Duty Before Honour - HMS 'Hood' - Mers-el-Kébir, 1940

The tragic events of the Royal Navy's attack on the French fleet at anchor in July 1940.
Produced by Maritime Films UK for The HMS Hood Association
Director/Camera/Edit:
Rob White/Andy Jones with Andy Poulastides

[@Chartdoc62]

This is a very moving tribute to those who were at Mers-el-Kebir - those who lost their lives and those who died. It is good to know that through the Associations, reconciliation and forgiveness has taken place, helping to dull the stain on those who were forced to carry out what has been called "Churchill's Darkest Decision".

[@gustavoadolfotorchiagalant4134]

IN MEMORIAN PER OVLINIONEM.
RIPFAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWINGS SEAS GREAT PROFFESOR AND NAVAL HISTORIAN ST.ERIC GROOVE.. .

[@billballbuster7186]

Mers-el-Kebir was the result of one Admiral's arrogance and scheming, Marcel-Bruno Gensoul. Firstly he refused to meet Somervilles representative, as he wes not of equal rank. On recieving Somervilles ultimatum, Gensoul lied in his report to the French Government saying that Internment and Battle were the only options, missing out the option of moving the fleet to the Caribbean out of German reach. This last option had in fact already been proposed by Darlan. Gensoul got his men killed for his pride.

[@PaperSmiles]

Very kind to the French admiral. His pride, hubris, and inflexibility despite a relatively open remit from his superiors caused the whole damn tragedy. He got his men killed because he felt slighted that a man of lower rank came to negotiate.

[@gandigooglegandigoogle7202]

of course it is well known, to ask for the reissue of an entire fleet you send a subordinate loaded with an ultimatum!....idiot!

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@gandigooglegandigoogle7202 the only idiot present was Marcel-Bruno Gensoul.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@gandigooglegandigoogle7202 Holland had been British Naval Attache in Paris. He knew most of the senior officers in the French navy, spoke French fluently, and was a Francophile. Somerville could hardly leave his flagship at a time when events were moving at a rapid pace.
The ultimate responsibility lies with Gensoul, who failed to inform his own government of the full text of the British ultimatum, and never, to his dying day, chose to explain this decision.

[@anonymusum]

What a BS. You are talking about officers of a sovereign country and its fleet. The Brits knew that Darlan and the rest of the French Admiralty never would have handed their fleet over to the Germans. In reality this war crime should boost the British moral at cost of over a thousand French lives. You should realise that British interest doesn´t justify every action. But I guess this example shows that it will be a long learning process for you guys.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@anonymusum The British in July 1940 knew nothing of the sort. They did know that the Armistice/Surrender required that almost all French warships be returned to mainland French ports, to be placed under German 'supervision.'
They did not know was sort of policy an administration by someone with views as right-wing as those of Petain might adopt.
Moreover, only the Royal Navy was capable of preventing a German invasion attempt. The potential support of the French Fleet made such an attempt much more possible, hence the British taking preventative action
The action was not a morale booster, as you claim, but it did tell Parliament, and FDR, that the Churchill administration was committed to continuing resistance.
'You should realise that British interest doesn´t justify every action.' Actually, in terms of July 1940, when Britain was the only European country still in arms against Germany, yes it does.

[@tylermcneill]

😂

[@romuald9625]

The massacre on defenseless frenchmen had been justified in North Atlantic at 24 May 1941,

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Marcel-Bruno Gensoul certainly had a LOT to answer for.

[@TomFynn]

Um, you mean the Frenchmen in ships with huge fucking cannons?