FRENCH LINER SUNK

Grey River Argus, 27 July 1940, Page 7

FRENCH LINER SUNK

NEAR SOUTHAMPTON 1300 French Navals Aboard BEING SENT HOME FROM / ENGLAND. GERMAN MOTOR BOAT’S ACTION. I Aust. & N.Z Cable Assn. J LONDON, July 25. A French ship, the “Meknes,” which left the English port of Southampton for Marseilles (France) with nearly 1300 hen aboard, French naval officers and men, who were being repatriated, was last night torpedoed and sunk by a German motor torpedo boat. Nine hundred and fifty of the men reached one English port, and there is reason to believe that other survivors may have reached the French coast. The torpedoing occurred about 10.30 o’clock last night, after the Meknes had left Southampton for Marseilles. She soon sank. “The explosion of the torpedo killed several men outright,” said a survivor. “We barely had time to launch the boats. Hundreds of men jumped overboard, and clung to rafts, until they were picked up.” An officer on the bridge of the Meknes at 10.30 p.m. heard motor engines and saw the wake of a strange vessel. Machine-guns immediately fired on the Meknes, which stopped. She whistled, to indicate that she had stopped, and then signalled, “Who are you?” There was no reply, whereupon the Meknes signalled her name and nationality, several times. The machine-gunning continued, after which heavier fire from a smallcalibre gun rendered unseaworthy the port lifeboats. Nine hundred and fifty survivors from the Meknes landed at Weymouth. British warships landed the French officers and men; 120 officers and 41 men being taken to hospital, many seriously injured. BRITISH MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS. LONDON, July 25 The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr K. V. Alexander, in the House of Commons, announced that the enemy last night torpedoed the French ship Meknes, which was one of a number used for the repatriation of French naval officers and men. Nearly 1300 men were aboard the Meknes, which was flying the French _ — ■. :.J

flag. French colours were painted on the deck and sides, and were fully illuminated. A German motor torpedo boat gave the passengers and crew five minutes to get off. The Meknes tried to signal her name, but sh e was fired on at each attempt. The Meknes was then torpedoed and sank in four to five minutes. British naval units and aircraft were ordered to go to the scene immediately. About 1000 survivors are reported. It is not known how many French lives were lost as a result of this deliberate, callous attack. The number of dead might reach 300. Mr Alexander said that French representatives were informed of the intention to repatriate the men eoncorned, before the Meknes sailed for Marseilles. Special care was taken to make th e ship’s neutrality apparent, and even the navigation lights were burning. Mr Alexander added: I have just heard that the German High Command admit the responsibility for this sinking, because a Berlin communique to-day states: “A German speed-boat sank an 18,000ton merchantman off Portland.” Mr Attlee said that the war Cabinet would take steps to see that the French people were fully informed of the outrage. 100 SURVIVORS. RESCUED BY WARSHIP. LONDON. July 25. Nearly 100 survivors from a ship sunk in the English Channel were rescued by a warship, which a Blenheim from the coastal' commanu guided to the scene during to-day’s air battles. The Blenheim sighted a patch of oil, on the surface. Two life-boats, each containing about 50 men, were nearby. (Received July 26, 7 p.m.) LONDON, July 26. The 100 survivors rescued by a warship at th e direction of the Coasts! Command Blenheim plane were from the Meknes. GERMAN ALLEGATION. LONDON, July 26. The German wireless describes the sinking of an 18,000-ton liner off Portland as a particular success, but it denies that th e ship was the Meknes. The wireless said: The only possible assumption is that Mr Alexander (First Lord of the Admiralty) sank the Meknes in order to create antiGerman propaganda. GUARANTEE FOR MEKNES GIVEN BY GERMANY. (Received July 26, 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 26. The “Daily Express” has revealed that Germany guaranteed a safe passage for the Meknes. No Safe Conduct THE GERMAN VERSION. (Received July 26, 11.0 p.m.). BERLIN, July 26. The German official News Agency declares:—Britain is to be blamed for the sinking of the “Meknes,” because she did not ask for a safe conduct for the liner. It continues: “Following on British orders that French ships under British control must sail under the French flag, Germany informed France, through the Armistice Commission, that French merchantmen were liable to be sunk after Tuesday last, unless they were given a safe conduct.”