“ONUS ON FRANCE”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 248, 27 July 1940, Page 5

“ONUS ON FRANCE”

WAS NOTIFIED OF SAILING.

SINKING OF THE MEKNES

GERMANS MAKE! STATEMENT

United Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, July 26.

Britain notified the Retain Government of the sailing of the Meknes and the onus therefore devolved on France to notify Germany. This, obviously, was not done.

The German radio, blaming Mr Churchill for the sinking of the Meknes, says: “Mr Churchill’s latest propaganda trick is too transparent, for every shipping register shows that the steamer Meknes is of only 6000 tons. Therefore, it cannot he identified with the 18,000 ton steamer mentioned in yesterday’s German communique. It was sufficiently known in London that German proposed to treat all ships flying the French flag as enemy.”

MISSING NAVAL PERSONNEL.

NINE OFFICERS; 374 RATINGS. WOMEN AMD CHILD RESCUED. (Received This Day, 10.15' a.m.) * LONDON, July 26. More accurate information giving the numbers of French naval personnel rescued from the Meknes is now available. As far as is known the vessel carried 90 French naval officers. 1090 ratings, two women and one child. The ship’s crew consisted of nine officers and 90 men. Ninety-nine officers, 7C6 ratings, two women and one child were landed at British ports after the vessel sunk, leaving nine officers and 374 ratings not accounted for. It is possible that some of these survived, as the ship’s boats were seen making for the French shore, which some may have reached. —British Official Wireless.

WANTON OUTRAGE. MANY SURVIVORS WOUNDED. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, July 26. The newspapers condemn as a peculiarly wanton outrage the sinking oi the French liner Meknes. Of those on. hoard, 125 officers and 41 men arc now in hospitals in England, and the rest of those saved are being cared for 'in Naval establishments. It is believed that there may he other survivors who reached the French coast, as men were seen swimming in that direction. One survivor said that many men had to jump into the sea. Those in the lifeboats threw overboard their life-bolts in the hope that the swimming men would reach them. Bullets were striking the water while the men were still swimming for their lives. Of the 950 survivors from the Meknes landed at Weymouth, 150 who were seriously injured were taken to hospital.