DRAMATIC NAVAL ACTION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 158, 5 July 1940, Page 7

DRAMATIC NAVAL ACTION

British Forced To Fight French

OFF ALGIERS COAST

Commander Refuses To Surrender His Ships

BATTLESHIP ABLAZE

(United Press Association.—Copyright.— Rec 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 4. It is.learnt that British parties boarded all French ships in a south of England port yesterday and took off all the seamen and rounded up Frenchmen quartered in other establishments. It is reported from Berlin that Hitler has given permission to France to sink French ships when neceesary to prevent them falling into British hands. France has ordered French ships on the high seas to halt all British ships and return British fire, says a Geneva report, which states that a battle is also progressing between the British and French at Casablanca. German reports say the battleships Dunkerque and Provence and the flotilla leader Mogodor are on fire. The Berlin radio says the French Fleet at Alexandria has been ordered to attempt to break through and reach Bizerte.

The New York "Herald-Tribune" representative in London reports that the British Navy seized, sank or crippled part of the French Navy in the Mediterranean yesterday, the largest series of actions occurring off Oran. The Admiralty announced at 3.35 a.m. to-day that operations were continuing. Reports from Berlin state that the Italian War Fleet is proceeding under forced draught to the aid of the French off Oran. The British warships which arrived off Mere el Kebir gave the French a six-hour ultimatum and simultaneously magnetically mined the harbour entrance, says another Berlin report.