During World War II, a surprising and tragic event unfolded when the British attacked their French allies. This incident, known as the attack on Mers-el-Kébir, took place on July 3, 1940. To understand why this happened, we need to look at the events leading up to it and the strategic concerns of the time.
On June 22, 1940, France signed an armistice with Germany, effectively ending its active participation in the war. This agreement led to the occupation of much of France by German forces, while the southern part and the French colonial empire came under the control of the Vichy government, which maintained a neutral stance in the conflict. This neutrality posed a significant problem for Great Britain, France’s former ally.
The French navy, known as the Marine Nationale, was one of the most powerful in the world at the time. With the potential for the Axis powers to seize control of the French fleet, the British were deeply concerned. If Germany managed to commandeer these ships, it could tip the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East against the British.
To prevent the French fleet from falling into German hands, the British initiated Operation Catapult. This operation aimed to either seize or neutralize the French navy. The French fleet was stationed in various ports, including Toulon in France and several locations in Algeria. The British focused on the port of Mers-el-Kébir near Oran, Algeria, as it was less fortified than Toulon.
Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville led the British fleet, known as Force H, from Gibraltar. He was tasked with delivering an ultimatum to the French Admiral Marcel Gensoul at Mers-el-Kébir. The ultimatum offered the French five options:
Admiral Gensoul assured the British that the French fleet would not join the German side. However, he warned that his ships would retaliate if attacked. After a day of tense negotiations, the British fleet opened fire at 17:54 hours. The French ships were caught off guard, as many sailors were ashore, and the fleet was not prepared for battle.
The British had a strategic advantage, as their ships could maneuver freely in the open sea, while the French ships were confined to the harbor. The battleship Bretagne was the first to be hit, resulting in a devastating explosion. Other French ships, including the destroyer Mogador and battleships Dunkirk and Provence, also suffered significant damage.
Despite the initial chaos, the French battleship Strasbourg managed to escape the harbor, followed by several destroyers. The British attempted to pursue but eventually called off the chase as Strasbourg gained a significant lead.
The attack on Mers-el-Kébir resulted in the loss of 1,297 French sailors’ lives. Although the British achieved their goal of neutralizing part of the French fleet, the operation strained relations between the two nations. The French navy remained a formidable force, and when Germany occupied Vichy France in 1942, the French scuttled their fleet in Toulon to prevent it from falling into German hands.
This tragic event highlights the complexities and difficult decisions faced during wartime. Despite the attack, French officers and sailors ultimately honored their alliance with the British by ensuring their fleet did not aid the Axis powers.
Engage in a structured debate with your classmates on the ethical implications of Operation Catapult. Consider the strategic necessity versus the moral consequences of attacking an ally. Prepare arguments for both sides and participate in a moderated discussion to explore the complexities of wartime decisions.
Examine primary source documents from the time, such as official communications, naval orders, and personal accounts from sailors involved in the attack on Mers-el-Kébir. Analyze these documents to gain insights into the perspectives and motivations of both the British and French forces.
Work in groups to create a strategic map of the Mediterranean region during WWII, highlighting key naval positions, including Mers-el-Kébir. Use this map to discuss the strategic importance of naval power and how the control of the French fleet could have influenced the outcome of the war.
Participate in a role-playing simulation where you assume the roles of British and French naval officers during the negotiations at Mers-el-Kébir. Develop strategies and responses based on historical events, and explore how different decisions might have altered the course of history.
Conduct research on the Vichy government and its role during WWII. Present your findings to the class, focusing on how the Vichy regime’s policies and actions influenced the decisions made by the British regarding the French fleet.
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When the British attacked their French allies on purpose, the attack on Merzel Kabir occurred on July 3, 1940. On June 22, 1940, France signed an armistice with Germany, effectively ending their participation in the conflict. The French Third Republic ceased to exist and was now occupied by the Germans. The unoccupied part of France, the territory in the south of the country, and the colonial empire were put under the control of the French state. The new state run by the government in Vichy took a neutral stand in the war but was to be monitored by Germany. This newly established French neutrality posed a major problem for their former allies, Great Britain.
The French fleet, which was still intact, was seen as a serious threat, especially if the Axis forces managed to commandeer it and use it against them. Before World War II, the French Marine National underwent a process of modernization by building new, improved classes of destroyers and battleships. In 1940, the French navy was among the most powerful navies in the world, along with those of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and Italy. Its main task was the protection of the routes between metropolitan France and its colonies. With the war approaching, Admiral Francois Darlan, commander in chief of the navy, anticipated that the majority of the fleet would be engaged in the Mediterranean theater against the Italian regime.
