DAKAR FIASCO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 October 1940, Page 5

DAKAR FIASCO

MR CHURCHILL’S REVIEW POSITION TRANSFORMED. BY ARRIVAL OF VICHY PARTISANS. Referring to events at Dakar, Mr Churchill said the operations undertaken were primarily French, a 8.8. C. broadcast reports. The Government’s opinion of General de Gaulle had been enhanced by his action under conditions of pe- ‘ culiar difficulty. The whole situation at Dakar had been transformed by the arrival of three French cruisers and three destroyers carrying Vichy partisans of the most bitter type. Obviously, it had been of special importance to prevent these ships from reaching Dakar, but owing to a series of circumstances they were too late to prevent them from passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. The whole affair was the subject of inquiry. The fight at Dakar was rather severe. Two French ‘submarines were sunk, two destroyers set on fire, a cruiser heavily damaged, and the battle-cruiser Richelieu further damaged. One British battleship and a large cruiser were damaged.