French Navy

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ("National Navy") and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles. The total displacement of the navy is ...

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Documents about French Navy

Thursday 22nd February 1940

Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Translation of a memorandum from the French Ambassador advocating the immediate occupation of the principal Norwegian ports.

extract French urge British Navy to immediately occupy Norwegian ports in order to protect Allied shipping. Cabinet to consider
place Finland
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Navy
 

Thursday 13th June 1940

Plans to meet a certain eventuality.

extract Chiefs of Staff predict German victory will cause "more actively opportunist" Japan but end support from "alarmed" Russia
place Great Britain
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Europe
place South America
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation French Navy
organisation United States Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill: “Absolute condition” of granting assent that French fleet sail for Britain "forthwith"
extract Halifax: Ambassador Kennedy hints President saving declaration of war as “last card” if France offered “impossible” terms
extract PM: "Some possibility" that if terms too harsh French Government might carry on the struggle from outside France
extract French government request UK authorisation to enquire "what armistice conditions would be offered to France by the enemy"
person Charles de Gaulle
person Ronnie Campbell
person Winston Churchill
person Jean Bart
place Great Britain
place New York, Lincolnshire
place Alexandria
organisation French Navy
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
organisation French Air Force
organisation French Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Decision “distasteful” but cannot see Cabinet can reach conclusion other than that proposed by Chiefs of Staff
extract Cabinet discuss Channel Islands report. PM: “Repugnant” to abandon territory held by Crown since the Norman Conquest
extract Halifax announces receipt of telegram from Japan threatening war if UK will not immediately comply with a list of demands
extract Halifax reports French colonies may “be willing in most cases to cooperate with us” whatever decided by Petain government
extract Admiralty to make arrangements to embark Polish and Czech troops at French ports and bring them to UK
extract Admiral Darlan: “In no circumstances” will Fleet be surrendered to Germans. Can be got away during negotiations
extract PM: “More encouraging picture” from France. Fighting continuing, French navy has sunk two Italian submarines
extract Air Chief: 120 enemy aircraft over UK last night. Attacks on Cambridgeshire, East Anglia. Nine casualties so far reported
person Andrew Greenwood
person Walter Hines Page
person Maxime Weygand
person Jean Bart
place Great Britain
place Narvik
place Gibraltar
place South America
place East Anglia
place Eritrea
place Kenya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation French Navy
organisation RAF Fighter Command
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM orders broadcast denouncing Armistice terms as being of "most murderous character", making France "tool of the enemy"
extract UK Ambassador Bordeaux confirms that France and Germany have signed an Armistice agreement, precise terms unknown
extract Lord Halifax to issue statement for UK consuls in overseas French territories appealing to Colonies to continue the war
extract Cabinet approves broadcast by General de Gaulle at 2200 BST over Admiralty objections that it may alienate many Frenchmen
extract German wireless is reporting that France has signed an Armistice agreement
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person Duff Cooper
person Jean Bart
place Syria
organisation French Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Cannot run “mortal risk” of allowing ships to fall into enemy hands. Rather "we should have to fight and sink them"
extract Cabinet to send appeals directly to French naval officers to secure fleet in spite of French government opposition
person Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
person Jean Bart
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Alexandria
place Syria
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Most French crew to be returned to France. French Navy's "Communist tendency" means "no reliance" can be placed on them
extract Cabinet cannot decide action toward French fleet. Agree UK must do all it can to capture or scuttle four biggest ships
person Jean Bart
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Portsmouth
organisation French Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves evacuation of women and children from Hong Kong. War Secretary to look at UK recruitment in Far East
extract General Dill: Military operations in the Middle East confirm "reluctance of the Italians to fight"
person Walter Hines Page
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Francisco Franco
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Portsmouth
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Navy
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

German and Italian Armistice Terms to France.

extract Lord Halifax circulates full text of signed German and Italian armistice terms to France
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Great Britain
place Somaliland
place Geneva
place Syria
place Rome
place Libya
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation French Navy
 

Wednesday 3rd July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet informed French ships have refused UK ultimatum. Admiral Gensoul warns he is "prepared to open fire"
extract Admiralty reports takeover of French ships at Portsmouth has resulted in no casualties. Few casualties at Plymouth
extract PM orders air attacks diverted on to German harbours. "Growing feeling" invasion "might be imminent"
person Charles de Gaulle
place Alexandria
place Portsmouth
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation French Navy
 

Implications of French Hostility.

extract Chiefs of Staff examine implications of French hostility. Warn of "considerable added Naval commitment"
person Jean Bart
place South Africa
place Freetown
place Somaliland
place Egypt
place Madagascar
place Caribbean
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Alexandria
place Syria
place Libya
organisation French Navy
organisation French Air Force
 

Sunday 8th December 1940

Draft letter from Prime Minister to President Roosevelt.

extract PM to cable Roosevelt on year ahead: "Unless we can establish our ability to feed this Island...we may fall by the way"
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
place Great Britain
place Singapore
place Turkey
place North America
place Europe
place Africa
place Northern Ireland
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
organisation French Navy
 

Thursday 6th February 1941

Developments at Vichy.

extract Eden: "Germans will stand no more delaying tactics from Marshal Petain". Renewed pressure for their use of French fleet
person Anthony Eden
person Maxime Weygand
person Adolf Hitler
place Paris
place Tunisia
place Syria
place Toulon
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation French Navy