In July 1940, the Royal Navy was forced to carry out a highly important act- the destruction of the French Fleet at Oran/Mers El-Kebir, Algeria. The French had recently surrendered to Nazi Germany and the disposition of their fleet was in question. If the fleet followed the Vichy governments lead, it could possibly surrender itself to Germany.

This would give the dreaded Kriegsmarine a significant number of warships to use in its war against Great Britain. Though highly unlikely, this possibility was unacceptable to the British government. They decreed it necessary to either bring the ships over to the Allied cause, have them sent to a neutral port or destroy them.

The Royal Navy dispatched "Force H" led by Hood to present the French with the choices via an ultimatum. The attempt to resolve the situation somewhat peacefully failed...in the end, roughly 1,300 Frenchmen lost their lives. The event in all likelihood permanently tarnished relations between the UK and France.

The following first-hand account and photos were provided to us by Mr Miles Phillips of Boissevain, Manitoba, Canada. His brother, Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant Ronald G. Phillips, was a paymaster plus secretary to Hood's captain.

He was aboard Hood at Oran/Mers el-Kebir and kept a scrapbook containing several photos and the written account presented verbatim below. This account is not 100% accurate, but it does give a good feel for what the action was like. A more accurate report on the action can be found in the References Section of this site.

In the evening, as all negotiations had failed and the French had informed us of their intention to fight, the British Force under Admiral Cunningham consisting of "..three ships of the line including H.M.S. HOOD together with the Aircraft Carrier 'ARK ROYAL' and supporting cruisers and destroyers.." steamed in to close the harbour where the enemy were lying with steam up and with their guns cleared away.

"HOOD" was guide of the Fleet and the leading ship of the line, the other two Battleships being disposed astern and the "ARK ROYAL" out of shore gun range.
When the range had decreased to only about nine miles, the enemy was still partially obscured by a land mist which had been present all day.

However, as there seemed no alternative (the enemy being about to leave harbour and refusing further negotiations) fire was opened at that range. The French waited until they could see where our first salvo would fall, and, seeing it land inside the harbour and round the mole, immediately replied with their shore batteries, and a few minutes later their warships in the harbour opened fire their concentration, for obvious reasons being on "HOOD".

