English attack on the French fleet. French fleet: between the hammer and anvil
English battleships "Hood" (left) and "Veliant" under the opposite fire of the French Lincard "Dunkirk" or "Provence" at Mers-El Keiba. Operation "Catapult" on July 3, 1940, at about 17.00.
Operation "Catapult" - The general name of a series of operations to capture and destroy French ships in the English and colonial ports of KVMF and Great Britain during World War II. The operation was carried out after France's surrender, to prevent ships under the control of Germany. The main episode of the operation was an attack by the forces of the British Navy of the French squadron in the port of Merce-El Kubir on July 3, 1940.
According to Article 8 of the Franco-German Agreement on the termination of hostilities concluded at the end of June 1940, the French fleet was supposed to arrive at the points defined by the CRIGSMARINE command, and there, under the control of German or Italian representatives, to disarmament ships and demobilizing teams. Despite the fact that the Vicious Government headed by Marshal Petno and the Commander of the fleet Admiral Darlan repeatedly stated that no ship would get to Germany, the British government considered the possibility of their ingress of Germans. The fourth largest fleet ships with German teams on board (or after the transition to the German side of French carriages), no doubt could be a great threat to the English fleet.
The British command especially bothered the fate of ships in the following ports: Mers-El Kubir (2 new linear cruisers "Dunkirk" and "Strasbourg", 2 old lincars, 6 destroyers, a hydroavicanos and several submarines), Algeria (6 lung cruisers) , Casablanca (unfinished new battleship "Jean Bar"), Toulon (4 heavy cruisers), Dakar (new battleship "Richelieu"), Martinique (Bearne aircraft carrier and two lung cruisers). As a result, the British government decided to take very risky measures.
Strasbourg battleship under the fire of English artillery
After France dropped out of the struggle, the English fleet was able to cope with the combined marine forces of Germany and Italy. But the British did not fear without reason that modern and powerful French ships can get into the hands of the enemy and will be used against them. After all, not counting the "X" neutralized in Alexandria and several cruisers scattered around the world, destroyers, the aircraft carrier "Bearn" and small ships, only two very old Lincher "Par & Kupbe" were refredible in English ports. 2 superersming (leader), 8 destroyers, 7 submarines and other trifles are just a tenth of the French fleet, judging by the displacement, and a complete insignificance, judging by their real strength. On June 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet Admiral Dudley Paund reported to Prime Minister U. Cherchilly, that in Gibraltar under the command of Vice Admiral James Somervilu focuses on the connection "H", headed by a linear cruiser "Khud" and the aircraft carrier "APC Royal", which should have followed For the movements of the French fleet.
When the truce became a favorable fact, Somerville received an order to neutralize the French ships representing the greatest potential threat to the ports of North Africa. The operation was called "Catapult".
Portsmouth and Plymouth
At night on July 3, 1940, the British attempted to capture the French ships in British ports. The attack was so unexpected that the Armed Resistance of the British managed to have only the crew of the Surkuff submarine, which was in Portsmouth, the French Michman, two British officers and the sailor died. Other captured ships were obsolete dreadnights "Paris" and "Kurba", two destroyers, eight torpedo boats and five submarines. French ship crews were forcibly planted ashore and an internated "not without bloody incidents". Some crews of captured ships were sent subsequently to France, and the rest replenished the teams of small and light ships acting as part of the forces of "Free France" under the command of General de Gaulle. Many French refused to enter into the ranks of the Navy "Free France" due to the prohibition of this "Government in Exile".
Alexandria
In the port of Alexandria, the team of the old Lincard "Lorian", four cruisers and several destroyers agreed to temporarily leave their ships.
Breasthane Lincher Explorer
Oran and Mers El Kebir
In the ultimatum Sommemy. Written on behalf of the "Government of His Majesty", after reminders of the joint combat service, the cunning of the Germans and the previous agreement of June 18 between the governments of Britain and France that the French fleet will join the pripitulation on the land of land or flooded by the French commander forces in Mers-El Kubire and Oran offered a choice of four options:
1) go to the sea and join the British fleet to continue to fight to victory over Germany and Italy;
2) go out into the sea with reduced crews to follow in British ports, after which the French sailors will be immediately repatriated, and the ships will be saved to France until the end of the war (full cash compensation was offered for loss and damage);
3) In case of reluctance, it is generally possible to use French ships against the Germans and Italians to not disturb the truce with them, go under English escort with reduced crews into French ports in West Indies (for example, in Martinique) or in the US ports, where ships will be disarmed and saved until the end of the war, and the crews are repatriated;
4) In case of refusal of the first three options - to flood the ships for b hours.
I ended the ultimatum phrase, which is worth leading entirely: "In the event of your refusal of the above, I have the order of His Majesty's government to use all the necessary forces to prevent your ships in the hands of Germans or Italians." This, simply speaking, meant that the former allies will open fire for defeat.
The heavy cruiser "Algerie" in the 1930s was considered one of the best heavy cruisers of the world and is definitely the best in Europe
The first two options for women rejected immediately - they directly violated the conditions of the truce with the Germans. The third was also almost not considered, especially under the impression of a German ultimatum, obtained by the same morning: "Or returning all ships from England or a complete revision of the truce." At 9 o'clock, Dufai handed over Hollanda's answer to his admiral, in which he stated that because he had no right to pass his ships without an order of French admiralty, and to flood their order by the order of Admiral Darlan, he can only in the case of the danger of capturing by the Germans or Italians, remains Just fight: the French will respond by force. Mobilization events on ships were stopped and prepared for the exit to the sea. It included cooking on battle if necessary.
At 10.50 Fox Khaound raised the signal that in the case of failure of the conditions of ultimatum, Admiral Somerville will not give French ships to leave the harbor. And in confirmation of this, English hydrosaps at 12.30 dropped several magnetic mines on the main fairway. Naturally, it makes it difficult to negotiate.
Ultimatum term expired at 14 o'clock. At 13.11, "Fox Haound" raised a new signal: "If you accept proposals, lift the square flag on the grotto; Otherwise, I open a fire at 14.11. " All hopes for peaceful outcome collapsed. The complexity of the position of the French commander was also the fact that that day the French admiralty moved from Bordeaux to Vichy and there was no direct connection with the admiral Darlan. Admiral fever tried to extend the negotiations, raising the signal in response, which awaits the decisions of his government, and after a quarter of an hour - a new signal is ready to accept the representative of Somerville for an honest conversation. At 15 o'clock Capten Holland rose on the side of Dunkirk for negotiations with Admiral Zhenyl and his headquarters. A maximum of what the French agreed during a tense conversation - that the crews will cut, but they refused to bring ships from the base. Time went, the concern of Somerville, that the French will prepare for battle, increased. At 16.15, when the Holland and Gensweat still tried to preserve friendly relations, the deposits came from the English commander, stopped all the discussions: "If none of the proposals be accepted by 17.30 - I repeat, by 17.30 - I will be forced to sink your ships!" At 16.35 Holland left Dunkirk. The scene was ready for the first collision between the French and the British after 1815, when the guns were risled at Waterloo.
The watches that have passed since the appearance of the English destroyer in the Harbor of Merce El Keiba, did not pass for the French for the French. All ships divided the couples, the crews were separated by combat posts. The coastal batteries began to disarm the coastal batteries were now ready to open fire. At the airfields stood, warming motors for starting 42 fighter. All ships in Oren were ready to go out into the sea, and 4 submarines were only waiting for an order to form a barrier between Cape Anguil and Falcon. Trawers have already trawl Farwater from English mines. All French forces on the Mediterranean sea was announced anxiety, the 3rd squadron and toulon out of four heavy cruisers and 12 destroyers and six cruisers and Algeria received an order to go to the sea ready for battle and hurry on the connection with the Admiral Women's admiral, which he should have warned about British.
Esminets "Mogador" under the fire of an English squadron, leaving the harbor, received the hit of the English 381-mm projectile in the stern.
And Somerville is already lying on a combat course. His squadron was in the ranks of Kilwather was 14000 m to Nord-Nord-West from Merc-El Keiba, a course - 70, speed - 20 knots. At 16.54 (at 17.54 in British time), the first volley was heard. The fifteen-day shells with the "resolve" fell close to the unfortunate as they faced the French ships, falling asleep by their hail of stones and fragments. After a minute and a half, the first answered "Provence", shooting 340-mm projectiles right between the masts standing on the right of him "Dunkirka" - the admiral of the fever was not going to fight on anchors, just a close harbor did not allow all ships at the same time start moving (on this And calculated the British!). Linkar was ordered to be built into the column in this order: "Strasbourg", "Dunkirk", "Provence", "Brittany". Spelness should have come to the sea on their own - by ability. "Strasbourg", the fodder mooring and an anchor chain of which were given before the first projectile hit, began to move immediately. And only he left the parking lot, as a shell hit, whose fragments were killed on the Fal ship and signal Rei and pierced the pipe. At 17.10 (18.10), the captain of 1 rank Louis Collins brought his battleship to the chief fairway and a 15-noded move went to the sea. All 6 destroyers rushed after him.
When the volley of 381-mm shells struck the mall, on the "Dunkirk" gave the mooring and poisoned the fodder chain. A tug, who helped to play with anchor, was forced to wrap the mooring, when the second volley was and got into mol. The Dunkirka commander ordered immediately empty the tanks with Avia Benzin and at 17.00 gave an order to open fire to the main caliber. Soon they entered into the case and 130-mm guns. Since Dunkirk was the closest to the British ship, on it and focused his fire "Hood" - a former hunting partner for German raiders. At that moment, when the French ship began to move away from his parking lot, the first shell with "Hood" fell into his stern and. Having passed through the hangar and non-commissioned officer cabins, went through the onboard trim 2.5 meters below the Waterlinia. This shell did not explode, because the thin plates that he pierced was not enough to reveal the fuse. However, in its movement through Dunkirk, he interrupted a part of the electrical wiring of the left side, disabled the tap motors for lifting the seaplane and caused the flooding of the fuel tank of the left side.
The response fire was fast and accurate, although the definition of the distance was hampered by the conditions of the terrain and finding between Dunkirk and the British of Fort Santon.
At about the same time, the hit received "Brittany", and at 17.03 381-mm shell struck "Provence", which I expected Dunkirk to come to the Farwater to follow him. In the stern "Provence" began a fire and a lot of leaks opened. I had to joke the ship to the coast of the nose at a 9-meter depth. By 17.07, the fire swept "Brittany" from the nose to the stern, and two minutes later, the old battleship began to overturn and suddenly exploded, having accustomed to the lives of 977 crew members. The rest began to save from the Hydroavatransport "Commandant Test", which miraculously escaped hits for all the time of battle.