When Germany attacked France on May 10, 1940, there was little the French navy could do about it; it was the army and the air force that took the brunt of the onslaught from the invading German forces. Only when Italy entered the war on June 10 did Admiral Darlan order his ships to attack industrial installations along the Italian coast. Until June 22 and the signing of the armistice, there had been no significant clashes between the French and the Italian Mediterranean fleets. Under the conditions of the armistice, the French state was allowed to keep its entire navy, but under certain conditions, like the rest of the armed forces, to keep it neutral in any further conflicts. Ships were to be anchored in metropolitan and colonial ports. The majority of the navy went along with the conditions of the armistice and sided with the Vichy government. Several ships, however, were placed under British custody. These were ships that had taken shelter in the English ports of Plymouth and Portsmouth and Alexandria in Egypt before the armistice was signed. These ships remained under the command of their French commanders, who were loyal to Vichy but were restrained from any combat activity despite the open antagonism shown by the Vichy government to them.
The British were not overly concerned that they would actually violate the terms of the armistice, but what they did fear was what if the German military commandeered the whole French fleet and combined it with their own to use against them. This was despite assurances from the French that they would scuttle the fleet if such a thing happened. The British war cabinet preferred not to leave anything to chance. If the Germans did manage to get their hands on the French fleet, the British would lose supremacy in the Mediterranean and subsequently North Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, the British decided to deal with the French ships themselves. They instigated Operation Catapult with the intention to either seize or neutralize as much of the French navy as they could.
The French fleet in the Mediterranean was stationed in the port of Toulon in France and in several ports in Algeria. The naval base in Toulon was heavily protected and thus presented a bigger challenge than the Algerian ones. For that reason, the port of Merzel Kabir near Oran was picked as a target to eliminate any potential threat coming from the French fleet. The British assembled their fleet in Gibraltar. Designated Force H, commander Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville received an order to present the French Admiral Marcel Gensoul in Merzel Kabir with an ultimatum to hand over the fleet under his command. The alternative plan was to attack the fleet and neutralize it. Somerville disapproved of such an approach, but the cabinet, and especially Winston Churchill, insisted that he carry out the order without delay.
On July 3, 1940, ships of Force H approached the coast of Algeria. HMS Foxhound, carrying Captain C.S. Holland, the officer tasked with delivering the ultimatum, continued toward Merzel Kabir. Since the HMS Foxhound entering the port would be a violation of the armistice, Admiral Gensoul refused to let it in. Instead, Captain Holland embarked on a motorboat and headed into the harbor, offended that Admiral Somerville was only sending a captain as his emissary. Gensoul refused to meet him and sent his flag lieutenant instead, to whom Captain Holland delivered the British ultimatum. The French were offered five options:
1. Sail with the British and continue the fight against Germany and Italy.
2. Sail to a British port with reduced crews, where the ships would be safeguarded until hostilities were over.
3. Sail with reduced crews to a French West Indies port where the ships could be demilitarized or entrusted to the safe keeping of the United States.
4. Sink all ships within six hours.
5. Face the use of whatever force may be necessary to prevent the French fleet from falling into German or Italian hands.
At 10:00 hours, Admiral Gensoul delivered his reply, repeating assurances that the French fleet would never enter the war on the German side. At the same time, he warned that his ships would retaliate if the British attacked them. By that time, Force H had appeared on the horizon, waiting for Captain Holland to return with the news. After almost an entire day of negotiations, Holland left the harbor at 17:25 hours. At the same time, Somerville ordered his fleet to assume their bombardment stations. British Force H consisted of the battlecruiser HMS Hood, two battleships HMS Resolution and HMS Valiant, the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, two light cruisers, and eleven destroyers. The French force during the attack in Merzel Kabir comprised four battleships: Strasbourg, Dunkirk, Provence, and Bretagne, several destroyers, two torpedo boats, and the seaplane carrier Commandant Teste.
It was clear that the British had the advantage of the open sea; they were able to maneuver freely while the French ships were confined in the harbor with their bows facing the shore. Moreover, the French ships were already in the process of demobilizing, and most of the sailors were ashore. Admiral Gensoul was simply not ready to fight. Before Somerville ordered his forces to open fire, six Fairey Swordfish escorted by three Blackburn Skua aircraft from HMS Ark Royal dropped magnetic mines at the harbor entrance to prevent the French ships from escaping. At 17:54 hours, guns from HMS Resolution and HMS Valiant fired the first shots. Stunned that the British ships were actually firing at him, Gensoul ordered his fleet to return fire. His plan now was to leave the harbor as quickly as possible and form a battle line to confront the British in the open sea. It was quite a difficult task with shells constantly raining down from the British ships.
