Battle of Dakar
Part of African Campaigns, World War II
Date September 23–25, 1940 Location Dakar, French West Africa Result Vichy French victory
Combatants
United Kingdom Australia Free France	Vichy France
Commanders
John Cunningham Charles De Gaulle	Pierre François Boisson
Strength
2 battleships, 1 aircraft carrier, 5 cruisers, 10 destroyers	1 battleship, 2 cruisers, 4 destroyers, coastal emplacements
Casualties
2 battleships and 2 cruisers damaged	1 destroyer sunk, 2 submarines sunk

The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa (modern-day Senegal), which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there. 219. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper (commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop (PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... Location of French West Africa French West Africa (French: ) was a federation of eight French territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Côte dIvoire, Niger, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Dahomey (now Benin). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944. ... The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres in French) were French fighters who decided to go on fighting against Germany after the Fall of France and German occupation and to fight against Vichy France in World War II. General Charles de Gaulle was a member of the French Cabinet... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Motto Travail, famille, patrie French: Unoccupied zone of Vichy France (until November 1942) Capital Vichy Capital-in-exile Sigmaringen (1944-1945) Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholic Government Dictatorship Chief of state  - 1940 — 1944 Philippe Pétain President of the Council  - 1940 — 1942 Philippe Pétain  - 1942 — 1944 Pierre Laval... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Admiral Sir John Henry Dacres Cunningham, GCB, MVO (13 April 1885 – 13 December 1962) was the Royal Navy British First Sea Lord from 1946 to 1948. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944. ... For other uses, see Charles de Gaulle (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The name West African campaign refers to two battles during World War II: the Battle of Dakar (also known as Operation Menace) and the Battle of Gabon, both of which were in late 1940. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ... (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper (commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop (PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... Location of French West Africa French West Africa (French: ) was a federation of eight French territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Côte dIvoire, Niger, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Dahomey (now Benin). ... Motto Travail, famille, patrie French: Unoccupied zone of Vichy France (until November 1942) Capital Vichy Capital-in-exile Sigmaringen (1944-1945) Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholic Government Dictatorship Chief of state  - 1940 — 1944 Philippe Pétain President of the Council  - 1940 — 1942 Philippe Pétain  - 1942 — 1944 Pierre Laval... Flag De Jure territory Capital Paris Capital-in-exile London, Algiers Government Republic Leader Charles de Gaulle Historical era World War II  - de Gaulles appeal June 18, 1940  - Liberation of Paris August, 1944 The Free French Forces (French: , FFL) were French fighters in World War II, who decided to... For other uses, see Charles de Gaulle (disambiguation). ...

Background

After the conclusion of the armistice between France and Germany in June 1940, there was considerable confusion as to the allegiance of the various French colonies. Some, like French Cameroun and French Equatorial Africa, joined the Free French, but others, such as French North Africa, French West Africa, Syria and French Indochina, remained under Vichy French control. The French fleet in the Mediterranean had been able to counter the Italian navy there leaving the Royal Navy free to concentrate on the German warships in the North Sea and Atlantic. The possibility that the French fleet might fall into German control led to the destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir at the hands of the British. While eliminating a possible threat, it did nothing to encourage individual units to join the Free French. Cameroon over time  German Kamerun  British Cameroons  French Cameroun  Republic of Cameroon This article is about the historical French colony. ... Location of French Equatorial Africa. ... In various forms, France had colonial possessions since the beginning of the 17th century until the 1960s. ... Location of French West Africa French West Africa (French: ) was a federation of eight French territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Côte dIvoire, Niger, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Dahomey (now Benin). ... Flag Capital Hanoi Language(s) French Political structure Federation Historical era New Imperialism  - Addition of Laos 1893, 1887  - Vietnamese Declaration of Independence September 2, 1945  - Independence of Laos July 19, 1949  - Independence of Cambodia November 9, 1953  - Recognized Independence of Vietnam 1954, 1954 Area  - 1945 750,000 km² Currency French... Combatants United Kingdom France Commanders James Somerville Marcel-Bruno Gensoul Strength 3 battleships, 1 carrier, 2 cruisers, 11 destroyers 4 battleships, 6 destroyers, 1 seaplane tender Casualties — 1 battleship sunk 2 battleships damaged 1,297 killed The Destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, French North Africa (now...

