Show I B. B Britain D. D Disables Isa bl es Richelieu in Bold Maneuver LONDON July 9 INS INS INS- Damaged by British warships the French battleship Richelieu is at Dakar capital of French West Africa it was revealed to the house of commons Tuesday afternoon by the Hon A. A V V. Alexander first lord of the ad admiralty ad- ad Alexander reported that after the commander of the largest French Fr French battleship afloat had failed to reply JO to the British conditions th the Richelieu was attacked Monday Monday Monday Mon Mon- day to prevent her from falling into German hands A daring fe feat t of British seamanship seamanship seamanship seaman seaman- ship was employed in the attack Alexander disclosed A speedy motorboat motorboat motorboat mo- mo swept up under the very stern of the French warship and and dropped depth charges damaging the Richelieu's propellers and steering gear Simultaneously British torpedo planes zoomed down upon the big battleship and launched their mis mis- siles es All the attacking British air and sea craft returned safely Alexander Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der reported The Richelieu was last seen listing listing listing list list- ing badly to the port side and settling settling settling set set- in the stern he declared In In accordance with the deci decisions decisions deci- deci I announced by the prime minister minister minister min min- ister Winston Churchill on July 4 his majesty's government decided decided ed steps must be taken to insure that the Richelieu the most formidable formidable formidable for for- and most modern capital ship in the world must not fall into enemy hands in any condition in which it might be used against us Alexander explained Force accordingly was dis dispatched dispatched dispatched dis dis- patched to Dakar in order to present present present pre pre- sent to the French admirals similar similar similar sim sim- ilar proposals to those offered at Oran Arriving in the vicinity a BritIsh British British Brit Brit- ish sloop was told it would be fired upon if it approached closer Finally Finally Finally Fi Fi- nally the French agreed to receive receive receive re re- re- re communications by signal No satisfactory reply was re received received received re- re within the time limit but the British flag officer waited still Continued on Page Pare Two Column Four Britain Disables Biggest Tricolor War Vessel Continued From Page One longer before carrying out his orders to use force Finally it became clear the French did not not proposed to accede to any of the British suggestions and the officer had no alternative but to carry out his painful duty in the early hours of July 8 8 Boat Dropped Charges A ships ship's s boat was sent into the harbor with depth charges With great daring it passed the boom defenses and went alongside the port quarter of the Richelieu and dropped its depth charges near the stern in order to damage the propellers propellers propellers pro pro- and steering gear Then It Immediately withdrew While still in the harbor the boats boat's engines broke down and itlay it itlay itlay lay helpless for a time The crew succeeded in restarting one engine just as their presence was discovered ered The tiny boat was pursued but it managed to escape by crossing the harb harbor r antisubmarine rine defense nets in m which its pursuers became fouled Alexander Alexand r was was lavish in his praise of this gallant boats boat's crew pointing out that throughout the entire daring maneuver they ran the risk of blowing themselves up In the main mam however the at attack attack attack at- at tack was entrusted to the aircraft aircraft air aircraft air air- craft of the fleet arm which oc occurred occurred occurred oc- oc afterward Alexander re resumed resumed re- re Torpedoes lilt Hit Ship These aircraft were successful with torpedoes a number of which hit the Richelieu The small motorboat which still was in the harbor witnessed the aircraft attack The crew heard five explosions and saw smoke issuing from the battleship Air reconnaissance since carried carried car car- ried out established that the Richelieu has a list to the port portside portside portside side and is down by the stern A large quantity of fuel oil covers the water around the ship Our motorboat and all our aircraft returned safely despite the heavy antiaircraft fire fire Assessing the results of the engagements engagements engagements en en- at Dakar Oran and other painful actions Alexander Alexandcr congratulated the British navy and added I I need not emphasize that transfer of this powerful modern capital fleet of French war vessels vessels vessels ves ves- sels to the enemy would have altered the balance of naval strength with incalculable results to ourselves It is the greatest achievement of its kind In the history of naval operations and a remarkable tribute tribute tribute trib trib- ute to the value of pur sea power powe r power which we do o not intento intend d to use We Intend to prevent a seaborne seaborne seaborne sea sea- borne invasion of this island o othe or orthe orthe r the escape of any marauders daring daring daring dar dar- ing to set foot here |