Farwater 12-noded running "Dunkirk" was amazed by a volley from three 381-mm shells.
On Dunkirk, after these hits, only KO No. 3 and MO No. 2 continued, servicing internal shafts, which gave the speed of no more than 20 knots. Damage to the right side cables caused a short-term break in power supply to feed until there is a left side. I had to go to manual steering control. With the failure of one of the main substations, nasal emergency diesel generators were included. Emergency lighting was lit, the tower number 1 continued to lead quite frequent fire on "Hood".
Just before receiving an order for the cease-fire at 17.10 (18.10), Dunkirk released 40 330-mm shells in the English flagship, whose salts were very tight. At this point, after 13 minutes of shooting almost still ships in the harbor, the situation stopped looking for the British with impudent. "Dunkirk" and coastal batteries conducted an intensive fire that became more accurate, "Strasbourg" with the destroyers almost reached the sea. There was not enough only the "Motor", which, when leaving the harbor, slowed down to skip the tug, and after a second, I received a 381-mm projectile in the stern. From the explosion, 16 deep bombs and the stern of the destroyer took away almost the bulkhead of the stern mo. But he was able to trust the nose to the shore at a depth of about 6.5 meters and with the help of small vessels approached from Oren began to extinguish the fire.
The French destroyer "Lion" (Fr. "Lion") was flooded on November 27, 1942 by order of the Admiralty Vichy regime to avoid the seizure of the Nazi Germany of the courts standing on the Naval Base of Toulon. In 1943, it was raised by Italians, repaired and included in the Italian fleet called "FR-21". However, on September 9, 1943, it was again flooded with Italians in the port of La Spezia (La Spezia) after Italy's surrender
The British, satisfied with the heating of one and the damage to the three ships, turned away to the West and put a smoke veil. "Strasbourg" with five destroyers went to a breakthrough. "Links" and "Tiger" attacked deep bombs "Proteus" submarine, preventing it in the attack on the battleship. "Strasbourg" himself opened a strong fire on the sophisticated exit from the harbor of the English destroy "Westler", forcing him to quickly move away under the cover of the smoke curtain. French ships began to develop a complete move. Cape Kanastelle to them joined six more destroyers from Oren. To the north-west, the English aircraft carrier "APK Royal" was visible to the north-west, almost defenseless against 330-mm and 130-mm shells. But the battle did not happen. But raised from the deck "APK Royal" six "sudfishes" with 124-kg bombs accompanied by two Skuse at 17.44 (18.44) attacked Strasbourg. But they did not achieve the hits, and the tight and accurate anti-aircraft fire, Sewe, was shot down, and two Sudfish had such damage that on the way back fell into the sea.
Admiral Somerville decided to rush in the challenge on the flagship ship "Hood" - the only one who could catch up with the French ship. But by 19 (20), the clock distance between "thin" and "Strasbourg" was 44 km and did not think to decline. In an attempt to reduce the speed of the French ship, Sommember ordered the "APC Royal" to attack the outgoing opponent to the torpedoes. After 40-50 minutes of "Sudfish" with a small interval, there were two attacks, but all torpedoes, discarded outside the curtain of the destroyers, passed by. The destroyer "Pursiuvant" (from Oren) reported in advance for the battleship on the observed torpedoes and Strasbourg every time he managed to shift the steering wheel in time. The pursuit had to stop. Moreover, fuel, "Valient" and "Resolute" ended with the "thin" destroyer, was ended in a dangerous area without anti-herineal escort, and there were reports from everywhere that there are strong detachments of cruisers and destroyers from Algeria. This meant to be drawn into the night battle with superior forces. The connection "H" on July 4 returned to Gibraltar.
Strasbourg continued to leave the 25-node progress until an accident occurred in one of the boiler departments. As a result, five people died, and the speed had to reduce up to 20 knots. After 45 minutes, the damage was eliminated, and the ship again brought the speed of up to 25 knots. Having conceded the southern tip of Sardinia to avoid new collisions with the connection "H", and 20.10 July 4, Strasbourg, accompanied by the leaders of "Volta", "Tiger" and "Terfly" came to Toulon.
July 4 Admiral Esteva Commander military forces In North Africa, published the communiqué, which said that "Dunkerka's damage" is insignificant and will be quickly corrected. " This rapid statement caused a quick response from the Royal Fleet. On the evening of July 5, the connection "H" again entered the sea, leaving in the database "resolve". Admiral Somerville decided to do it instead of holding another artillery battle. It is quite modern - to use the aircraft with an aircraft carrier "APK Royal" to attack. At 05.20 on July 6, being 90 miles from Oren "APK Royal" raised 12 Torpedo-graders Sudfish in the air, accompanied by 12 Susta fighters. The torpedoes were installed on the speed of 27 knots and the depth of about 4 meters. The Merce El Cembal air defense was not ready for the reflection of the attack at dawn, and only the second wave of airplanes met a more intense anti-aircraft fire. And only then the intervention of French fighters followed.
Unfortunately, the "Dunkirk" commander escaped to the shore of the service of anti-aircraft guns, leaving only the personnel of emergency parties on board. The patrol ship "Ter Nev" stood in the side, taking some crew members and the coffins with the dead on July 3. During this sad procedure at 06.28, the English aircraft launched on the attack in three waves. Two "Sudfish" of the first wave dropped the torpedoes prematurely and they exploded when they hit the mall, without causing any harm. After 9 minutes, the second wave approached, but none of the three dropped torpedoes did not hit Dunkirk. But one torpedo was struck by "terror", which was just in a hurry to move away from Linkar. An explosion of a small ship literally ripped in half, and the debris of his superstructure trembled "Dunkirk". At 06.50, another 6 "sudfish" appeared with a fighter cover. The link, which came from the right side, fell under a strong anti-aircraft fire and was attacked by fighters. Dropped torpedoes again did not reach the goal. The last group of three cars attacked from the left side, this time two torpedoes rushed to "Dunkirk". One fell into the tug "Estrel", which was approximately 70 meters from Lincher, and literally blew it from the surface of the water. The second, obviously with a faulty depth device, passed under the Kiel "Dunkirk" and, hitting the stern part of the debris "terror", caused the detonation of forty-two 100-kilogram deep bombs, despite the absence of fuses in them. The consequences of the explosion were terrible. In the trim, the right side was formed a hole for about 40 meters long. Several armor plates of the belt were shifted, and the water filled the onboard protection system. The force of the explosion steel plate above the armor belt was torn off and abandoned on the deck, burying with several people. The anti-separated bulkhead for 40 meters broke away from attachment, other waterproof bulkheads were broken or deformed. A strong roll appeared on the right side and the ship assted the nose so that the water rose above the armored belt. Compartments for damaged bulkhead flooded with salt water and liquid fuel. As a result of this attack and the previous battle on Dunkirk, 210 people died. There is no doubt that, there is a ship on deep water, such an explosion would have led to his fast death.
A temporary plaster and August 8, Dunkirk was brought to the hole, was becoming free. Repair work moved very slowly. And where did the French hurry? Only on February 19, 1942, Dunkirk went to the sea in full secret. When the workers were in the morning, they saw their carefully folded on the embankment tools and ... nothing else. At 23.00 next day, the ship reached toulon, carrying some Merms El Keebrus.
British ships in this operation damage did not receive. But they hardly fulfilled their task. All modern French ships survived and hid in their bases. That is, that danger, which from the point of view of English admiralty and government existed on the part of the former Union Fleet, remained. In general, these fears look somewhat contrived. Did the British considered themselves stupid Germans? After all, the Germans were able to flood their internowns in the British base of Skap-Flow Fleet in 1919. But then, not full crews remained on their disarmaled ships, the war has already ended in Europe, and the British Royal Fleet fully controlled the situation on the seas. Why could you expect that the Germans, who did not have a strong fleet, will be able to prevent the French to flood their ships in their own bases? Most likely, the reason that caused the British so cruelly to do with a former ally, was something else ...
Last minute and sunken French combat ships, photographed from the British Air Force aircraft the day after flooding with their crews at the steering walls in Toulon
On November 8, 1942, the Allies landed in North Africa and a few days later, French garrisons stopped resistance. Surrendered to allies and all ships that were on the Atlantic Coast of Africa. Hitler ordered to occupy southern France, although it was a violation of the 1940 truce conditions. At dawn on November 27, German tanks entered the toulon.
In this naval base of France, at that time there were about 80 warships, with the most modern and powerful, collected from the entire Mediterranean - more than half of the tonnage of the fleet. The main shock force-fleet of the open sea Admiral de Labord-consisted of the flagship Lincard "Strasbourg", heavy cruisers "Algeria", "Duplay" and "Colber", Marselliza cruisers, 10 leaders and 3 destroyers. The commander of the Naval District of Toulon Vice-Admiral Marcus had under his beginning the Provence battlefield, the Commandant Test hydroavianosether, two destroyers, 4 destroyers and 10 submarines. The rest of the ships (damaged "Dunkirk", a heavy cruiser "FOSH", light "La Galissonier", 8 leaders, 6 destroyers and 10 submarines) were disarmed under the condition of the truce and had only part of the crew on board.
But the toulon was filled with not only sailors. A huge wave of refugees, customized by the German army, flooded the city, interferebye to organize defense and creating a lot of rumors who retired panic. The army shelves approached the help of the garrison base were resolutely configured against the Germans, but the Naval Command was more worried about the possibility of repetition of Mers-El Keeboy by the Allies, which were introduced into the Mediterranean Sea powerful squadrines. In general, we decided to prepare for the defense of the base from all and flood the ships as in the threat of their seizure by the Germans and allies.
At the same time, the toulon included two German tank columns-one from the West, the other from the east. The first had the task to capture the main shipyards and pierces of the base, where the largest ships were, the other command post of the commander of the district and shipyard Murillon.
Admiral de Labord was on his flagship, when a message came at 05.20 that shipyard Murillal was already captured. Five minutes later, German tanks blew up the northern gate of the base. Admiral de Labord immediately gave on the radio a general order on the fleet of immediate flooding. Radines repeated it continuously, and the signals were raised on the flags of the flags: "Thiece! Tie! Turn! ".
There were still dark and German tanks got lost in the labyrinths of warehouses and docks of a huge base. Only about 6 hours one of them appeared at Milhod Pierces, where Strasbourg and three cruisers were wateed. The flagship has already moved away from the wall, the crew was preparing to leave the ship. Trying at least something to do, the tank commander ordered to shoot from the gun on Lincarra (the Germans assured that the shot had happened by chance). The projectile fell into one of the 130-mm towers, killing an officer and wounding several sailors who installed subversive charges from the guns. Immediately, anti-aircraft guns opened a retaliatory fire, but Admiral ordered him to stop.