Appendix No. 1 to Hood report No. 0130, 5th July 1940
Bombardment of French War Ships at Oran by "HOOD", "RESOLUTION" and "VALIANT"
Wednesday 3rd July, 1940.
1755 ) Course 100ƒ Speed 17 knots
1755 ) Open fire. (RESOLUTION and VALIANT opened fire about thirty seconds earlier.)
1756 First salvoes arrive on shore. One distinct hit observed.
1756 1/2 We fire again.
1757 Fire opened on us by enemy.
1758 A large explosion observed on shore with a column of white smoke extending some hundreds of feet into the air.
1759 Shore batteries open fire on us. Five distinct gun flashes seen. All a/c to 20ƒ to north.
1800 Shell splashes/pink about three cables on starboard beam.
1801 Ricochet over bridge.
1801 1/2 Another shell splash on starboard beam and ricochet over bridge.
1802 RESOLUTION, VALIANT and ourselves firing steadily and deliberately. Difficult to observe effect of fall of our shot but numerous flashes and spurts of flame amongst continuous shell splashes, observed in the harbour.
1802 Order given to make smoke. Delay in order being executed.
1802-1803 Following fall of shot on starboard bow and beam: Nearer ) Most of these shells ricocheted over
Still short ) bridge. The nearest shell splash being Nearer ) less than a cable, but most of them
Short ) about a cable and a half away. Still short )
1803 1/2 Destroyer on our starboard bow being fired on by shore batteries. RESOLUTION, VALIANT and ourselves altering course away from the harbour.
1804 "A" arcs not bearing. One salvo from "X" and "Y".
1805 Smoke screen becoming effective, about this time a straddle was
obtained on us by the shore batteries.
1806 Large shell splash astern of VALIANT - probably 14".
1807 ) Shore batteries still engaging us. Order given for 4" to
1808 ) to open fire on them. Order not executed owing to danger of an air attack developing.
1809 Signal "Dynamo" received.
1810 Another salvo from aft. A lull followed as smoke screen became very effective being assisted by smoke floats dropped by destroyers. Enemy cease fire on us and we stop firing too. Enemy flashing "Stop gunning".
1814 Order given cease making smoke.
1818 Blue 3. Report receive that we had fired about fifty-five rounds.
1825 Report received from lower conning tower that we had received two slight hits on the stbd side apparently in the funnel uptakes. No damage and no casualties (Editor's Note- Hood had two crewmen, one officer and one rating, with minor injuries caused by shrapnel). Still steaming away.
1838 Course 080ƒ speed 17 knot
1845 Cruisers ordered to take station three miles ahead. Our speed 18 knots.
1915 Small white boat sighted on starboard bow, trying to close us. Contains Captain Holland and party.
1919 "Forester" sent off after her. Force now consists of 'ARETHUSA," "ENTERPRISE" and "HOOD" and three destroyers. We are steaming after "STRASBOURG" course 080ƒ speed 25 knots. Subsequently working up to full power.
1934 Ship sighted under the land - identity uncertain.
1935 Aircraft in sight bearing green 40ƒ.
1935 1/2 Gunfire heard.
1936 "ARETHUSA" report the ship under the land.
1938 Unidentified ship alters course towards us.
1939 The cruisers open fire at her.
1940 She (an enemy destroy) opens fire.
1941 We open fire with 15" at enemy destroyer. There had been some doubt
as to whether she was one of our own.
1942 ) Torpedo reported approaching starboard side.
1942 ) Large shell splash seen about half a mile ahead of us - white. We
alter course to port.
1943 The cruisers are still firing, maintaining their course.
1944 Report received from A.D.O. - 6 aircraft seen in sector "C".
1945 "ARETHUSA" flashing.
1948 Steady on our original course.
1948 Enemy report of 1 B.S. and 6 destroyers received from "ARK ROYAL".
1949 H.A. shell bursts reported as a formation of enemy aircraft.
1955 Destroyers passing up the starboard side.
1957 "ARETHUSA" and 'ENTERPRISE" closing us, bearing green 40ƒ
2000 Three aircraft sighed on starboard beam.
2002 H.A. open fire port side against aircraft on port beam.
2003 Aircraft start flashing.
2014 Ship bearing green 10ƒ
2020 Alter course to 290ƒ reduce speed to 20 knots.
2021 23 knots
2023 Heard "RESOLUTION" and "VALIANT" firing to port.
2024 Aircraft bearing red 45ƒ
2025 On course 290ƒ speed 23 knots
2026 Ship bearing red 30ƒ
2032 ) RESOLUTION and VALIANT firing at aircraft.
2032 ) We open fire with our H.A. and after a few rounds cease. Aircraft
are out of range.
2035 Others still firing at aircraft - rather ineffectively.
2035 1/2 A.D.O. again open fire and cease when ordered to. Aircraft
out of range and ammunition would be wasted.
2037 Others cease fire at aircraft.
2040 VALIANT opens fire again.
2041 We open fire again. Still ineffective. There are only three planes
2043 A few aircraft sighted on starboard quarter - we again open fire
and they turn away. Only a few rounds fired.
2045 Others open fire at aircraft, and cease a minute later.
2052 Aircraft astern. We open fire for a few rounds.
2053 We join up and rest of force takes station.

R.G. Phillips
Paymaster Sub Lieutenant
Captain's Secretary.

The Commanding Officer,
H.M.S. Hood"

Hey guy, you forget something very important:

Look at Mers El Kebir on a map... it's far away from occupied France. French fleet was in Mers El Kebir to be far away from occupied France.

