World War II Database

Dunkerque was the lead ship of her class of fast battleships, the first French ship to be categorized as so. Although she was not as well-armed as contemporary battleships, they were purposefully so as they were built specifically to counter the German Deutschland-class pocket battleships, which were in effect extra-heavy cruisers. Dunkerque's design was innovative, having the entire main armament mounted forward in two quadruple turrets, which allowed unrestricted forward fire.

During the Phoney War period of the European War, Dunkerque was used along with her sister ship Strasbourg to escort convoys. After the German conquest of France, she was docked in Mers-el-Kébir alongside of Strasbourg. On 3 Jul 1940, British Force H executed Operation Catapult on 3 Jul 1940, attempting to wipe out the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir. Dunkerque was severely damaged by gunfire during the attack, settling on the bottom of the harbor. Two days later, she sustained further damage by torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal. After being re-floated and temporary repairs completed, Dunkerque returned to Toulon in Southern France in Feb 1942. She was in armistice custody, disarmed and in drydock, when the Germans invaded the so-called "Free Zone" on 27 Nov 1942. Dunkerque and Strasbourg were scuttled by demolition charges at Toulon on the same day. Her commanding officer, Capitaine de vaisseau Amiel, initially refused to sink his ship without written orders, but was finally convinced to do so by the captain of the nearby light cruiser La Galissonnière.

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