FRENCH WARSHIPS WHICH HAVE VISITED NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 56, 19 July 1940, Page 2

FRENCH WARSHIPS WHICH HAVE VISITED NEW ZEALAND

INCE the last war several wellknown ships of the French Fleet have visited New Zealand, either for repairs or on goodwill tours. The most recent visitor was the Dumont d’Urville, which arrived from Saigon, Indo-China, only a few months ago, to be present at the Centenary celebrations at Akaroa as the representative of the French Government, Because of the illness of the late Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, the celebrations were postponed, but the warship paid her official visit to Akaroa, taking as passengers from Wellington the French Consul, M, André Pouquet, and Madame Pouquet. After spending a

few days in the south the Dumont d’Urville left again to take up duty on one of the ocean routes. Before the recent tragic circumstances fintervened and forced the British Navy to take action against units of their former companions in arms, a cruiser of the French Navy helped to convoy the ttroopships of the lst Echelon of the Wew Zealand and Australian Expeditionary Forces to Egypt. _ Another French warship, the Rigault de Genouilly, which was recently reported sunk off Algiers, called at Auckland a few years ago. She was a gunboat of the French Colonial service. The Jeanne d’Arc has also paid an official visit to New Zealand within the last two years, spending some days at both ‘Wellington and Auckland. The largest French warship. of recent ears to visit the Dominion was the ourville, a new cruiser. which was making her first world tour. At that

time she was commanded by Commandant Abrial, now an Admiral. He was recently decorated by the British Government for his work during the evacuaation of the Allied forces from Dunkirk. Another French Admiral recently in the news, Admiral Decoux, visited New Zealand some years ago when he was in command of the sloop Cassiopée. Since the German occupation of France he has been appointed the new Governor of French Indo-China. Other French warships and gun-boats to visit New Zealand were the Savorgnan de Brazza, the Admiral Charner and the Aldabaran. Each visit has been a happy occasion for French residents in New Zealand and for New Zealanders who are students of the French language. French Clubs, which are branches of the Alliance Francaise and have a large membership in Auckland and Wellington, always entertained the visiting officers and men and, in return, were entertained in the ships. These visits enabled Frenchspeaking New Zealanders to exercise their knowledge of the language and, similarly, the visitors were able to improve their knowledge of English.