French Guns Fire On British Ships

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 76, 31 March 1941, Page 8

French Guns Fire On British Ships

ALGIERS BATTERIES Vichy Destroyer Escorts Convoy With Goods For Nazis (British Official Wireless. — Reed, noon.) RUGBY, March 30. An Admiralty communique states: "An incident occurred this morning between some of our light forces and French shore batteries in Algeria. "Reports had been received that a convoy of four French merchant ships, escorted by a French destroyer, was due to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar and that the convoy carried important raw material for Germany. Accordingly orders were given for the interception of the convoy, which, however, passed through the Straits within Spanish territorial waters. "Our forces caught up with the French ships after they had left Spanish territorial waters and called upon them to halt so that the normal procedure of visit and search might be carried out. French shore batteries in the vicinity then opened fire on our ships though they were merely engaged in the exercise of legitimate belligerent rights. The British ships were compelled to reply in their own defence, and hits were observed on the shore batteries. "In view of the action taken by the French batteries our warships would have been fully justified in firing on the French merchant ships and their escort, but in the interests of humanity they did not do so, and the merchant ships succeeded in entering the nearby French port of Nemours. "During the return of our forces to Gibraltar they were twice attacked by French bomber formations, but without suffering damage or casualties." The Berlin radio, says a cable message, is spreading reports of a possible British attack on Dakar, alleging that French fears pre accentuated by news of the concentration of 20 British warships in the roads outside Freetown, where strong British Army units are also stationed. The radio adds that the French are taking precautions. Forty French warships, including the Richelieu, have been seen at Casablanca. A cable message from Vichy says a French Admiralty communique states: "A considerable British naval force was nttacked in French territorial waters between Nemours and Oran. A convoy of four French merchantmen were bound from Casablanca to Oran under escort of a single French destroyer. The convoy sheltered in Nemours under protection of its escort, naval and shore batteries and aircraft which replied to the fire of the aggressors and drove them off."