It was still dark. The German infantryman approached the edge of the pier and shouted to Strasbourg: "Admiral, my commander says that you have to pass your ship intact."
De Labord shouted in response: "He is already flooded."
On the shore followed the discussion on german language And the voice rang out again:
"Admiral! My commander passes you your deepest respect! ".
Meanwhile, the commander of the ship, making sure that Kingstones in the machine branches are open and people left in the lower decks, filed a signal to execution. Immediately, "Strasbourg" missed explosions - the tools exploded one after another. The inner explosions caused the skin intimidation and the gaps formed between its sheets accelerated the flow of water into a huge body. Soon the ship sat down at the bottom of the harbor on the level keel, 2 meters plunged into il. The upper deck was 4 meters under water. Oil broke around from torn tanks.
Burned by its crew and in the future partially disassembled French battleship "Dunkirk" (Dunkerque)On the heavy cruiser "Algeria", the flagship ship Vice-Admiral Lacraua, the forage tower was blown up. "Algeria" burned two days, and the cruiser "Marselyza" burned near the bottom with a 30-degree roll. The closest to "Strasbourg" Kolber cruiser began to explode when his board had two crowds fled to the French and tried to climb on board the Germans. Sweets of fragments flying out from everywhere, people have noticed in search of protection covered by a bright flame, set asled on the aircraft catapult.
On board a heavy cruiser "Duple", wheeling in the Missiesia basin, the Germans climbed to climb. But immediately the explosions began and the ship sank with a big roll, and then was completely destroyed by an explosion of cellars at 08.30. It was not lucky with the Linkor "Provence", although he did not start the other than others to flooded, since he received the headquarters of the basement of the basement with the Germans captured by the Germans: "The order of Monsieur Laval (Prime Minister of the Vichi Government), which incident is exhausted." When I realized that this is a provocation, the crew did everything possible so that the ship would not get the enemy. The maximum that the Germans were able to take, have time to rise to the tilted deck leaving from under the feet, it is to declare Provence officers and headquarters headquarters headed by the commander of the Division-Admiral Marsela Zharry.
Standing in the dock and almost no crew of "Dunkirk" was more difficult to flood. On the ship was discovered everything that could let water into the housing, and then opened the dock gate. But the dock was desisted easier than raising the ship lying on the bottom. Therefore, "Dunkirk" was destroyed by everything that could be of interest: guns, turbines, rangefinders, radio equipment and optical devices, control posts and whole superstructures were undermined. More this ship never swam.
June 18, 1940 Admiral Darlan Commander, his assistant Admiral Offic, and a number of other higher seaside officers gave the floor to representatives of the British fleet, which will never allow the seizures of French ships by the Germans. They fulfilled their promise, flooding in Toulon 77 of the most modern and powerful ships: 3 Lincar ("Strasbourg", "Provence", "Dunkirk2), 7 cruisers, 32 destroyers of all classes, 16 submarines, hydroavatransport" Commandant test ", 18 watchdog And smaller ships.
Dakar.
On July 8, 1940, the British squadron was attacked by French ships in Dakar, including the "Richelieu" battleship. Torpeda, discarded by one of the aircraft carrier "Hermes", exploded under the bottom of the lincard and caused severe damage, the keel of the ship turned out to be sleeved for 25 meters. Then the British battleships opened fire. The French ship first got damaged from 381 mm Barhem battleship shells and "resolve", and then an explosion occurred on it in the main caliber tower. Satisfied with this result, the British moved away.
The French battleship "Brittany" ("Bretagne", entered into operation in 1915) was sweeping in Mers-El Kubir during the exercise of the English fleet of the "Catapult" operation.
Results of the operation
After the attack on those who were in their databases, the French ships The Wishhi Government broke off diplomatic relations with the UK. This operation complicated Anglo-French relations for many years. The British failed to destroy the newest battles "Strasbourg", "Dunkirk" and "Jean Bar", the dreaded of the times of the First World War no longer represented combat value. After fixing damage, Dunkirk moved from Mers-El Keibl to Toulon. By the German command until 1942, an attempt was made to take possession of French ships. When on November 26, German troops entered the toulon and tried to seize French ships, loyal debt French sailors at the very first threat of capturing their fleet by the Germans flooded their ships. In November 1940, US President Roosevelt appealed to the head of the Government of France Marshal Perenu with a proposal to sell in Africa unique battleships "Jean Bar" and "Richelieu", but received a refusal. Only after the "Toulogo tragedy" the French agreed to give one battlestore allies.
As a British fleet, by order Churchill, shot a recent ally squadron.
On July 3, 1940, for the first time since the time of Napoleonic wars and Admiral Nelson, the ships of the British and French Navy entered the fierce battle with each other. The shells weighing more tons released from the English guns, plowed by French battlefield armor. The peaceful state of the Mediterranean Sea boiled up with gigantic geysers, and the blue sky was covered with a black oily smoke battle.
In just a few weeks before that, the French and British troops shoulder to shoulder fight against the Hitler's armies who invaded France. Now the most powerful ships of the Royal Navy ruthlessly shot the French martial ships, embraced on the Mers-El Kebir naval base in North Africa.
This promotion led to the fury of the French, pleased Hitler, caused anxiety in England and outrage in many countries of the world and had a tangible impact on the course of World War II in Europe. It was a step that Winston Churchill who had ordered an attack, called the "Greek tragedy", adding: "But never one action was more necessary for the salvation of England."
"The betrayal of treacherous albion"
In September 1939, England and France declared war nazi Germanywho attacked Poland. Then followed months " strange war"(French" Drole de Guerre "; Anglo-Americans used the expression" Phony War "-" Phony "-" Fake, fake, dying, insincere "; such a name was the initial period - until May 1940 - World War II, When the governments of France and the United Kingdom, despite the announcement of these countries of the war of fascist Germany, did not lead active combat operations ground forces On the Western Front. - Ed.). On March 28, 1940, English and French governments solemn commitment that they would not conclude a separate world with Hitler. On May 10, the armored divisions of the Wehrmacht, breaking the French parts from the sedan (tank divisions passed along the roads of Ardennes unhindered, seized minimal, but not blown bridges on the r. Mise (Maas) and broke through a weakened front in his center. - Ed.), Russed to La -Mansha, split allied armies and pressed English expeditionary troops to the sea. The evacuation of these troops from Dunkirk was regarded in England and the United States as a miracle, but many French people, in disarray kicked into the depths of the country and soon capitulus, it seemed act of a historical betrayal from a treacherous albion.
In mid-June, French Prime Minister Paul Reyo turned to Churchill with a request to release him from the obligations adopted in March not to enter into a separate world with Germany. June 14 fell Paris. Two days later, Churchill, seeking to strengthen the will of the French to resist, sent the Rhinear two dramatic response messages, which set forth the conditions of English consent and an attempt was made to cheer the French. In the first, England gave consent to the fact that the French government find out in Germany a truce's condition, but only if no less, the French fleet will go to British ports to the outcome of the negotiations. Further, the resolution of the UK was emphasized in the message, despite any difficulties, to continue the war against Hitler. On the same day, under the pressure of General de Gaulle, which insisted on the need for a "dramatic gesture" to encourage France to continue the struggle, Churchill made a historical proposal to proclaim the "Unpainted Union" with the UK (according to this plan of the British Prime Minister, was proposed " The merger of two states "and the formation of a" single military office "and a single parliament. - Ed.).
By this time, the French government was evacuated to Bordeaux. When the English messages were transferred, the Riby Prime Minister was in an depressed state. But the Epistle of Churchill pissed him. The prime minister replied that would "deal to the end."
However, most of the other French leaders in Bordeaux met Churchill's proposals about the "non-historic Union" with suspicion and hostility. In the situation, the 73-year-old commander-in-chief of the French army, General Weigan, proclaimed that for three weeks "England rolled her neck as chicken." Marshal Peten said that the British proposal is equivalent to the "merger with the corpse." The first two messages of Churchill, in which we were talking about the French fleet, and were not considered by the ruined Government.
The fate of the French Navy causes concerns
On the evening of June 16, Ribyan resigned, and Marshal Peten, the 80-year-old Hero of the Battle of Verden in 1916, headed by a group of prudents, formed a new government. The next day, Churchill resumed his demands so that the New Government of France did not give the opponent's "magnificent French fleet." But by this time, Bordeaux has already developed the opinion that the sending of French warships in England would be a meaningless step: if England is in a short time they really "roll in the neck", the French fleet will ultimately be in his pocket in Hitler.
On June 18, the first Lord of Admiralty (Naval Minister) of England Alexander and the head of the headquarters of the admiral of Dudley Pound were urgently directed to France for a personal meeting with Admiral Darlan, the commander-in-chief French fleet. According to Churchill, "they received many solemn assurances that the fleet would never be allowed to find himself in the hands of the Germans." But, Churchill notes, Darlan did not take any measures to "bring French warships beyond the reach of the rapidly approaching German troops."
On June 22, 1940, France signed a truce with Germany in the famous railway car, standing in the compi forest. (In this car on November 11, 1918, Marshal Foc dictated the condition of the truce by defeated Germany. - Ed.) In accordance with Pereman's truce agreed that the French military fleet, except for its part that will be preserved to protect the French interests in her colonial empire, Must be focused in ports and disarmed "under the German and Italian control." In the course of the English-French negotiations, a lot of words "about honor" were said, however, from the point of view of London, France did not do anything to keep the solemn obligation in March or dispel English concerns about the fate of the French fleet.
How justified were the concerns of England?
In the pre-war period, the principle of "two powers" was based on the construction of the British Navy, which meant that the English Navy should exceed the combined power of the naval forces of the two any likely opponents of Great Britain. In 1940, the United Kingdom still possessed the largest navy in the world. But this fleet has already suffered a loss during the operations of convictions in the North Atlantic, in an unsuccessful Norwegian campaign and Dunkirk.
On paper, the English Navy had a tangible output by the number of large ships: 11 battleships, 3 linear cruisers and five battleships in the construction, while Germany had two "pocket linkers", two linear cruisers of the newest construction and built two more lincards.