De Gaulle believed that he could persuade the Vichy French forces in Dakar to join the Allied cause. There were several advantages to this; not only the political consequences if another Vichy French colony changed sides, but also more practical advantages, such as the fact that the gold reserves of the Banque de France and the Polish government in exile were stored in Dakar and, militarily, the better location of the port of Dakar for protecting the convoys sailing around Africa than Freetown, the base the Allies were using. One of the Banque de Frances offices in Paris. ... The Government of the Polish Republic in Exile was the government of Poland after the country had been occupied by Germany and the Soviet Union during September-October 1939. ... For other places with the same name, see Freetown (disambiguation). ...

It was decided to send a naval force of an aircraft carrier (HMS Ark Royal), two battleships (HMS Resolution and HMS Barham), five cruisers and ten destroyers to Dakar. Several transports would transport the 8,000 troops. Their orders were first to try and negotiate with the Vichy French governor, but if this was unsuccessful, to take the city by force. Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea... HMS Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... HMS Resolution was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser (really an uprated guided missile destroyer), launched in 1992. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ...

The Vichy French forces present at Dakar were led by the battleship Richelieu, one of the most advanced warships in the French fleet. It had left Brest on the 18 June before the Germans reached it. Richelieu was then only about 95% complete. Before the establishment of the Vichy government, HMS Hermes, an aircraft carrier, had been operating with the French forces in Dakar. Once the Vichy regime was in power, Hermes left port but remained on watch, and was joined by the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Australia. Planes from Hermes had attacked the Richelieu, and had struck it once with a torpedo. The French ship was immobilised but was able to function as a floating gun battery. Three Vichy submarines and several lighter ships were also at Dakar. A force of three cruisers (Gloire, Georges Leygues, and Montcalm) and three destroyers had left Toulon for Dakar just a few days earlier. The Gloire was slowed by mechanical troubles, and was intercepted by Australia and ordered to sail for Casablanca. The other two cruisers and the destroyers outran the pursuing Allied cruisers and had reached Dakar safely. Richelieu was the name-ship of a class of French battleships of World War II. She was named after the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other ships with the same name, see HMS Hermes. ... HMS Raleigh a Hawkins class cruiser around which the treaty limits for Heavy cruisers were written. ... HMAS Australia [1] , launched in 1927, was a County-class heavy cruiser in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). ... The Gloire was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonniere class. ... The Georges Leygues was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class. ... The Montcalm was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonniere class. ... Panorama of Toulon area. ... The Gloire was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonniere class. ...

Course of the Battle

On September 23, the Fleet Air Arm dropped propaganda leaflets on the city. Free French aircraft flew off HMS Ark Royal and landed at the airport, but the crews were taken prisoner. A boat with representatives of De Gaulle entered the port but they were fired upon. At 10:00, Vichy French ships trying to leave the port were given warning shots from Australia. The ships returned to port but the coastal forts opened fire on Australia. This led to an engagement between the battleships and cruisers and the forts. In the afternoon Australia intercepted and fired on the Vichy destroyer L'Audacieux, setting it on fire and causing it to be beached. is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ... For other uses, see Propaganda (disambiguation). ... HMS Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ...

In the afternoon, an attempt was made to set Free French troops ashore on a beach at Rufisque, to the northeast of Dakar, but they came under heavy fire from strongpoints defending the beach. General de Gaulle declared he did not want to "shed the blood of Frenchmen for Frenchmen" and the attack was called off. Rufisque is a city in the Dakar region of western Senegal, on the southeatern point of the Cap Vert Peninsula. ...

During the next two days, the Allied fleet attacked the coastal defences, as the Vichy French tried to prevent them. Two Vichy French submarines (Persée and Ajax) were sunk, and a destroyer damaged. After the Allied fleet also took heavy damage : HMS Resolution was torpedoed by the Bévéziers, and HMS Barham was hit by a 380mm shell from the Richelieu ; two cruisers were also damaged. HMS Resolution was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy. ... The Bévéziers (Q179) was a 1500-tonne submarine of the French navy, name in honour of the Bataille de Béveziers. ... HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... Richelieu was the name-ship of a class of French battleships of World War II. She was named after the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu. ...

The Allies withdrew, leaving Dakar and French West Africa in Vichy French hands.

