NAVAL ATTACK

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1940, Page 2

NAVAL ATTACK

ON THE RICHELIEU.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, July 9.

Rt. Hon V. Alexander (First Lord of the Admiralty) made a statement bn actioh at Dakar against the French 3d,000-ton battleship RichelieUj which he described as “one 01 the most modern and most formidable capital ships in the world, immediately available for active operations.” In accordance with decisions announced by Mr Churchill on July 4,. the Government decided that steps must also be taken to ensure that tins vessel did not fall into enemy hands in a condition in which it could be iised against Britain. A force was accordingly dispatched .to Dakar, with orders to present to tile 1* rench Admiral, proposals similar to those offered' the French Admiral at Oran. In view of misrepresentations from Vichy, Rt Hon V. Alexander reiterated the four conditions, namely: That the French ships should sail with reduced crews, and under' escort to a British port, with the guarantee that the crews, would at once be repatriated, and at the end of the war, the* ships would be returned to Fiance. Second, . they should sail with reduced crews to a French port in the West Indies, where they would be demilitarised, "or perhaps entrusted to the United States for safe-keeping Third, that the ships should be demilitarised in Dakar, within 12 hours; or fourth, that they should be sunk within a time limit.

Mr Alexander said that the British Flag Officer entrusted with the proposals to tile French, sent one of his captains ahead in a sloop on July 6, to present the terms personally. The French authorities informed him tliey would, open fire if he approached to the. port, then, after an interval, they consented to receive proposals by signal. No satisfactory reply •'was received within.• the- time limit, v The Flag Officer waited till longer until it was finally evident the Frencdi did' not/propose to accept, whereupon there was no alternative biit“to. carry out the painful duty in ihei early libiirs of July 8.

' /The operations were two-fold. A ship’k boat, under .the command of a Lieut'enaiit-Gbiniiiander., was sent into the harbour, carrying depth charges. With great daring," it successfully passed' the boom defences and went alongside' the'port quarter of the. Richelieu. The depth charges were at the right moment dropped close under the warshipls stern, as she, lay .Pit anchor in shallow, water, in order to damage her propellors and 'steering gear, The ; motor boat began, to, withdraw immediately l after dropping the depth chftfgeS, but fvhile still in harbour, broke down and lay helpless for a time. The crew, however, succeeded in getting one engine running, just as they were discovered, and the boat, which was pursued, managed to escape by crossing the defence nets, which fouled its pursuers. The main attack was entrusted to the Fleet Air Arm, and took place after the attack by the motor boat. These aircraft were successful with their torpedoes, a number of which hit. the Riechelieu. The motor boai which was still in the harbour, witnessed the aircraft attack, and heard five explosions, then saw smoke issuing from the battleship..

Air reconnaissances carried out after the completion of operations established : that the Reichelieu had a list to port, and was down by the stern. A large quantity of oil fuel covered the water round the ship. The British motor, boat and the aircraft which carried out the operations returned undamaged.

Having described the operations, Mr Alexander said. “The House will permit me to add a word of thanks to the. Naval staff which had to plan this and recent operations immediately following the evacuation, in the face of the enemy, and of troops and refugees. totalling not fewer than /(H),009 —the greatest achievement ot the kind in the history of naval operations. It rvas a remarkable tribute to the value of our sea powerpower we do not intend to lose. Rather do we intend to prevent a seabourne invasion of these islands, or the escape of any marauders who otherwise dare to set foot here.

“Of course,” added Mr Alexander, “there is no member of the Government, and certainly no officer or man in the. British Fleet, who does not regret to the utmost that this action lias been necessary. The commanding officer in charge of these operations, after they were over, sent a personal signal to jthe French Admiral, expressing regret at having had to carry out this painful duty, and hoping there had been no casualties.”

•Reviewing 'the- results of the operations which had had unhappily to be undertaken against the French ships which Marshal Petaln had agreed to put within the control of the enemy, Mr Alexander said that, when the armistice -was signed, France had eight capital ships fit to form a front line of battle. Of these, throe of the Bretagne class had now passed into British control, one- had boon sunk, .and -one badly damaged and immobilised. Of two modern battl?•rnisers, one was driven ashore at Oran, and would he out of action for a long time, if not permanently, and the other had managed to escape, and was presumed to have reached Toulon, hut only after having been hit by a torpedo, which would immobilise her for some time. Tho

state of the Richelieu lie had already described. As to the sister ship of the Richelieu, the Jean Bart, it would not be completed for operational service for. some months. Mr Alexander added: I need not emphasise that the transfer of this modern, powerful capital fleet to the enemy would have altered the whole balance of naval stength, with incalculable results to our cause. As a result of the measures we have* taken, this anxiety is' now removed. Mr Alexander added that, all the planes, returned, despite heavy antiaircraft fire.

After, reviewing the results of the operations against the capital ships, Mr Alexander said that some cruisers, under the control of the French .would be watched, but he must refrain at present from disclosing the name of the officer commanding this operation, or where the .1 can Bart was lying, nor would he reveal whether other smaller ships were lying at Dakar.