However, Italy's accession to war in June 1940 seriously changed the ratio of forces. The Italians have had a modern and fast fleet, although its combat capability was unknown (in fact, the Italian fleet turned out to be ineffective, but it was impossible to foresee it), and therefore the British were forced to keep in the Mediterranean Sea at least six of their battleships against six Italian. For the Pacific Ocean against Japan, which, as expected, would not be neutral, the British was to allocate nothing, and London was not confident that the military ships of the neutral United States would protect its possessions and maritime communications in this region.
Thus, for the island Great Britain with its imperial possessions, dependent on the preservation of naval relics, the transition of the French fleet in the hands of Germany would be a genuine disaster. France had the fourth fleet in the world. He consisted of five old battles, two modern linear cruisers "Dunkirk" and "Strasbourg", capable of withstanding the German linear cruisers "Sharnhorst" and "Gneisenau", and two powerful battleships "Jean Bar" and "Richelieu", the construction of which was close to completion , as well as 18 cruisers, two aircraft carriers and a significant number of excellent destroyers.
The key role in the command of the Navy, the 58-year-old Admiral Darlan played a key role in the command of the Navy. Since the meeting with him in December 1939, Churchill considered him "one of those French who hate England," and never trusted him.
Darlan himself at a meeting with two heads of English Admiralty in Bordeaux, on June 18, 1940, made a promise under no circumstances to transmit the fleet of Germany.
Nevertheless, Article 8 of the Armistice Agreements caused the most serious concerns from the British - especially the words about disarming the fleet "under German and Italian control". For the British, the word "control" meant that Hitler was able to dispose of French ships at his own discretion.
London places ultimatum
At the meeting on June 24, the British government came to the conclusion that "relying on the reservations contained in this article is impossible." The fears of Churchill were warmed by General Eduard Spears, a special English representative in France, who directly stated that, regardless of the intentions of Darlan, if Hitler wants to take possession of French ships, it will be enough for him to sneak Marseille. And if this threat does not work, then to betray Lyon Fire or promise to destroy Paris if his requirements are not satisfied. Given the past Hitler's treachery, it was a good argument. The French would be powerless to keep their word, even if they wanted. Churchill's confidence in Petin's regime was even more undermined, when, contrary to his promises, the French government returned Germany four hundred of prisoners of German pilots, shot down during the battle for France. Their return was to strengthen the "Luftwaffe" in the upcoming battle for England.
Since, according to Churchill, the conditions of the German-French truce created a "deadly danger" for the UK, immediate counterators were necessary. British intelligence believed that Hitler would try to start the invasion of England on July 8. Before this date, it was necessary to resolve the fate of the French fleet to be able to focus the English warships in the waters of the metropolis. The decisive meeting of the British Cabinet of Ministers took place on June 27. By this time, some of the French fleet ships were in the ports of France itself, and it was impossible to take something against them. Several ships were in English ports, they could be captured by force if the teams reject the English conditions. Unfolded linear ships "Jean Var" and "Richelieu" stood accordingly in Casablanca and Dakar, where their guardian military warships are guarded. They did not imagine a special problem. The strong French squadron, under the command of Vice Admiral Rene, Godfrua was based in Alexandria and was in operational submission of the English Admiral Kanningham. These admirals supported friendly relations. Contrary to the orders of Darlan on reling the squadron into one of the French ports in Tunisia, Godfruh agreed not to withdraw his ships from Alexandria. (The squadron actually remained in Alexandria to the complete victory of the Anglo-American expeditionary forces in North Africa.) The main threat to Great Britain proceeded from the small naval base of the Mers-El Kebir on the coast of Algeria west of Oran. There was a strong naval connection under the command of Admiral Zhansuly. Admiral Paundle warned Churchill that Zhansul's ships - in German hands or independently - can force England from the Mediterranean Sea and thereby create a threat to protect the Middle East and generally lead the war in the Mediterranean.
- Will ships in English ports and continue to fight together with England;
- Heading, having on board the crews of a reduced composition, into one of the English ports, from where the crews will be repatriated;
- To head with the crews of a reduced composition in any French port in West Indies, for example, on Martinique, where the ships can be transferred under the protection of the United States until the end of the war;
- Skill your ships.
In case of refusal to Jansul, to adopt one of these four proposals to the English naval fleet was ordered to destroy French ships, especially Dunkirk and Strasbourg, using all available funds. This "fatal blow," as Churchill will call him later, was carried out at the personal insistence of the English premiere contrary to the restrained attitude towards this plan of members of the Committee of Headquarters. They doubted that the Operation of the "Catapult", as this plan was encoded, will be crowned with complete success. Churchill believed that "the very existence of England was put on the card."
The operation of the "Cataput" was charged with the compound "Eich (H)" - a shock group assembled in Gibraltar. It included the newest English linear cruiser "Hood" with displacement of 42 thousand tons, two linkers "resolve" and "Valiant", eleven destroyers and aircraft carriers "Ark Royl". The connection was commanded by Vice Admiral James Somerville, who received the order in the morning of July 1: "Being ready for the" catapult "on July 3."
The idea that they will need to open fire on French ships, led to the horror of Admiral Somerville and all his senior officers. An alternative proposal was sent to Admiralty to invite French ships to "go to the sea" and allow "to seize themselves with the connection" H ". Somerville warned that the offensive operation from England "will immediately push all the French, wherever they are, and turn the defeated ally in an active enemy."
Givenively mixed with fear, with whom they treated Churchill in the Admiralty, it was a very bold step, and Somerville received a sharp reward.
Admiral Zhansul pulls time
At noon on July 2, the connection "H" came out of Gibraltar and headed for Oran. The next morning Somerville sent the Captain Sedrik Holland to Admiral to Admiral on the destroyer "Fox Khaound". Earlier, 50-year-old Holland served in Paris as a naval attache. He spoke freely in French, he knew the French fleet well and was personally familiar with Janesul. Evreaty Emotional Holland sympathized by the French and was seriously worried about the defeat of France. Among other things, he also had serious doubts about the integrity of the mission entrusted to him and her chances of success. He confested by his wife confested that Admiral Zhansul is "this is a Dubish old retirement."
No matter how Jansul was in his 59 years, he argued that "a hundred percent is set up for a 24 percent." It was annoyed by the fact that Somerville, instead of arriving himself, sent only the captain, and stated that he was too busy to take Holland. His pride was also a radio signal, transferred from the destroyer, which said that "the English fleet waits in the sea from Oren to welcome you."
Since the destroyer "Foxhouse" was anchored at the entrance to Merms El Kubir, and the French fleet was in Harbor, Janzul sent a Dufe Dufe Lieutenant, an old friend of Holland as his representative of Lieutenant Bernard. The latter explained that the existing message could be transmitted only to French Admiral personally. Janzul answered this by order "Fokshaound" "immediately removed away." Holland, pretending that he was subordinate to the orders, quickly descended into a small engine boat and headed for the flagship ship of Janxul "Dunkirk" at full speed. It was not possible to achieve a personal meeting with the admiral, but he continued to persist and still managed to give Jansul the English message with the statement of conditions. These conditions were immediately transferred by Radio Darlan. But at the same time, in its radiogram, Janzul lowered the third option - the opportunity proposed by the British the opportunity to go with his fleet to West India. Later, when the French authorities subjected his harsh criticism for this omission, Gallic pride was explained in explanation: he found it impossible to accept any such proposals, while under the sight of the English guns.
While negotiations were conducted, airplanes from the aircraft carrier "Ark Royal" dropped magnetic mines from the coast to prevent the French fleet to get out of the harbor, which, of course, did not contribute to the negotiations.
Until July 3, despite France's surrender, life on board the French warships went to his usual one. The first English squadron saw the 26-year-old Maurice Putz, who conducted group sports activities on a high hill for Merms El Kebir. From the height of the hill, they noticed the ships approaching from the West and soon recognized the familiar silhouette of "Huda", with which many French ships were able to participate in joint patrol operations in the Atlantic. On board "Dunkirk" (where Holland still sought a personal meeting with Janesul) Many crew members came terrified when the order was given to "prepare for battle". During the second meeting, Hollands with Dufe was given an order to divorce couples.
As time went. On board his ship, Somerville solved countless crosswords, and the senior officers "Ark Royal" played Mahjong.
For about four o'clock in the afternoon, Janzul finally agreed to a meeting with Holland. Within one and a half hours, they negotiated in a stuffy cabin. Initially, the French admiral was boiling from anger, then softened and began to talk in a more conciliatory tone. He told him about the order received by Darlan dated June 24, which said that if any foreign power would attempt to seize French ships, then they should no delay or go to the United States, or sink themselves. With the current information available, however, it is possible to assume that Jansules most likely tried to win time and, if lucky, wait for the onset of darkness to slip out of the harbor. Holland, in particular, only at the last moment found out that Darlan immediately gave the order to all the French ships in the Mediterranean to go to Jansul. This encrypted order, intercepted by the English Admiralty, prompted Churchill to convey the final order of the connection "N": "Cum by the case is faster, otherwise come across reinforcements."
At 5.15 Somerville sent Jansuly an ultimatum, who said that, if in fifteen minutes one of the English proposals would not be accepted, "I will have to sink your ships."
When Holland left the French flagship ship, he heard the combat alarm signal sounded. All ships seemed to be preparing for the exit to the sea, nevertheless he noted in his report: "Few hurried to take places on a combat schedule" - As if the French still could not force themselves to believe that the British would go to the case.
Holland on his engine boat, risking life, rushed to the Fox Khound destroyer, which was right on the fire line.
Ships open fire
He managed to take a mile from Merms El Keiba, when at 5.54 Somerville, who spoiled as possible, the junction was finally giving an order to open fire.
From the distance of ten miles - the visibility limit - his linear ships were released thirty-six volleys from their fifteen-day guns, shells weighing in a ton each hit the French ships, causing terrible destruction. One of the first shells fell into Dunkirk, destroyed the gun tower, destroyed the main generator and disabled the hydraulic system. The old battleship "Brittany" caught fire from the hits of several large-caliber shells. Huge smoke clubs shot down in the sky, then the ship turned over. Over a thousand people from his team died. Another old battleship, Provence, turned into a pile of fragments, jumped ashore. The Esmina "Mogador" has a straight hit of the feed. But the main goal of the British is the linear cruiser "Strasbourg" - remained intact.
The French opened a retaliatory fire, but it was ineffective. Canonira did not have time to prepare for battle and shot on moving goals, which soon came out of the limits of the reach of fire. Nevertheless, two sailors were injured on the "Hood" fragments of shells, and the shells of coastal batteries began to raise water pillars in dangerous intimacy from English ships. In 6.04 minutes, less than a quarter of an hour of crushing fire, the English guns of Smallkley. The order for the cease-fire was partially given on humane reasons, and partly for technical reasons: the British ships moving in the Kilwater rank past the base to the West could not more fire on the harbor, which high coastal rocks hid.
