British battleships shell and destroy the French fleet off the coast of French Algeria during World War II.

The Attack on Mers-el-Kebir (Operation Catapult) off the coast of French Algeria during World War II. The French naval fleet at the port town of Mers-el-Lebir. French flags on the ships. French officers arrive in a boat. French naval officers and sailors on the ships deck. French commanding officer Marcel-Bruno Gensoul aboard the Dunkerque reads a telegram from British Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville stationed aboard the HMS Foxhound. The telegram demands the surrender of the French fleet including the battleships Dunkerque, to prevent it from falling into German hands. Images of signal light communications between the ships. On rejection of the demand, the British fleet shells the French fleet. British ships shell and destroy numerous ships of the french fleet. French sailors run about and try to put out fires on the ships. Explosions on ships and in the water. Wrecked and charred ships of the French fleet. Debris strewn on the water. French sailors aboard small life boats, navigating among much floating debris after the battle. Boats with fire hoses working to extinguish flames on charred French vessels. The French warships in the battle included battleships Provence and Bretagne, the battleships (battlecruisers) Dunkerque and Strasbourg, the seaplane tender Commandant Teste and six destroyers. The British vessels in the battle were the battlecruiser HMS Hood, battleships HMS Valiant and HMS Resolution, and the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal along with an escort of cruisers and destroyers. From a German newsreel.