VICHY REPORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 September 1940, Page 6

VICHY REPORT

ALLEGED LANDING ATTEMPT BY BRITISH FORCES FOLLOWING ON SECOND ULTIMATUM. STORY DENIED IN LONDON. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. French sources at Vichy allege that a British attempt to land at Rufisque, 25 miles from Dakar, was repulsed. The British Admiral is alleged to have issued an ultimatum for a second time, demanding the right to land troops, which was refused. The British attempted to land 2,000 troops, which suffered heavily. The French batteries claimed that they drove off the warships and that the French resistance is intact. Captain De Court Foch, a grandson of the last war’s Generalissimo, was one of General De Gaulle's emissaries at Dakar. A British Official Wireless message states that there is no truth in the Vichy report that a British landing at or near Dakar has been attempted. MESSAGE FROM PETAIN “EMOTION & CONFIDENCE.” BOMBING OF GIBRALTAR DENIED. (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) VICHY, September 24. Admiral Darlan, in an order of the day to the French Navy, states: “The land, sea and air forces of Africa repulsed landing attempts, inflicted severe losses on the aggressor warships and launched reprisals. One British cruiser is reported to have been badly holed off Dakar.” Marshal Petain sent a message to M. Boisson, Governor-General of French West Africa: “France is following with emotion and confidence your resistance against mercenary treason and British aggression.” It is officially stated that the reported bombing of Gibraltar is untrue. No reprisals have thus far been taken, but French reprisals are imminent and will be vigorous.