MINOR CLASH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1942, Page 3

MINOR CLASH

OFF THE ALGERIAN COAST REPORTED BY VICHY. MORE “HOSTAGES” SHOT IN PARIS (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 19. A Vichy communique states: "A British seaplane flew over Algerian territorial waters at 9 a.m. yesterday. One of our fighter patrols went out to halt it in conformity with international law. The British plane opened fire, and our airmen replied, forcing it down at sea. “A British torpedo-boat opened fire on two French ships which were proceding to the rescue of the personnel and then destroyed the seaplane by gunfire. At the same time the antiaircraft guns of the torpedo-boats opened fire on the French fighter patrol, which succeeded in bringing down a second British plane. One French plane is missing.” No statement on this has yet been made in London. The Free French headquarters in London state that M. Rene le Gall, secretary of the Labourers’ Union, of the Seine et Oise Department, was among hostages who have been shot in Paris. He refused to have his eyes bandaged and shouted “Vive I’Angleterre! Vive de Gaulle!” before being shot. The German authorities in Paris announced that five Jews have been shot for attacks which were made on German soldiers on May 10. An article in the Paris newspaper “Le Matin” states that because of British intervention since the armistice France has lost about 1,200,000 square miles of territory containing 10,000,000 people. The French naval losses have totalled 650,000 tons seized, 73,000 tons sunk, and 183,000 tons blocked in ports.