By making a path among the wreckage, covered by the Werefravoy Strasbourg smoke and five destroyers at full speed escaped from the harbor, passed over the unsuccessful English mines and rushed into the open sea. Excellent maneuvering, the French cruiser soon dissolved in the coming twilight. Good half an hour passed before Somerville discovered his disappearance. After sunset, Outdated Torpedo-Torpedo Mountains "Soldfish" was raised from the aircraft carrier ARC ROYYAL into pursuit, but unsuccessfully. Next night, Strasbourg arrived in Toulon, where a dozen cruisers and destroyers from Algeria and Oren joined him. Soon after that, Admiral Somerville sent airplanes-torpedo-heads to finish "Dunkirk". There was no need for this. The torpedo attack led only to new heavy human sacrifice, since the deep bombs were detonated from the explosions of the torpedo, helped evacuate the team members remaining at Dunkirk.
Thus, the operation of the "Catapult", as was feared of her critics, ended, at least with a purely naval point of view, only half of the success. Testing a disgust for this, according to his expression, "dirty case", Admiral Somerville wrote in a letter to his wife: "I'm afraid I will get a healthy stepper from the Admiralty for what has allowed to slip out" Strasbourg ". I won't be surprised if I was removed from the command after that. " He also called this attack "The largest political mistake of our time," being confident that it would restore the whole world against England.
For the purpose of influence the position of the United States
In London, Winston Churchill outlined this "regrettable episode" of the silent community chamber. He gave tribute to the courage of French sailors, but stubbornly defended the inevitability of this "fatal blow." When he graduated from the speech, once again emphasizing the determination of Great Britain to "lead the war with the greatest energy", all members of the chamber jumped on their feet for a long time and violently expressing their approval.
In Mers-El Kubir, Admiral Zhansul buried over 1200 officers and sailors, of which 210 died on his flagship ship. From the leading characters of this tragedy, Janzul was devoted to oblivion and was not rehabilitated by either the Vichi government, nor post-war France. Admiral Darlan was killed in Algeria in December 1942 by the young French royalist.
From the ships who participated in this battle, the mighty "Hood" exploded and died almost with all the crew in battle with the German battleship "Bismarck" in May 1941 - the shell fell into the powder cellar. ARK ROYYAL aircraft carrier was torpedoed by the German submarine in November 1941. Proud "Strasbourg", like almost all other French ships, who escaped from Merms El Keiba, was flooded with its crew in Toulon, when the German troops invaded "before that not the occupied" zone of France in November 1942.
From any point of view, the "fatal blow" in Mers-El Kubire was overshadowed by Anglo-French relations for a long time. Was it possible to avoid it? Was it necessary?
In the historical terms, the most important consequences of the "Catapult" operation was its impact on Franklin Roosevelt and public opinion in the United States. In July 1940, Churchill calls to the Americans had a tangible influence on them, but the United States doubted that the UK would want or could continue the struggle alone. One of the most influential (and eloquent) skeptics, adversely rated the abilities of England, was an American ambassador to London Joseph P. Kennedy. Therefore, taking the decision to sing the fleet of your former ally, Churchill, undoubtedly, took into account the impact of his step into America. No wonder in his memoirs, speaking about Mers-El Kubire, he indicated: "It became clear that the English military office was not afraid of anything and would not stop before."
A few months later, Harry Gopkins, who enjoyed the full confidence of the American president, would report that this is a dramatic attack on the French fleet most of all convinced Roosevelt in the determination of Churchill (and the UK) to continue the war.
Alistaist Horn, "Smithsonian", Washington
"Abroad", 1986
The Second World War France and the United Kingdom began, being in one camp. As between any ambitious states, between these two countries, there was a traditional set of economic and political contradictions, but total threat In the face of Germany, once again rallied them. Who would have thought that a little more than one year after the start of the war of Britain would try to sink a significant part of the French fleet.
Defeated France: between the hammer and anvil
On October 24, 1940, at the railway station of the town of Montuar, the hero of the First World War, the "Verden Winner", the 84-year-old Marshal and the head of the French state Philip Pethene met with the German Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler. The leaders of the winning and defeated countries secured the results of their conversation with handshake. Under the history of the Third Republic, which formally ceased to exist at the end of June - early July 1940 (June 22, the act on the surrender of France was signed, and on July 10, a new constitution was adopted in the Cabar Parliament in the Cabare Cabare Parliament) This meeting was held Fatty. France turned into an authoritarian state, quite closely associated with Nazi Germany.
A week later, October 30, Marshal Petchen, trying to justify his deed in the eyes of fellow citizens, in his appeal to the nation called her to reconciliation and cooperation with Germany:
French people!
Last Thursday, I met with Reichskanzler. Our meeting awakened hope and gave rise to anxiety; I have to give some explanations on this. [...] I accepted the invitation of the Fuhrer on a free will. I have not been subjected to any "dictate", any pressure on his part. We agreed on cooperation between our two countries. [...] Ministers are responsible only before me. I have to make your trial with me one. Until now, I spoke with you as a father, today I am talking to you as a head of nation. Follow me! Keep your faith in eternal France!
Meeting of the head of the French state of Marshal Philippe Peten (left) with Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler (in the foreground on the right). Rover Hitler on the second plan - German Foreign Minister Ioachim von Ribbentrop
The only of the great (and in the economic, and military aspect) of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, France survived the full defeat and occupation. At the same time, the government formed in such conditions was able not only for more than 4 years to remain "at the helm", but also, retaining a significant part of the colonial empire, to negotiate the place of France in the new "German Europe".
Critically evaluating the decisions of Philippes, do not forget what events France pushed into a dubious path of cooperation with a cruel and unprincipled aggressor. In the period from July 3 to July 8, in the ports of England, Egypt, as well as several French overseas owners of the Royal Navy, a series of operations known under the common name of the "Catapult" was held, which for several years ahead became very complicated by Anglo-French relations. . Immediately after she, the Vichi Government of France ruined diplomatic relations with Britain, and further rolls of France's foreign policy towards Germany was predetermined.
Only the operation of the "catapult" the fighting of the army of the Allies against the Vichi France, unfortunately, are far from being exhausted. Over the course of several years, a whole series of combat clashes occurred, even individuals from their scale pulled on a full-scale local war. Let us try to figure out than the decision of Britain on the escalation of direct conflict with France was substantiated.
"Masters of the Seas" is nervous
The Vichi Government of France, except for the central and southern part of the metropolis, from the mid-1940 with certain reservations, controlled almost completely extensive colonial possessions in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Under the reservations here it is meant here that some possessions in Equatorial Africa and South Asia (Pondichery and other cities of French India) quickly crossed the control of allies and "free France" de Gaulle, and Indochina, remaining legally French, since the summer of 1940 The year in fact turned into a franco-Japanese co-competition. Vichy regime in North and West Africa was particularly strong.
The Land Army of France in the war was crushed almost completely. But naval forces, a significant part of which were located outside the metropolis, as well as in the ports of the Mediterranean coast, not occupied by Germany, retained most of their combat potential. The fourth largest fleet after the defeat of France in the war had enough unclear prospects. According to Article 8 of the German-French Agreement on the cessation of hostilities, his ships were obliged to appear in the ports of pre-war registry. For example, the most modern French battleships would return Brest into the Brest occupied by Germany. Then, under the control of German and Italian representatives, the court had to disarm, and the teams demobilize.
On June 29, the French were able to "push" in negotiations with the Italians and the Germans, the condition for which disarmament and demobilization of crews were still to be held in African ports and not occupied toulon. Unfortunately, British Admiralty because of the reports difficult for objective reasons with the naval forces of France did not receive timely information about this small diplomatic victory of the Vichi government. Perhaps whether this information was obtained on time, the rocky "catapult" after four days it would not have shot.
If you interpret the agreement on the cessation of hostilities literally, it turned out that the ships of France would not get Germany. However, the British government reasonably believed that Germany could be suitable for the interpretation of such a contract. In any case, the French ships, who arrived to disarmament to France, wish to "privatize" the French ships, who could hardly prevent this.
According to some French historians, another source of Anglo-French complications were different meaning of the word "control", which was supposed to implement Germany over French ships under the armistice agreement, in French and english. In French "control", it has a meaning close to Russian "observation", and in English this word denotes "Management".
The United Kingdom, by mid-1940, almost alone, fought against Germany and its allies, had a somewhat strong trump card, which allowed her to stand in this struggle. The island position and significantly stronger than in Germany, the navy guaranteed the relative calm of the metropolis. Extensive colonial possessions allowed to supply the country's economy with the necessary resources, but sustainable supply was also possible only in the case of confident superiority at the sea. If a good fleet of France got into the hands of the Germans, the fleets of the countries of the axis in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic (with the study of Italian) would feel much more confident.
Relatively simply the British was solved by the issue of French ships, who were by the time of the defeat of France in the ports of England. On July 3, in Portsmouth, only the crew of the submarine "Surkouf" had armed resistance during the seizure of the vessel by British sea infantrymen. Two outdated lincars, two destroyers, five submarines and eight torpedo boats surrendered to boarding teams without a fight. Also enough smoothly occurred under English control and disarmament of French ships (old Lorian battleship, 4 cruisers and several destroyers) in Egyptian Alexandria.
But the courts who were under control of the wicker government ports also caused the strong anxiety of the British government.
In Algeria, the following ships were located in the three naval bases: in Mers-El Kubire - 2 old lincards (Provence and Brittany), two new linear cruisers (Dunkirk and Strasbourg), the Hydroavianosetan "Commander Test ", 6 leaders and a number of auxiliary ships; Nearby, in Oren - 9 destroyers, 6 submarines, guard ships and trawls; In the city of Algeria - 6 lung cruisers and 4 leaders.
Also, two new new-type French lincard were from large ships in Africa - in Dakar (Senegal) - "Richelieu", and in the French part of Morocco, in Casablanca - the same type with him unfinished "Jean Bar".
In Toulon, on the Mediterranean coast of France, 4 heavy cruisers were based. In America, on Guadeloupe, with two light cruisers (Emil Bertan and the training "Jeanne D'Ark") was built from the hull of the unfinished Linkor type "Normandy" by the aircraft carrier "BEARN". In the initial period, the Second World War, this ship headed the search connection "L" of French and British fleets, which was wanted by the pocket battleship of Crygsmarine "Count Spere", and after the surrender of France went to the shores of French possessions in the new world.