French Fleet was in Mers El Kebir not to surrender...that's the point. And it didn't surrender! Most of Mers El Kebir french boats where about to reach US neutral harbors.

But England decided to attack without even asking what's was happening, because they were afraid that French fleet would be captured...:

Admiral Xavier Francois Darlan, chief of French Navy, was not collaborating with Petain in Vichy. French Navy was allied with free french government and England.

"a signal to Darlan's liaison officer in London failed to mention the one proposal which could have averted disaster: namely, that the French fleet should sail to neutral US ports - an action that would have settled British fears."

The key warship in Operation Catapult was the biggest afloat, the battlecruisers HMS Hood, 42,000 tons, and two battleships, Resolution and Valiant, plus some eleven destroyers and the aircraft carrier, Ark Royal--all under the command of one of the Royal Navy's toughest and most flamboyant characters, Vice-Admiral Sir James (nicknamed "Naughty James" because of his racy language) Somerville.

Within ten minutes it was all over, though planes from the Ark Royal were sent into to mop up the following day. Over 1,300 Frenchmen had died -more than the total of Germans the Royal Navy had killed in any action since the war began. Not a single British life was lost.

<b>"Somerville was sickened by what he described in a letter to his wife as "an absolutely bloody business ... the biggest political blunder of modern times." He was relegated from high command.</b>

<b>Later, Churchill made a "statement of sincere sorrow" to the Commons.</b>

Hey guy, wake up, this operation was a stupid misunderstanding... with a better communication, these ships would have been in US harbors...and such ships would have been a precious help for further battles. Do you realize that the only proposal made by british to French navy was to die within their boats. The proposal to reach US harbors was never transmitted.

So they died.

and i found it not funny at all.

ZZZZ ...

we learned that in school FAV,
that's the difference between a normal secondary school education in France and a pseudo BA in History

go back to your books...

...but I like the Idea my contribution let you read your history books again...

British contribution to WWII hey, that's something new on this Site....

Why don't you tell us about the british Navy Fleet in the Med sea and their glorious Italian fleet huntings ?

go on, read a little more!...

GOOD POST, FAV!! ACCURATELY described the cowardice and collaboration of the NAZI frogs!! DAMN, they are NAZI/VICHY LOSERS!!

France = NAZIs forever!! Jew killers, deluxe!

BTW.. FUCK FRANCE! LOL!

This is even better!

A good old fashioned turkey shoot of coward Vichy Frogs!

ROFL!!!!

ROFL!! FAV +1

"...but I like the Idea my contribution let you read your history books again..."

I think that a man who hates France is certainly unable to read a book. Learning will certainly kill him. Reading books is a dangerous terra incognita for such a narrow-minded guy : it's full of krauts and frogs philosphers's texts. Even Erasmus (who is nor french nor german) will certainly have a sad effect on this kind of man.

Jokes appart, it seams that history is quite different in US schools than what it is in occidental universities.

Jokes appart, it seams that history is quite different in US schools than what it is in occidental universities.

WHAT?? HA HA HA!! Try history is different in the US than it is in France, period! In the US, they tell the story how it really is and in France, they tell the story about how they wished it went! FACT! French history is a made up LIE!! Then again, they would have to lie to keep people from being so embarrassed or 'uping' the suicide rate!!

French are prideless people, with no honor, that would sellout for a Dollar! LOL!!

"Try history is different in the US than it is in France, period!"

I did not say that. I have just said that it is different between american schools and occidental universities. For me, occidental universities included american ones.

I did not say that. I have just said that it is different between american schools and occidental universities. For me, occidental universities included american ones.

Sure, you stay in any country of the world, The Allies won the war, except France. You stay in France, you're taught that the FROG Resistance was 60% of the population and that France was the victor in both World Wars! LOL!! Now, that's a JOKE!!
You never went to any American school, you complete MORON! Even if you did, I can see why you would want to, to get away from those pathetic, shitty FROG schools, that teach you how to properly sign up for welfare .... And that's about it! ROFL!