 In early June 1940 , about 13 @,@ 500 <unk> were shipped to Casablanca in French Morocco . However , following the capitulation of the French to the German armies later in June 1940 , the new Pro @-@ German French <unk> Government found the presence of <unk> <unk> in Casablanca an embarrassment and sought opportunities for their removal . The opportunity soon arose when 15 British cargo vessels arrived under Commodore <unk> , <unk> 15 @,@ 000 French servicemen who had been rescued from <unk> . Once their own rescued servicemen had disembarked , the ships were interned until they agreed to take away all the <unk> . Although <unk> was unable to obtain permission to clean and <unk> his ships ( and contrary to British Admiralty orders which forbade the taking on of <unk> ) , when he saw the mass of civilians pouring through the dockyards , he opened up his <unk> for boarding . Just beforehand , the British fleet had destroyed a number of French warships at <unk> el @-@ <unk> in order to prevent them ending up in German hands . The attack , during which 1 @,@ <unk> French sailors died , led to high tensions , which were evident when families were forced at bayonet point by French troops to board taking only what they could carry , leaving many possessions behind . However , when they arrived at Gibraltar , the Governor would not allow them to land , fearing that once the <unk> were back on the Rock , it would be virtually impossible to evacuate them a second time . <unk> gathered in John <unk> Square in the centre of Gibraltar as the news broke , speeches were made and two City <unk> accompanied by the Acting President of the Exchange and Commercial Library went to see the Governor ( Sir Clive <unk> ) to ask that the <unk> be allowed to land . After receiving instructions from London , a landing was allowed as long as the <unk> returned when other ships arrived to take them away from the Rock , and by 13 July the re @-@ evacuation back to Gibraltar had been completed . 
