British Forces

Force M
  • Admiral John Cunningham

Battleships and carriers

  • BB Barham (flagship)(flagship) (damaged)(damaged)
  • BB Resolution (damaged)(damaged)
  • CV Ark Royal
    • 30 Swordfish
      Notes: 3 lost.
    • 21 Skua
      Notes: 3 lost.

Heavy Cruisers

  • CA Australia (damaged)(damaged)
    Notes: Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
  • CA Cumberland (damaged)(damaged)
  • CA Devonshire

Light Cruisers

  • CL Delhi (damaged)(damaged)
  • CL Dragon (damaged)(damaged)

8th Destroyer Flotilla

  • DD Inglefield (damaged)(damaged)
    Notes: Leader.
  • DD Eclipse
  • DD Echo
  • DD Escapade

12th Destroyer Flotilla

  • DD Faulknor
    Notes: Leader.
  • DD Forestor
  • DD Fortune
  • DD Foresight (damaged)(damaged)
  • DD Fury
  • DD Greyhound

Sloops

  • DS Milford
  • DS Bridgewater

Troopships

  • Westernland
  • Pennland
  • Ettrick
  • Karanja
  • Kenya
  • Sobieski

Mechanical Transport Ships

  • Anadyr
  • Casamonce
  • Fort Lamy
  • Nevada

Supply Ships

  • Belgravian
    Notes: Food.
  • Ocean Coast
    Notes: Oil.

Free French Forces

  • DS Savorgnan de Brazza
  • DS Commandant Duboc
  • DS Commandant Dominé
  • AT Président Houduce

French Forces

Vichy French Forces Dakar

  • Vice Admiral Landriau

Free French Forces

  • BB Richelieu (damaged)(damaged)
    Commanding officer: Capt. Mazin

Other Warships

  • DD Le Hardi
  • DC D'Entrecasteaux
  • DC D'Iberville
  • DC Calais
  • DC Commandant Riviére
  • DC La Surprise
  • DC Gazelle

6th Submarine

  • SS Persée (sunk)(sunk)
  • SS Ajax (sunk)(sunk)
    Commanding officer: Capt. Guimont
  • SS Bévéziers

1st Armed Merchant Cruiser Squadron

  • El Djezaïr
  • El Kantara
  • El Mansour
  • Schoelcher
  • Ville d'Oran

Force Y

  • Vice Admiral Emile Lacroix
  • Rear Admiral Bourragué

4th Cruiser Division

  • CL Georges Leygues (flagship)(flagship)
  • CL Montcalm (damaged)(damaged)

10th Scout Division

  • DL Le Fantasque
  • DL L'Audacieux (damaged)(damaged)
  • DL Le Malin

Action Summary

Under Operation "Menace", British forces were covering transports carrying a British brigade and Free French Army units under General Charles De Gaulle who attempted to occupy Dakar. The invasion miscarried and a series of minor engagements ensued with the British withdrawing after three days.

Sources

  • "French Battleships 1922-1956" by John Jordan and Robert Dumas
  • "Struggle for the Middle Sea" by Vincent P. O'Hara
  • "Navies of the Second World War: The French Navy Volume Two" by Henri le Masson

Page History

17 March 2013
New datapage