The first ship to be hit was the battleship Bretagne, whose stern was hit by a round from a British salvo, causing a devastating explosion that sent metal debris along with the bodies of sailors high into the air. Within moments, the ship burst into flames. The second to be hit was the large destroyer Mogador as it was steaming towards the harbor exit; its bow was blown away by a shell that detonated the destroyer’s depth charges. Unable to continue, Mogador anchored in shallow waters. After the initial shock, the French finally responded by opening fire, first from Provence and then from Dunkirk. The latter fired only 40 rounds before a British round hit its boiler room, disrupting its electrical distribution system. This significant damage impaired the ship’s performance, and its commander had no option but to run the ship ashore. While Provence waited for Dunkirk to get out of the way, it too was hit; a round opened a gap in its hull, letting water in. Out of four battleships, only Strasbourg was still operational after the initial ten minutes of shelling. To the astonishment of the British, it emerged from the harbor followed by four large destroyers; none of them were struck by the mines that the British had dropped at the harbor entrance.
Fifteen minutes after the attack had started, at 18:09 hours, Strasbourg left the harbor and turned northeast. At 18:34 hours, Somerville reacted by ordering his light cruisers and destroyers to follow in pursuit. The two battleships HMS Resolution and HMS Valiant remained at Merzel Kabir. The pursuit was pointless, though, as Strasbourg was already 18 miles ahead of them. At 20:25 hours, Somerville broke off the pursuit as Strasbourg was too far away and, more importantly, had been joined by destroyers and motorboats from Iran and cruisers from Algiers. Once word of the attack on Merzel Kabir had reached these two ports, ships stationed there had left them in a great hurry, fearing that the British might attack them as well. At 21:55 hours, Somerville ordered one last attack by Fairey Swordfish aircraft armed with torpedoes.
The attack on Merzel Kabir was not the only one conducted that day. On the morning of July 3, the British Royal Navy stormed French vessels stationed in Plymouth, Portsmouth, and Alexandria. They took control of two old battleships, two large destroyers, and two fleet destroyers, seven submarines, and 44 other vessels. The success came at the cost of the lives of two Royal Navy officers and one French sailor. In Alexandria, Vice Admiral René Godfrey, in command of one battleship, four cruisers, three destroyers, and one submarine, decided not to resist the British. In return for letting him continue to command his fleet, Godfrey agreed to reduce the crews on board his ships, empty their fuel tanks, and remove the guns’ breech blocks and deposit them at the French consulate.
The outcome of the Merzel Kabir attack was tragic, to say the least. Including the additional attack on Dunkirk on July 8, the French lost 1,648 men, of which 1,297 were killed. It was a heavy loss of life for a relatively small result. The French Navy still remained a force to be reckoned with. When, in November 1942, the Germans conducted Operation Anton, the military occupation of Vichy France, the French kept their word and scuttled the entire fleet in Toulon. The Germans never managed to get a hold of the mighty French navy. French officers and sailors had honored the old alliance despite the tragic outcome of the Merzel Kabir attack.
World War II – A global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world’s nations, including the major powers, which eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. – World War II significantly altered the geopolitical landscape, leading to the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers.
British – Relating to Great Britain or the United Kingdom, or its people or culture, especially during historical events such as wars and colonization. – The British played a crucial role in the Allied victory during World War II, contributing significant military and economic resources.
French – Relating to France, its people, or its culture, particularly in the context of historical events like revolutions and wars. – The French Resistance was instrumental in undermining German operations in occupied France during World War II.
Navy – The branch of a nation’s armed services that conducts military operations at sea. – The British Royal Navy was a dominant force during World War II, ensuring control over the Atlantic Ocean.
Operation Catapult – A British naval operation during World War II aimed at neutralizing the French fleet to prevent it from falling into German hands after the fall of France. – Operation Catapult led to the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir, causing significant casualties and diplomatic tensions.
Mers-el-Kébir – A port in Algeria where a significant naval battle took place in 1940, involving the British attack on the French fleet during Operation Catapult. – The attack on Mers-el-Kébir resulted in the sinking of several French ships and the loss of many sailors’ lives.
Germany – A central European country that played a pivotal role in both World War I and World War II, particularly under the leadership of Adolf Hitler during the latter conflict. – Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 marked the beginning of World War II.
Vichy – Referring to the regime that governed unoccupied France and its colonies during World War II, collaborating with Nazi Germany. – The Vichy government was established after France’s defeat and armistice with Germany in 1940.
Sailors – Individuals who work on ships, particularly in the navy, and are responsible for navigating and maintaining the vessel. – The sailors aboard the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir faced a tragic fate during the British attack in 1940.
Alliance – A formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes, often military or political. – The alliance between the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union was crucial in defeating the Axis powers during World War II.
