ref:Flix000001 2008 48 003
Related TypesActivities Involve
Related PagesStandard View | Technical Details
Ship
HMS Wrestler
Operated By Country
Great Britain
Unit Type
Ship
Ship Class Image
Unit: AUS+ BR, Waterhen
Ship Class
HMS Admiralty W
Ship Type
Destroyer
Flag
224 530
Postings
0
Abbreviation
Alias
D35
I50
L10
Units
Operated By Country
Great Britain
Ships
Built By Shipbuilder
Launch YMD
Final YMD
Life Year
Swan Hunter1918 Feb 251944 Jul 0126.35yr
Activities
1)  Involved In Activity
2) 1: as
3) 2: Commanded By
4) 3:Rank
5) 1: Details
N  
Email Contribution: My grand father Louis Collinet was not the Captain of the Dunkerque in battle of Mers el Kebir (1940 07 03), but Captain of the Strasbourg. The Strasbourg was the only ship, which escaped to Toulon harbor. The grand Mother of Louis Collinet was english and he had british education. When the English naval forces came on the morning of 1940 07 03, he discretly prepared the machine of the ship and gave the order to cut the main anchor chains of Strasbourg and to fix small cable to prepare the escape. When the ship gone away my grand father refused to make fire on the Hood besause he considered that English navy was still 'allies' !
Email Contribution: From: Jean Marie Piquet
Subject: French cruiser Strasbourg in the battle of Mers-El Kebir
The story told by the grandson of the Strasbourg's commandant was reported to me differently by the then officer in charge of Gun-control of the battleship that day, while she was cruising at full speed towards Toulon, hunted by a force of destroyers and the HOOD.:
This officer reported to the commandant that due to sunset, the British ships would be in unfavourable conditions to signt the ship and that an opportunity existed to steer 90 degrees unseen and hit the HOOD by the flank, over the heads of the destroyers.
Answer from the commandant was "There has been enough casualties for today!"
Years later, after retirements, they both met for a dinner in my father's home and he confessed that he was one of the few French officers to know that British battleships were equipped with the first generation of radars which allowed them to track enemy units even in the dark. He thus could not explain his decision to forge ahead instead of taking a brave but foolish stand.
NLacon R W BLieutenant
Between North Cape and Bear Island
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