Romanian merchant ship Oituz underway to Syria and Lebanon leaving the Black Sea according to a letter of the German naval attaché at Istanbul dated 24 February 1940

In his letter dated Istanbul, Turkey 24 February 1940 No. 774 g. reported the German naval attaché to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Abteilung Ausland the neutral ships passing Istanbul coming out of the Black Sea and loaded with contraband for or chartered by the enemy. An item reported on 23 February the Romanian merchant ship Oituz with 225 waggons boards from Constanta for Tripolis (Syria) and Beirut (Lebanon).

Source

Bundesarchiv. German Marineattaché for Greece, Romania and Bulgaria 1939-1941. RM 12-II/459.

French destroyer l’Audacieux bound for Toulon according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 6 August 1942

An item reported that the Vichy French heavy destroyer l’Audacieux lying at Dakar, Senegal of which was believed she was beyond repair,seemed to be repaired, seaworth and able to achive a speed of 20 knots bound via Casablance, French Morocco towards Toulon, France.(1)

Note

1. Le Fantasque-class destroyer preceded by Vauquelin-class succeeded by Mogador-class. Building ordered on 17 November 1930, laid down by Arsenal de Lorient, France on 16 November 1931, launched on 15 March 1934, completed on 27 November 1935, commissioned on 7 December 1935, sunk after a battle with an Australian cruiser on 23 September 1940, refloated on 11 March 1941, escaped to French Tunisia, captured by Germans on 8 December 1942, sunk on 7 Mar 1943 and refloated on 14 December 1943 and not worth to be repaired broken up in 1947.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No.239 dated 6 August 1942.

New commander-in-chief of French Syrian Division according to the Weekly Intelligence Summary No. 19 for the week ending19 March 1921

An item reported that rear admiral G.R.M. Grandclement (1) replaced rear admiral Mornet, C.B. (2) as commander-in-chief of the French Syrian Division.

Notes

1. Gaston Grandclément ( 8 October 1866 Brest, France-3 November 1942 Paris, France), ending his career in the rank of vice admiral?

1. Charles L.D. Mornet (1863-1942)?

Source

The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-24-121-62