Force de Raid

The Force de Raid was a French naval unit based at Brest until 1940. It included some of the most modern capital ships of its day organised into two squadrons, commanded at the outbreak of World War II by Vice Amiral Marcel Gensoul. The Force effectively ceased to exist as a separate unit after the British attack on Mers-el-Kébir.

History
Until June 1940, the Force de Raid operated against the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) in the Atlantic and supported the Norwegian Campaign. In June, all the ships that could sail were moved to North Africa to avoid capture by the Germans.

The wartime British Government of Winston Churchill was greatly alarmed by the possibility that these ships might be acquired, with or without French agreement, by the Axis powers and, when agreement over their fate was not reached, they were bombarded by the Royal Navy.

Fast battleships
Dunkerque, Strasbourg

Cruisers
Montcalm, Georges Leygues, Gloire

Destroyers
L'Audacieux, Le Fantasque, Le Malin, Le Terrible, Le Triomphant, L'Indomptable, Mogador, Volta

Aircraft carrier
Béarn