The (High Sea Force) was an organization of the (French Navy) formed from the
Mediterranean Fleet
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between t ...
shortly before the German
invasion of Poland in September 1939. It was reformed after the French signed armistices
with Germany and
with Italy after losing the
Battle of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...
in June 1940. The rump of France not occupied by Germany and Italy became known as
Vichy France and the victors agreed to allow it to use the navy's surviving ships subject to strict limitations.
History
It was founded at Toulon on 25 September 1940 by agreement with the
Italian and
German Armistice Commissions. The Germans and Italians imposed strict limits on the number of Vichy ships that were allowed to be in
commission and training. All other ships, with the exception of those based overseas or assigned to local defense, were required to be placed in
reserve (). Fuel shortages generally limited the FHM to one major training
sortie
A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warfare. ...
per month. Ships would generally rotate in and out of reserve to receive refits or modernizations.
[Jordan & Caresse, p. 236]
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
Jean de Laborde came out of retirement to lead the FHM.
[Jordan & Caresse, p. 236]
Order of battle, 25 September 1940
On formation, the unit consisted of:
*, the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
*''1
ère Escadre de croiseurs'' (1st Cruiser Squadron)
**''1
ère Division de croiseurs'' (1st Cruiser Division)
***
***
***
**''3
e Division de croiseurs'' (3rd Cruiser Division)
***
***
*''3
e Escadre Légère'' (3rd Light Squadron)
**''3
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (3rd Destroyer Division)
***
***
***
**''7
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (7th Destroyer Division)
***
***
***
**''10
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (10th Destroyer Division)
***
***
Order of battle, 1 November 1942
Shortly before the
German occupation of Vichy France, the unit consisted of:
[Cernuschi & O'Hara, p. 136]
*, the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
*''1
ère Escadre de croiseurs'' (1st Cruiser Squadron)
**''1
ère Division de croiseurs'' (1st Cruiser Division)
***
***
***
**''3
e Division de croiseurs'' (3rd Cruiser Division)
***
***
*''3
e Escadre Légère'' (3rd Light Squadron)
**''3
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (3rd Destroyer Division)
***
***
**''6
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (6th Destroyer Division)
***
***
***
**''7
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (7th Destroyer Division)
***
***
***
**''10
e Division de contre-torpilleurs'' (10th Destroyer Division)
***
***
***
Notes
References
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forces de haute mer
French naval components
Naval fleets