Le plus gros sous marin de la WW2 et les forces navales de la France Libre

This video is part of a series on the Companions of the Liberation, exploring the Free French Forces and their naval component in World War II.

At the start of the war, France possessed a particularly powerful fleet that, allied with the English Navy, presented a formidable force against enemies.

Germany avoided risking its surface fleet against this combined strength, opting instead for submarine warfare with U-boots.

• French sailors engaged in skirmishes and air strike attacks • Used vessels to cover operations during the Norwegian campaign • Participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk • Bombed Genoa on the Italian side

The 1940 campaign allowed Germans to seize many French ports, threatening the fate of the French fleet.

French sailors refused to surrender their ships to the enemy. Some scuttled their vessels while others set sail to England or French ports in North Africa.

Officer Etienne Schlumberger, in charge of submarine repairs in Cherbourg, towed his submarines to England on June 19, 1940, preventing their capture by approaching Germans.

Many ships escaped German hands as a result of these efforts, with sailors following Schlumberger's example and departing before enemy arrival.

The Surcouf was the world's largest submarine with an exceptional feature: it carried a battleship turret, exploiting a treaty loophole that prohibited guns on ships but said nothing about submarines.

• Could bomb targets with its turret gun • Carried a seaplane for reconnaissance missions • Could deploy the seaplane and then dive again

France's bureaucratic creativity allowed this remarkable vessel to be constructed in ways that technically complied with international treaties while achieving unprecedented capabilities.

The submarine's capabilities were so advanced that even the legendary Nautilus submarine would need to be cautious against it.

After France's surrender, many ships took refuge in English ports and North Africa. Britain feared these vessels would join Vichy forces or fall into German or Italian hands.

• Operation Catapult launched on July 2, 1940, targeting French ships in British ports • British forces assaulted French vessels sometimes at the cost of sailors' lives • The most significant action occurred on July 3, 1940 at Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria

The British fleet ordered French ships to join England, sail to the Antilles, join a neutral port like the United States, or be scuttled.

• British intercepted a message about French reinforcements arriving • This triggered a British attack on the anchored French fleet • Two battleships and a destroyer were knocked out of action • Battleship Brittany sank with nearly 1,000 sailors • Other ships managed to return to Toulon under British fire

By 1942, the Free French Naval Forces had 65 warships total, with 40 operational despite spare parts shortages in England, plus a battalion of riflemen and the Kieffer commando unit.

The Ruby was a minesweeper that joined Britain in 1940 and received the Companions of the Liberation title, the first submarine to earn this military honor.

• In June 1940, deployed 32 mines in the Trondheim channel while slipping under a German destroyer • Sank six ships and damaged one with its mines alone • During the war, laid nearly 700 mines total • Sank 18 enemy ships and seriously damaged two others through combined mine and torpedo attacks

• The Ruby's crew included 8 Companions of the Liberation • Protected from scrap metal fate, it was submerged off Cap Camarat near Saint-Tropez in 1958 • Divers can still visit the wreckage today • Since 1983, a nuclear attack submarine bears the Ruby's name and its crew wears the Liberation colors in their uniform

The episode concludes an exploration of Free French Naval Forces, with more topics on Companions of the Liberation to be covered in future episodes.

The Free French Naval Forces demonstrated remarkable resilience and tactical innovation despite being separated from mainland France and operating with limited resources.

The vessels and sailors of the Free French Navy earned lasting recognition through honors like the Companions of the Liberation title and continued commemoration.

The channel encourages sharing the content and promises continued exploration of Free France's maritime contributions to World War II.