarine, and the fate of the crew was unknown. Shanghai reports that the British Consul there, as a precautionary measure, has suspended the clearance papers of British ships scheduled to sail for Tndo-China, as a result of orders to the French by Marshal Petain to fire on British ships off French territory. Though it was reported yesterday to have been announced officially at Vichy, the seat of the Petain Government, and also at Berlin, that France has decided to break off diplomatic relations with Britain as a result of the naval battle at Oran, Britain still has not received any communication from France concerning - the rupture in relations. A message from Alexandria states that conversations between the commanders of the French warships there are still in progress, and it is believed in British circles that the French will shortly accede to the British demands. It is understood that the French admiral has been given extended time to make the decision. SHIPS AT ALEXANDRIA Demobilisation Reported CAIRO, July 7. ' Colonel Salisbury-Jones, who was formerly the chief liaison officer in Syria, in a broadcast said: “Thanks to the bonds of friendship between the British and French crews demobilisation of the French fleet at Alexandria has been carried out without difficulty and in a spirit of complete comprehension.” REPORT NOT CONFIRMED (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, July 7. There is no confirmation of the Cairo report that the French fleet at Alexandria has been demobilised. “VICTIMS OF ASSASSINS” Admiral Darlan’s Denunciation (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) VICHY, July 7. Admiral Darlan, in an Order for the Day, condemns the British action at Oran as a cowardly attack and adds: “I salute my comrades who met death for their country. They would doubtless have preferred to die in loyal combat instead of as the victims of assassins. The British sailors- were made to carry out the duly premeditated assassination by Messrs Churchill and Alexander and Admiral Sir D. Pound.”