Attack on Mers-el-Kébir

3 July 1940, Mers-el-Kébir, near Oran, French Algeria

British success; one French battleship sunk, two damaged

After France's surrender Churchill would not risk the French fleet falling into German hands. Vice-Admiral Somerville's Force H arrived off Mers-el-Kébir and gave Admiral Gensoul a choice: sail to British or American ports, demilitarise his ships, or scuttle them. Talks through Captain Cedric Holland lasted most of the day. At 5.54 in the evening the British opened fire on the French squadron, moored with their sterns to the mole and their guns pointing the wrong way. In ten minutes a 15-inch shell set off Bretagne's magazine and she capsized, Dunkerque and Provence were hit and run aground, and the destroyer Mogador lost her stern. Strasbourg got out of the harbour with five destroyers and, chased by Hood and Ark Royal's Swordfish, reached Toulon. Three days later Swordfish came back to torpedo the stranded Dunkerque. In all 1,297 French sailors were killed. Vichy France broke off relations with Britain, but the attack showed the world that Britain meant to fight on.

Royal Navy

17 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
HMS Hood Somerville's flagship	Battlecruiser Admiral class	Survived
HMS Valiant	Battleship Queen Elizabeth class	Survived
HMS Resolution	Battleship Revenge class	Survived
HMS Ark Royal Her Swordfish attacked Strasbourg and, on 6 July, Dunkerque	Aircraft carrier	Survived
HMS Arethusa	Light cruiser Arethusa class	Survived
HMS Enterprise	Light cruiser Emerald class	Survived
HMS Faulknor	Destroyer F class	Survived
HMS Foxhound Carried Captain Holland to Gensoul	Destroyer F class	Survived
HMS Fearless	Destroyer F class	Survived
HMS Forester	Destroyer F class	Survived
HMS Foresight	Destroyer F class	Survived
HMS Escort	Destroyer E class	Survived
HMS Keppel	Destroyer Shakespeare class	Survived
HMS Active	Destroyer A class	Survived
HMS Wrestler	Destroyer V and W class	Survived
HMS Vidette	Destroyer V and W class	Survived
HMS Vortigern	Destroyer V and W class	Survived

French Navy

11 ships, 1 lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Bretagne Magazine blew up and she capsized; 977 killed	Battleship Bretagne class	Sunk
Dunkerque Gensoul's flagship; run aground, then torpedoed on 6 July	Battleship Dunkerque class	Damaged
Provence Beached	Battleship Bretagne class	Damaged
Strasbourg Reached Toulon	Battleship Dunkerque class	Escaped
Mogador Stern blown off	Destroyer Mogador class	Damaged
Volta With Strasbourg to Toulon	Destroyer Mogador class	Escaped
Le Terrible With Strasbourg to Toulon	Destroyer Le Fantasque class	Escaped
Kersaint With Strasbourg to Toulon	Destroyer Vauquelin class	Escaped
Tigre With Strasbourg to Toulon	Destroyer Chacal class	Escaped
Lynx With Strasbourg to Toulon	Destroyer Chacal class	Escaped
Commandant Teste Not hit	Seaplane tender	Survived

Map

Force H sails for Mers-el-Kébir 2–3 July 1940
Strasbourg escapes to Toulon 3–4 July 1940