Poncelet had put about a quarter or a third (according to different sources) of her crew ashore to reinforce the Vichy French garrison at Port-Gentil, but she received orders to attack the transports carrying the Free French invasion force off Libreville with the crew she had on board, and she set out toward the Baie des Baleiniers. She sighted the masts of the Royal Navy sloop-of-war , which was on antisubmarine patrol to the north and northeast of Cape Lopez, and at 15:52 Alpha Time, Milford reported that Poncelet had gotten underway. At 16:15, Milford reported Poncelet zigzagging on the surface on a course of 60 degrees, while Milford herself was making on a course of 60 degrees. At 16:19, Milford reported her own position as and that Poncelet was distant, bearing 30 degrees and still on a course of 60 degrees.