Volley "Catapult"
To neutralize the threat of the transition of the French fleet in one form or another under the control of Germany, the British planned synchronous (the surprise of suddenness was necessary everywhere) operation on the space from Guadeloupe to Alexandria. The attack on French vessels worldwide began on July 3, and only in Dakar with a delay - the 8th. A series of operations received the common name "Catapult".
About events July 3 in England and Egypt mentioned above. The situation in the French West Indies was also resolved, the situation in the French West Indies: thanks to the personal intervention of the president at that time more neutral USA Franklin Roosevelt Attack of the British fleet to French ships took place. Later, by agreement of May 1, 1942 between the Government and the United States, these vessels were disarmed.
In North Africa, on July 3, 1940, events developed quite differently on another scenario. On June 24, Sir Dudley North, Head of the Great Britain's Maritime Station in Gibraltar, met on board Dunkirk with French Admiral Janzul. On the proposal of Norta, go to the side of Great Britain and continue the war with Germany, Zhansul answered with refusal, saying that only the orders of the French (Vishistan) government would be submitted. At the same time, Admiral Zhansul assured the British that no French ship would fall into the hands of the Germans.
Prior to the surrender of France, the Western Mediterranean has the allied zone of responsibility of the French fleet, now the British for actions in this region were emergency to form a new connection "N" in Gibraltar. Its foundation was the linear cruiser "Hood" and the aircraft carrier "Ark Roal". By June 30, the formation of a new compound, in which, except "Huda" and "Ark Royala", two old lincars, two lung cruisers, eleven destroyers and two submarines were completed. These forces and took part in the attack on the French on July 3.
The forces of the French in Mers-El Kubire (base in the western part of the Orange Gulf), in addition to ships, included several shore batteries with instruments of caliber from 75 to 240 millimeters. The Basic Aviation of the French had, according to various sources, from 42 to 50 good fighters "Hawk-75" and M.S.406.
Vice Admiral James Somerville, Commander of the connection "N" until the last moment, tried to dissuade the Admiralty from the attack on French ships. Admiralty intended to offer Jansul 4 options:
- continuation of the war on the side of the British;
- repatriation in the British port;
- disarmament under the supervision of the British;
- flooding of ships for 6 hours.
Somerville achieved the fact that another option was added to this list, according to which the French was given the opportunity to go to the French West India or to neutral ports of the United States, where the ships should have been demilitarized and transferred to American control (which happened in reality with ships in Guadeloupe).
For negotiations with Janesul, Somerville chose a former naval attache in Paris Captain Hollands, who had many friendly connections among French officers and knew French perfectly. Despite the efforts of the Captain, the morning negotiations fell on July 3, including for the reason that the Admiral Zhansul received information about the demanding of Germany to bring all French vessels from English ports to France under the threat of a terrestrial breakdown. At 12:30, the British Torpedoes "Sudfish" with ARK ROAL dropped magnetic mines at the output from the network barrage; The French fleet was locked. The French battleships stood at the mooring wall to the sea by the feed, because of what Dunkirk and Strasbourg were devoid of opportunities to fire the main caliber: both towers of each ship were located in the nose.
At 13:10 Somerville told the French that in cases of refusal to adopt an ultimatum, he will open fire at 14:00. However, the chance for a peaceful decision still remained. Jansules referred to the response message, which agrees not to remove ships to the sea and will wait for the response of the French government to the ultimatum. At 14:00, the British of Fire did not disclose, limiting the fact that in half the third, magnetic mines dropped and at the exit from Oran Harbor.
At 15:00 Captain Holland again began negotiations with the French. Everything went to the fact that the French and the British will reach at least a temporary "Gentlemen Agreement", which will consolidate the existing status quo: The French will not come out of the Mer-El Celebration, and the British will not take hostile actions anymore. But here in the course of the negotiations intervened the case.
The British Admiralty intercepted the orders of the French naval ministry, according to which the cruising squadron in Algeria and Toulon were prescribed to gather in Oren and to assist blocked ships of the Jean. Given the fact that the use of aviation was prohibited by the Aviation Agreement with Germany, the German Commission was warned about the need to use aircraft in North Africa. As expected, the Germans had nothing against. Janzul received an order to respond by force for the power at 13:05, and when the Admiralty found out about it, it immediately radiated Somerville: " Make a "case" quickly, or you will have to deal with French reinforcements».
At 16:15, Somerville consisted for the second time, he conceded the threat to the ships threatening. This time, the time "X" was appointed at 17:30.
Scheme of the initial phase of the battle in the harbor of Mers-El Kubir on July 3, 1940
The French ships at this point were already ready for battle and at 16:40 received an order to exit the harbor. At 16:50, 3 French scout aircraft were raised into the air, the fighters were also ready for departure. At 16:54 sounded the first volley of the British. The fight took place in extremely difficult conditions for the French. Fixed at its start, French vessels represented a very convenient target for leading fire with 90 cable brank artilleryrs. Silhouettes of French ships overlap each other. On the one hand, it hurts to fight themselves, on the other hand, the British flights often fell into the target of the target of the Court.
The following hourly battle with the use of aviation ended with the heating of one old French linker "Brittany", damage to the new Dunkirka and the second old linker, as well as a successful breakthrough to the toulon of almost intact "Strasbourg". At the same time, Dunkirk's damage was not critical, and early in the morning of July 6, the British were taken by the airline in order to "finish" him. In his result, the battleship received serious damage and failed until July 1941, when its partial repair was completed on the limited capacity of Oran.
In the tactical plan, the battle of Merms El Keiba, undoubtedly won the British. Their cumulative losses accounted for only six aircraft, and most of the crews were saved. Only 2 members of the crew of the deck aircraft "Skewi" died. The French in operations on July 3 and 6 lost, according to official data, 1297 people. Brittany battleship was lost irretrievably, like several smaller ships.
But on a strategic scale, an attack on Merms El Kubir as the very bloody of the series of operations "Catapult" for the Britons has become a failure. The direct task of destroying battleship was performed only partially. The diplomatic relations between Britain and the Vichi France were immediately broken, and the former Rubangalian French fleet began to consider the British opponents.
The last episode of the "catapult" was an attack by the British squadron on July 8, 1940, Richelieu Lincher in Dakar. The French battleship was damaged by a torpedo, dropped from the aircraft (the Germes aircraft carrier was part of the attacking squadron), and after the shelling of 381-mm, the main caliber tower of the main caliber was exploded by the Tower of the main caliber.
Deploy results
The direct beneficiary from the operation of the "Cataput" eventually turned out to be Germany. Relations between the United Kingdom and France were so corrupted so much that the Naval Ministry of the latter gave an order to attack any British courts, wherever they are. French vessels from North Africa were translated into Europe, to Toulon, which was relatively close to the German occupation zone. According to the memories of General de Gaulle, the influx of volunteers in the Armed Forces of "Free France" declined immediately after the events in Mers-El Kubire.
But even the collaborationist government of the loop eventually reasoned that France had enough problems in connection with the occupation of half the country in Germany, and from July 5 (even before re-attacking Dunkirk), the Naval Ministry of the country issued a new order, according to which British courts followed Attack only in the 20-mile zone at the French coast. The next attempt was made by the declaration of the French government on July 12, 1940, which was told about the transition exclusively to defensive actions without the help of former enemies. Under the "former enemies" here were meant Germany and Italy.
Nevertheless, the Operation of "Catapult" did not become the last armed collision of allies with the mode of Vichy. There were fighting ahead in Equatorial and West Africa, in Syria and Madagascar. Attempts by the Vicious France remain neutral were doomed to failure - in the conditions of world war, the chances of it practically did not remain.
In November 1942 german army occupied southern France, which was under the control of the Vichi regime. The Germans tried to capture the French fleet in Toulon. But French sailors fulfilled the promise that they gave the British in 1940 - when German tanks appeared on the embankment, 77 French courts went to the bottom. Among the flooded were the battles "Strasbourg", "Dunkirk" and "Provence", as well as the Hydroavianossec "Commandant Test". The 4 French submarines and the Lotsmeister vessel Leonor Frenel managed to leave the harbor and break into Algeria, Oran and Barcelona. 3 destroyers and 4 submarines The Germans still managed to capture.
Poster of Vichi France "Do not forget Oran!"
"Catapult" is one of the most controversial and ambiguous operations of World War II. The United Kingdom, being in the most difficult situation, took such radical measures that even inside its military and political elites on this issue there was a sufficiently deep split. Already 9 years after the end of the war, in 1954, a meeting was made specially dedicated to events on July 3-8, 1940, at which the British Admirals Somerville and North voiced the negative assessment of the orders of their government of 14 years ago. With them, I completely agreed with Admiral Cunningham, who managed to peacefully resolve the issue of disarmament of French ships in Alexandria in those days. Admirals believed that if there was an extra time in Mers-El Kebire, it would be possible to find a peace decision.
Unaffected pages of World War II
The third of July 1940, 70 years ago, the United Kingdom without the announcement of the war attacked France. This episode of the Second World War is not very loved to remember in the West.
By signing the truce on June 22, 1940, in fact, the act of surrender, with Nazi Germany, France was obliged to transfer her navy for disarmament in the intention and preservation. The ambiguity of this wording has become a reason for the subsequent operations of the British on the seizure of the French fleet.
According to the letter of the second compartment truce, the winners could not claim French warships. At the same time, these ships were to be "focused on certain ports and are demobilized and disarmed under German and Italian control." This implied that until then, the ships would remain completely armed and equipped. And what if the Nazis and the Nazis would simply tried to assign themselves the French naval fleet like a trophy?
Churchill wrote in this regard: "True, in the same article [Act of the truce], the German government solemnly declared that it does not intend to use the French fleet for its purposes during the war. But who, being in the right mind and solid memory, would believe the word Hitler? .. "
So, the British Military Cabinet of Ministers decided on preventive measures to prevent the seizure of the French fleet by the German Fleet.
In other words, it is about to take possession of them. In the worst case, the French ships were to be destroyed or damaged so that the enemy could not use them for military purposes.
Recall the situation in the Anglo-French relations in the summer of 1940. The flight of the English troops from Dunkirk has undermined confidence in its ally by the leadership of the Third Republic. When on June 16, 1940, the British Prime Minister Churchill, having arrived in the tour (Paris was already delivered to the Germans), outlined his plan to the French government further warHe was met very cold.
Churchill's proposal was reduced to the fact that England and France united into one state, with this England took all financial expenses to manage the war. Churchill considered it possible to hold britter in Brittany and in the south of France. The French could not be elected, as the theater of hostilities was France. She was to be faithful in ruins, while the British sacrificed only with money! In addition, the French rulers not without reason considered this plan attempt at the colony of France. "It is better to become the Nazi province than the British Dominion!" - This opinion has already happened by the time in the French tops. Churchill left with anything, and France on June 17 began negotiations on the truce, ended five days later.
