FRENCH IGNORE BRITISH ULTIMATUM.

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

FRENCH IGNORE BRITISH ULTIMATUM.

DRAMA AT ORAN.

Admiral Makes Fateful

Decision.

REFUSAL TO YIELD. British Official Wireless. (Received 2 p.m.) KUGBY, July 4. Mr. Churchill, continuing his speech, told what he described as the "most serious part of the story," relating to portion of the French Fleet at Oran, and adjacent to Mers el Kebir, on the French frontier of Morocco.

"Yesterday morning a British officer went to the French officer, Admiral Gensoul, and, being refused an interview, put before him a document, the operative paragraphs of which Mr. Churchill read.

"The fleet was asked to comply with one of three alternatives: Firstly/to sail with us and continue the fight against the enemy; secondly,to sail with reduced crewe under British control to a Britieh port; thirdly, to sail the French ships to some French j>ort in the West Indies, where they could be demilitarised, or perhaps entrusted to the United Sfatee.

"If these offers were refused within six hours the Admiral wae requested to sink his ships, failing which whatever force was considered necessary to prevent the ehips falling into German and Italian hands would be taken. A battle squadron under the command of ViceAdmiral Somerville arrived at Oran two hours after the handing over of the document."

Mr. Churchill then gave detaile of the ! encounter which followed Admiral Gensoul'e refusal to comply and the announcement of his intention to fight. Mr. Churchill said the Dunkerque, which slipped away towards Toulon and suffered at least one hit from a torpedo, would be out of action for many months. Italian Turn Next. "The Italian Navy, for whose reception we had also made preparations, and which ie considerably stronger numerically than the fleet we used at Oran, kept prudently out of the way. How-' ever, we trust their turn will come during the operations we ehall pursue to secure effectual command of the Mediterranean." The British Fleet, lie added, was in all military respects intact and ready for further action. Turning to the Mediterranean,, Mr. Churchill said there were at Alexandria, where a strong British fleet was lying, four French cruisers and a number of smaller ships, besides French battleship*. "These have be«n informed that they cannot be permitted to leave the harbour to fall within the power of the German conquerors of France," he eaid. "Negotiations and discussions have taken place, and measures have now been taken to ensure that those'ships, which are commanded by a very gallant admiral, shall be sunk or otherwise made comply with our wishes.

'"The. anguieh that this process has naturally caused the British and French officers concerned may readily he imagined when I inform the House that only this morning during an air laid on Alexandria some of the French ships fired heavily and effectively with us against the common enemy.

"We shall, of course, offer the fullest facilities to all French officers and men at Alexandria who wieh to continue the war, and will provide for the.m and maintain them. We.have promised to repatriate the reet."