CLASH WITH FRENCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1941, Page 5

CLASH WITH FRENCH

REPORTED OCCURRENCE IN MEDITERRANEAN CONVOY TURNED BACK. BATTERIES AND PLANES ATTACK BRITISH SHIPS. A clash has occurred in the Mediterranean between the British and French, according to a 8.8. C. broadcast this morning. A convoy of four French ships, carrying important war material, was intercepted by British warships, which were fired on by French shore batteries on the African coast. The British ships, in their own interests, were compelled to return the fire, and, under the circumstances, would have been entitled to sink the French ships, which were allowed, however, to enter a nearby French port. When returning to their base, the British warships were attacked by French bombers without suffering damage or casualties. ADMIRALTY REPORT BRITISH LIGHT FORCES INVOLVED. OPPOSED IN EXERCISING SEARCH. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, March 30. An Admiralty communique states: “An incident occurred this morning between some of our light forces and French shore batteries in Algeria. Reports had been received that a convoy of four French merchants ships, escorted by a French destroyer, was due to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar and that the convoy carried important raw material for Germany. “Accordingly orders were given for the interception of the convby, which, however, passed through the Straits within Spanish territorial waters. Our forces caught up with the French ships after they had left Spanish territorial waters and called upon them to halt, so that the normal procedure of a visit and search might be carried out. French shore, batteries in the vicinity then opened fire on our ships, though they were merely engaged in the exercise of the legitimate belligerent right of British ships. The ships were compelled to reply in their own defence and hits were 'observed on the shore batteries. In view of the action taken by the French batteries, our warships would have been fully justified in firing on the French merchant ships and their escort, but in the in. terests of humanity they did not do so and the merchant ships succeeded in entering the nearby French port of Nemours. During the return of our forces to Gibraltar, they were twice attacked by French bomber formations, but without suffering damage or casualties.