Mers El Kébir

Coordinates: 35°43′43″N 0°42′25″W / 35.72861°N 0.70694°W / 35.72861; -0.70694
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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Portus Divinus
)
Mers El Kébir
بلدية المرسى الكبير
Baladiyya al-Marsā al-Kabīr
ONS
code
3115

Mers El Kébir (

Second World War
.

History

Originally a

Dey of Algiers following a siege by the forces of the Dey
.

Mers El Kébir, 1881 by Eugène Trutat, French photographer.

The French occupied it in 1830, and renamed it Saint André de Mers-el-Kébir, enhancing the port in 1868 with an eponymous lighthouse;[1] the latter was destroyed in World War II.

World War II

Main article: Attack on Mers-el-Kébir
Attack on Mers El Kébir, 3 July 1940

Following the German defeat of France in 1940, a portion of the French fleet became holed up in the port. On 3 July 1940,

Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville, attacked the French Navy's fleet at Mers-el-Kébir after the French refused to accede to any of Somerville's demands which were designed to ensure the French Navy would not join forces with Nazi Germany like the Vichy French. The attack was successful, although it fueled strong anti-British sentiment in France. However, Britain's resolve against Nazi Germany and France was demonstrated to the United States. Admiral Somerville sank or shelled three of Gensoul's ships, killing 1,300 sailors.[2]

Old photograph of Cimetiere street

Post World War II

After World War II, France used its naval base at Mers-el-Kébir to assist in atomic tests, the base was substantially developed by the French in 1953.[3] The Évian Accords of 18 March 1962, which recognized Algerian independence, allowed France to maintain its base for 15 years; however, France withdrew five years later in 1967.

Google Earth imagery has confirmed that a sizeable number of the Algerian National Navy use the naval base at Mers El Kébir.[4] Including the navy's Kilo-class submarine fleet of six boats;[5] as well as other frigates and corvettes.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lighthouses at Lighthouse Depot ... Lighthouse Explorer Database ... Mers el Kebir Light Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ISBN 978-0-00-733809-2
  3. ^ Pathé, British. "New Naval Base At Mers El Kebir". www.britishpathe.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Algeria: Mers El Kebir Imagery Update". bellingcat. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Algerian Navy commissions additional two Kilo-class submarines". Naval Today. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Algeria - Navy". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mers El Kebir.
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