England, whom nothing threatened (cooking Hitler to the landing was bluff, and the British leadership knew it very well), not going to put up with Germany. It was important for her, on the one hand, to acquire new resources and allies to continue the war, on the other - to deprive the enemy the opportunity to increase their strength. In the telegram Churchill, the Prime Minister of South Africa dated June 27, 1940 there is such an indication of the Futher Plans of Great Britain: "Our big Armywhich is now created for the defense of the metropolis, is formed on the basis of the offensive doctrine, and in 1940 and 1941, there may be an opportunity for wide offensive operations"(Kulchillya].
Naturally, in such conditions, the fleet derived from the France war could become only a prize for one of two sides. From the point of view of military necessity and all subsequent events, of course, the decision of the British Cabinet was justified. But at that time, the actions of a recent ally made a gravily impression on the French.
The question arises: at that moment, when Churchill gave an order to conduct an operation to capture the French fleet, did he think about the future of the English-French relations?
There is reason to believe that the British prime minister considered France completely written off from the counts of history. And it is impossible to see him too much upset about this. Here you have "old friendship"!
However, is such a long one? For the first time, England and France made allions only in the war with Turkey in 1826-1828. Then - in the Eastern War of 1854-1856. With Russia already on the side of Turkey. But soon I got up with each other in the hostile relationship. Victory in the East War, the association of Italy, achieved with the help of French troops, made France Napoleon III the strongest state at the European continent. Again, the notorious balance of forces was impaired, the preservation of which England centuries revealed its main task. Therefore, "Tuman Albiona" favorably looked at the rising new strength, which was supposed to put the limit of the growth of the power of France - to the Prussia of the "iron" chancellor of Bismarck.
Britain watched calmly as Prussia plunges Napoleon III empire and unites in his auspices of Germany. Then, in 1878, England and Germany jointly opposed excessive, in their opinion, strengthening Russia as a result of victory over Turkey. Berlin Congress, who became the result of the diplomatic efforts of Germany and military demonstration of England, cut the fruits of the Russian victory and tightened the liberation of European Christians from the Ottoman negle for thirty years. He became the starting point for the subsequent rapprochement of France and Russia, which ended in 1891 by the conclusion of the Covenant between the two countries.
England was held all this time in "brilliant loneliness", aside from the emerging blocks. And only in 1897 a contract was signed, a long time remaining unknown, between Great Britain, France and the United States. According to him, the United States was inexplicitly assumed to provide all of the assistance, except for a purely military, (in the current one - to provide the most favored mode) of England and France, if one had to fight with Germany. In exchange, two Western European powers also undertake not to impede US plans for the fourth countries. Already in 1898, this contract received a practical run during the US War against Spain.
So, the Union of France and England arose only at the junction of the XIX and twentieth centuries (officially "heart consent" of two powers was proclaimed in 1904). This was preceded by centuries of fierce competition and wars between these countries.
No wonder that such a recent alliance gave a deep crack, only one of his participants encountered serious difficulties.
After signing the second compartment truce, a number of first-class ships of the French navy was within reach of the British armed Forces - In the ports of French colonies: Dakar, Casablanca, Orane. "In Oren and nearby with him, the military port of Mers-El Kubire," Churchill wrote, "there were two best ships of the French fleet -" Dunkirk "and" Strasbourg ", modern linear cruisers, significantly superior to the" Sharnhorst "and Gneisenau, built Especially in order to surpass these last ... Together with them there were two French linkers ["Brittany" and "Provence"], several lung cruisers, a number of destroyers, submarines and other ships. In Algeria, there were seven cruisers, and on Martinique - an aircraft carrier and two lung cruisers. Casablanca was "Jean Bar" ... It was one of the main ships taken into account when calculating the naval forces of the entire world ... The purpose of the "Catapult" operation was the simultaneous seizure of the entire French fleet accessible to us, establishing control over it, the conclusion or destruction "
The French sailors were presented with an ultimatum about the delivery along with the ships, supported by the impressive power of suddenly approached the English squadr. In places, in view of the explicit inequality of forces, the French adopted English conditions. Although even in England, where some French ships had previously covered, did not cost without collisions, during which one Frenchman was killed. But in most cases the French could not agree to British demands without damage for their combat honor. They decided to resist.
As a result of the fire of the British battleship "Brittany" was sweeping along with the team. Dunkirk and Provence received so serious damage that they were not subject to recovery. Strasbourg escaped from the Ring of the British blockade and came to Toulon accompanied by three destroyers.
The operation continued on the next days. On July 5, British aviation attacked French ships in Merms El Kebire and inflicted them hard injuries. On July 8, the Linkor "Richelieu" was disabled with an attack from the aircraft carrier. The human losses of the French armed forces as a result of the "catapult" amounted to about 1400 people.
The attack of the British affected the development of the domestic political situation in France. Marshal Peten, so far only by the Prime Minister, on July 11, 1940 he became the head of state.
For this decision, which put the end of the third republic's regime, 569 deputies of the French parliament voted only at 80 votes against.
Even before that, on July 5, 1940, the French government announced a rupture of relations with the UK and gave an order about the "return of retaliation" of French aviation on Gibraltar, which could have, however, only a symbolic meaning.
Having contributed to his actions to the final design of the pronocyst vehicle regime and creating its alternative French government headed by de Galer, the British leadership consciously went to build future relations with France "from scratch", having no obligations to respect the sovereignty of the Pavish Third Republic.
For the Nazi leadership of Germany, the British was undoubtedly a serious and unexpected impact. If the Germans were immediately after signing the truce insisted before the French on the fulfillment of his conditions, they could seriously increase themselves and weaken the British. They obviously fell into a common misconception: acting themselves aggressively and treacherously, for some reason they considered their opponents unable to similar actions. "It became clear - wrote, summing up these events, Churchill, - that the English military office does not fear nothing and will not stop before." In other words, the limiting "laws of war" does not exist for Britain. Moreover, it should have become clear both enemies and allies.
The undeclared English-French war on this was not over.
In September 1940, the British were unsuccessful amusement operation By grabbing Dakar. In the landing, the formation of "free France" de Gaulle was to participate. However, having encouraged his compatriots, de Gaulle took his strength, and the operation of the British had to be collapsed.
And next year, the British carried out the seizure of Syria and Lebanon, the extent of the rendered territories of France. On June 8, 1941, British troops crossed their border from Transice and Palestine territories. The reason was the landing on French airfield airfields sent by Germany to the Government of Iraq (which the British was shortwenting before this as a result of a military invasion). Five weeks continued fighting. Without having big incentives for resistance, the French on July 11, 1941, after all, capitulated.
When on November 8, 1942, the Anglo-American troops landed in North Africa, they stumbled into the fierce resistance of the French troops. It was the continuation of the war that flashed on July 3, 1940. Two and a half years of the German occupation of most of France did not increase many French sympathies to the British. To the recognition by the French of the Government de Gaulle passed a very long way ...
Analyzing the reasons for this "unknown" Anglo-French War of 1940-1942, we must recognize that the strategic considerations of the war against Nazi Germany played in them only a limited role. The aspiration of Great Britain was not a smaller role to eliminate the victim of France as a competitor.
Materials
Cataput's operation is a common name of a series of operations to seize and destroy the French fleet ships in the English and colonial ports of KVMF and Great Britain during World War II. The operation was carried out after the truce of France and Germany, to prevent the fleet ships from entering Germany. The main episode of the operation was the attack by the British Navy of the French squadron in the port of Merse-El Kebir near Oren (Algeria) on July 3, 1940.
According to Article 8 of the Franco-German Agreement on the termination of hostilities concluded at the end of June 1940, the French fleet was supposed to arrive at the points defined by the CRIGSMARINE command, and there, under the control of German or Italian representatives, to disarmament ships and demobilizing teams. Despite the fact that the Vicious Government headed by Marshal Petno and the Commander of the fleet Admiral Darlan repeatedly stated that no ship would get to Germany, the British government considered the possibility of their ingress of Germans. The fourth largest fleet ships with German teams on board (or after the transition to the German side of French carriages), no doubt could be a great threat to the English fleet.
The British command especially bothered the fate of ships in the following ports:
Mers-El Kubir (2 new linear cruisers "Dunkirk" and "Strasbourg", 2 old lincars, 6 destroyers, a hydroavicanos and several submarines)
Algeria (6 lung cruisers)
Casablanca (unfinished new battleship "Jean Bar")
Toulon (4 heavy cruisers)
Dakar (new battleship "Richelieu")
Martinique (Baarn aircraft carrier and two lung cruisers)
As a result, the British government decided to take very risky measures.
At night on July 3, 1940, the British attempted to capture the French ships in British ports. The attack was so unexpected that the Armed Resistance of the British managed to have only the crew of the Surkuff submarine, which was in Portsmouth, the French Michman, two British officers and the sailor died. Other captured ships were obsolete dreadnights "Paris" and "Kurba", two destroyers, eight torpedo boats and five submarines.
French ship crews were forcibly planted ashore and an internated "not without bloody incidents". Some crews of captured ships were sent subsequently to France, and the rest replenished the teams of small and light ships acting as part of the forces of "Free France" under the command of General de Gaulle. Some French refused to enter into the ranks of the Navy "Free France", as they believed, because of the progengral nature of this "Government in Exile."
In the port of Alexandria, the team of the old Lincard "Lorian", four cruisers and several destroyers agreed to temporarily leave their ships. This became possible as a result of agreement between the French vice-admiral of Godfru and the British commander of the Mediterranean Fleet Andrew Cunningham. Many of the merit of a peaceful decision of the issue belongs to the Ramillis commander Captain 1 rank G.T. Bailey Groman, who in the most intense moment of conflict personally went to Lorian. As a result of the Agreement, the French kept control over the ships, but were forced to transfer fuel to the British, the locks of the ship's guns and the warheads of the torpedo. In addition, some of the French crews had to go ashore. Having lost fuel and pieces of crews, actually disarmed, French ships were no longer dangerous for the British fleet. This agreement made it possible to avoid a collision between the British and French squadron and to preserve French ships from the destruction, which in July 1943 joined the forces of free France and were able to resume the fight against the general enemy.
In order to neutralize the squadron located in the unfinished naval base of Mers-El Kebir (not far from the Algerian port of Oran), the British government sent a squadron from the Linkov "Hood", "Velient" and "Resolved", Avos "ARC ROAL ", Two cruisers and 11 destroyers under the command of Admiral Somerville.