Aftermath

The effects of the Allied failure were mostly political. De Gaulle had believed that he would be able to persuade the Vichy French at Dakar to change sides, but this turned out not to be the case, which damaged his standing with the Allies. Even the successful Battle of Gabon, in November 1940, did not wholly repair this damage. Combatants United Kingdom Free France Vichy France Commanders Andrew Cunningham Charles De Gaulle Pierre Koenig Marcel Tetu Casualties Unknown 1 cruiser, 1 submarine The Battle of Gabon or the Battle of Libreville was part of the West African Campaign of World War II fought in November 1940. ...

Order of battle

Allies

• Aircraft carrier: HMS Ark Royal
• Battleships: HMS Barham, HMS Resolution
• Heavy cruisers: HMAS Australia, HMS Cumberland, Devonshire
• Light cruiser: HMS Dragon, HMS Delhi
• Destroyers: HMS Echo, Eclipse, Escapade, Faulknor, Foresight, Forester, Fortune, HMS Fury, HMS Greyhound, HMS Inglefield
• Escorts/patrol boats: HMS Bridgewater, Commandant Dominé, Commandant Duboc, Houduce, HMS Milford, Savorgnan de Brazza
• Merchant ships: four Free French and one British
• Transports: SS Westernland (Dutch ocean liner), SS Pennland (Dutch ocean liner), MS Sobieski (Polish ocean liner) and three more
• 101st Royal Marine Brigade

HMS Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ... HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... HMS Resolution was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Raleigh a Hawkins class cruiser around which the treaty limits for Heavy cruisers were written. ... HMAS Australia [1] , launched in 1927, was a County-class heavy cruiser in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). ... HMS Cumberland, the fifteenth ship of that name was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War. ... HMS Devonshire was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy, that served in World War II. Devonshire was laid down by HM Dockyard at Devonport in Plymouth on 16 March 1926, launched on 22 October 1927 and completed on 18 March 1929. ... A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... HMS Dragon, a cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Delhi. ... HMS Echo was an E class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Eclipse was an E class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Escapade was an E class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Faulknor (H62) was a F-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun in Scotland on July 31, 1933, launched on June 12, 1934 and commissioned on May 24, 1935. ... HMS Foresight was an F-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Forester was an F class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Fortune was an F class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Fury was an F class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Greyhound (H05) was a G-class destroyer laid down by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 September 1934, launched on 15 August 1935 and completed on 31 January 1936. ... HMS Inglefield (D02), named for Captain John Nicholson Inglefield (1748–1828) and his son Rear-Admiral Samuel Hood Inglefield (1783–1848), was an I-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Cammel Laird and Company at Birkenhead on 29 April 1936, launched on 15 October 1936... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Corps of Royal Marines, usually just known as the Royal Marines (RM), are the United Kingdoms amphibious forces and a core component of the countrys Rapid Reaction Force. ...

Vichy French

• Battleship: Richelieu
• Light cruisers: Georges Leygues, Montcalm
• Destroyers: L'Audacieux, Le Fantasque, Le Malin, Le Hardi
• Escorts/patrol boats: Calais, Commandant Rivière, D'Entrecasteaux, D'Iberville, Gazelle, La Surprise
• Auxiliary cruisers: El Djezair, El Kantara, El Mansour, Schoelcher, Ville d'Oran
• Merchant ships: SS Porthos, SS Tacouna
• Submarines: Ajax (Q148), Béveziers (Q179), Persée (Q154)

Richelieu was the name-ship of a class of French battleships of World War II. She was named after the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu. ... The Georges Leygues was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class. ... The Montcalm was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonniere class. ... Le Fantasque (Capricious) was a large destroyer (contre-torpilleur, counter-torpedo boat) of the French Navy which served during the Second World War. ... La Surprise was a French Navy Minesweeper-type ship that participated in WWII. It was a class Chambois, a name derived by the French city of the same name. ... Auxiliary cruisers were merchant ships taken over for conversion into a vessel armed with cruiser-size guns, and employed either for convoy protection against true cruisers, or for commerce-raiding missions, where its appearance was used to trick merchant ships into approaching. ... For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... The Bévéziers (Q179) was a 1500-tonne submarine of the French navy, name in honour of the Bataille de Béveziers. ...

References

• Dakar: Operation Menace
• Royal Navy and World War 2: September-December 1940
• Book review: The Guns of Dakar and Operation Menace
• Photographs