On July 3, the commander of the French squadron Vice-Admiral Zamsylu was presented with an ultimatum, in which the British demanded that French ships either prohibit English ports for further action in the forces of "free France", or, compliance with the requirements of the truce agreement, which prohibited the participation of the French Navy in Actions against Germany and Italy, switched to French ports in West Indies, or were flooded. Otherwise, the British reserved the right to "use any means to prevent the seizure of the German side."
The same morning, Genswe received the German ultimatum associated with the capture of French ships in English ports, who said:
Or return all ships from England or a full revision of the truce
In addition, even before the end of the negotiations, the British Torpedonos "Sudfish", with the support of Deck fighters, "Sewe" installed a mine barrage that the French ships could not go into the sea. At the same time, one of the cover fighters was shot down by the Curtiss P-36 aircraft from the French air transport, two crew members died. None of the torpedoes were not lost.
The French commander rejected English ultimatum, considering its conditions humiliating. He stated that because he had no right to hand over his ships without an order of French admiralty, and he could only put them on the order of Admiral Darlan, he could only in the danger of capturing by the Germans or Italians, it remains only to fight: the French will answer strength. It was transferred to Churchill, and at 18:25 (in London time, or at 17:25 on the local), on the eve of the expiration of the ultimatum term, Admiral Somerville was transferred to the premiere: "French ships should either take our conditions or sink themselves or Be drought by you before the onset of dark.
Nevertheless, Somerville opened fire already at 16:54, without waiting for an order nor the expiration of the ultimatum period, in order to preserve suddenness. The French did not expect such events at all, as he wrote later de Gaulle:
... Ships in Oren were not able to fight. They were anchored, without having any possibility of maneuver or dispersal ... Our ships gave English ships the opportunity to produce first vololates, which, as you know, are crucial at such a distance. French ships destroyed not in honest battle.
Somerville's escade in the ranks of Kilwathers was 14 km on Nord-Nord-West from Mers-El Keiba, course - 70, speed - 20 knots. After a minute and a half after the first English volley, French battleships, who were anchored, opened a retaliatory fire. Admiral fever, does not intend to fight on the anchors, ordered them to be built into the kilvater column in the following order: "Strasbourg", "Dunkirk", "Provence", "Brittany". The destroyers and other vessels were to break through independently - by ability. "Strasbourg", the fodder mooring and an anchor chain of which were given to the first English volley, began to move immediately. At 17:10, the captain of 1 rank Louis Collins brought his battleship to the chief fairway and a 15-noded move went to the sea. Along with him, all 6 destroyers came out.
The first of the French ships opened the fire "Dunkirk". When the first Language of the British covered the port lid, on Dunkirk, they already gave the mooring and traveled the stern chain. At 17:00, the battlefire opened fire, at the same time he received the first hit of the 381-mm linear cruiser projector "Hood". The shell fell into the stern and, having passed through the hangar and non-Officer cabins, went through the onboard trim 2,5 meters below the Waterlinia. This shell did not explode, because the thin plates that he pierced was not enough to reveal the fuse. However, in its movement through "Dunkirk", he interrupted a part of the electrical wiring of the left side, disabled the masses of the crane for lifting the hydroslists and caused the flooding of the fuel tank of the left side. The response fire was fast and accurate, although the definition of the distance was hampered by the conditions of the terrain and finding between Dunkirk and the British of Fort Santon.
At 17:03 the first hit, which caused a fire and a lot of flow was "Provence". To avoid flooding, the battleship had to jerk to the coast of the nine-meter depth. At 17:07, the fire covered the old battleship "Brittany". Two minutes later, the ship began to overturn and suddenly exploded, 997 people died.
Farwater 12-noded running "Dunkirk" was amazed by a volley from three 381-mm shells. The first fell into the roof of the second tower of the main caliber over the port of the right external gun, heavily pressing armor. Most of the projectile smoked and fell to the ground around 2000 meters from the ship. A piece of armor or part of the projectile hit the charging tray inside the right germination, igniting unloaded powder cards. All the servants of the germination died in smoke and flame, but the left semi-born continued to act - the armor partition was isolated damage.
The second shell struck near the two-year-old 130 mm of the right side of the right side, closer to the center of the ship from the edge of 225 mm belt and struck the 115-mm armored barrier. The shell seriously damaged the tower of the tower, blocking the flow of the wip. Continuing his movement towards the center of the ship, he struck two anti-skid bulkheads and exploded in the compartment of air conditioners and fans. The compartment was completely destroyed, his all his staff was killed or seriously wounded. In the meantime, several charge sleeves caught fire in the transshipment of the right side and the 130 mm shells loaded into the elevator were exploded. And here the whole servant was killed. The explosion also occurred at the duct into the nasal machine compartment. Hot gases, flames and thick clubs of yellow smoke through the armor grille in the lower armor deck penetrated the department, where 20 people died and only ten managed to escape, and all the mechanisms were out of order. This hit turned out to be very serious, as it led to a disruption of the supply of electricity because of which the fire control system was faced. The intact nasal tower had to continue shooting under local control.
The third projectile fell into the water next to the right side a little further in the stern from the second, diluted under the 225-mm belt and struck all the designs between the trim and the anti-integrated bulkhead, when hitting which exploded. His trajectory in the housing was held in the area of \u200b\u200bthe second boiler room and the first machine department, where the external trees were located. The explosion destroyed the lower armor deck on all over these branches, armor joints over the fuel tank, anti-pedigurized bulkhead and the right side of cables and pipelines. The fragments of the projectile caused a fire in the right boiler of the second boiler room, damaged several valves on pipelines and killed the main steam line between the boiler and the turbine unit. The escaped overheated pairs with a temperature under 350 degrees caused fatal burns to the staff of the boiler room, which stood in open places.
On the "Dunkirk" after these hits, only the third boiler room and the second engine compartment were continued, serving internal shafts, which gave the speed of no more than 20 nodes. Damage to the right side cables caused a short-term break in power supply to feed until the left side network was included. I had to go to manual steering control. With the failure of one of the main substations, nasal emergency diesel generators were included. Emergency lighting lit, the nasal tower continued to lead quite frequent fire on "Hood". Just before receiving an order for the cease-fire at 17.10, "Dunkirk" released 40 330-mm shells in the English flagship, whose salts lay very tightly.
Esminets "Mogador", leaving the harbor, got a hit of a 381-mm projectile in the stern. From this, the deep bombs and the stern of the destroyer were removed there, and the stern of the destroyer was removed almost on the bulkhead of the feed engine room. Nevertheless, he was able to throw off the stranded and with the help of small ships came out of Oren, began to extinguish the fire. The British, satisfied with the heating of one and the damage to the three ships, turned away to the West and put a smoke veil.
The French destroyers attacked the English submarine "Proteus", hindering her to enter the attack on Strasbourg. "Strasbourg" himself opened a strong fire on the sophisticated exit from the harbor of the English destroy "Westler", forcing him to quickly move away under the cover of the smoke curtain. French ships began to develop a complete move. Cape Kanastelle to them joined six more destroyers from Oren. Strasbourg was attacked by torpedoes with ARK ROAL. Two Sudfish aircraft and one Susta were shot down, their crews were later selected by the English destroy. At 18:43, the cruiser "Aretus" and "Enterprise" led by the Linear Cruiser "Hood" began the persecution of broken French ships, but at 20:20 pursuit was discontinued, since British ships were not ready for night battle, especially since they did Messages about suitable from Orens. Withstand another flight of aviation at 20:55, and conceding the southern tip of Sardinia, "Strasbourg" came to Toulon on July 4th. During the transition, an accident occurred in one of the boiler departments. As a result, five people died, and the ship was forced to reduce the course from 25 to 20 knots.
The remaining in Mers-El Kubire "Dunkirk" entered the Harbor Saint-Andreh, where Fort Santon and the area could provide some protection against the artillery fire of the British. The ship was planted, the evacuation of unnecessary personnel began immediately, 400 people left for the production of repair work on board. On July 4, Admiral Esteva, commander of naval forces in North Africa, published a communiqué, which said that
Damage to Dunkirk is insignificant and will be quickly corrected.
This statement caused a quick response from the Royal Fleet. Three days after the battle, on July 6, 1940, who was at the Mel "Dunkirk" was attacked by torpedoes with Ark Royala, two torpedoes fell into Storozhevik standing near the board and caused the detonation of deep bombs on it. The strongest explosion literally ripped the right side of the ship on a 40-meter space. A temporary plaster and August 8, "Dunkirk" was brought to the hole, was becoming free. Subsequently, on February 19, 1942, Dunkirk made a transition to Toulon.
In total, 1297 French killed in this battle, about 350 were injured.
On July 8, 1940, the British squadron was attacked by French ships in Dakar, including the "Richelieu" battleship. Torpeda, discarded by one of the aircraft carrier "Hermes", exploded under the bottom of the lincard and caused severe damage, the keel of the ship turned out to be sleeved for 25 meters.
Then the British battleships opened fire. The French ship first got damaged from 381 mm Barhem battleship shells and "resolve", and then an explosion occurred on it in the main caliber tower. Satisfied with this result, the British moved away.
An attack against French ships in West Indies (aircraft carrier Baarn, Cruiser Emil Bertan and a light training cruiser Jeanne D'Ark, who were in the port of Pointe-A-Pitr on the island of Guadeloupe, was canceled at the last minute due to personal intervention US President Franklin Delado Roosevelt.
After the attack on those who were in their databases, the French ships The Wishhi Government broke off diplomatic relations with the UK. This operation complicated Anglo-French relations for many years.
The British failed to destroy the newest battles "Strasbourg", "Dunkirk" and "Jean Bar", the dreaded of the times of the First World War no longer represented combat value. After fixing damage, Dunkirk moved from Mers-El Keibl to Toulon. By the German command until 1942, an attempt was made to take possession of French ships. When, within the framework of Anton Operation on November 26, German troops entered the toulon and tried to seize French ships (Operation "Lila"), loyal debt French sailors at the first threat of capturing their fleet by the Germans flooded their ships.
In November 1940, US President Roosevelt appealed to the head of the French Government Marshal Petinen with a proposal to sell in Africa unique linkers "Jean Bar" and "Richelieu", but received a refusal. Only after the "Toulogo tragedy" the French agreed to give one battlestore allies. January 30, 1943 "Richelieu" left Dakar to New York.
In the photo: French Strasbourg battlefield under the fire of the King Navy ships, July 1940