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Mers El Kébir ( ) is a port on the
Originally a Phoenician port, it was called ''Portus Divinus'' under the Roman presence, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of the
Following the German defeat of France in 1940, a portion of the French fleet became holed up in the port. On 3 July 1940, Force H of the British
A plan of the Mers-el-Kébir anchorage
Accueil Kébir
MERS EL KEBIR 1940
Mers-el-Kebir – A Battle Between Friends
by Irwin J. Kappes {{DEFAULTSORT:Mers El Kebir Aïn El Turk District Communes of Oran Province Former Spanish colonies
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
, near Oran
Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...
in Oran Province
Oran Province (, ) is a provinces of Algeria, province (''Wilayas of Algeria, wilayah'') in Algeria whose seat is the Oran, city of the same name.
Geography
It is located in the northwestern part of the country. Its population is 1,584,607 and i ...
, northwest Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
. It is famous for the attack on the French fleet in 1940, in the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
History
Originally a Phoenician port, it was called ''Portus Divinus'' under the Roman presence, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of the Kingdom of Tlemcen
The Kingdom of Tlemcen or Zayyanid Kingdom of Tlemcen () was a kingdom ruled by the Berber Zayyanid dynasty in what is now the northwest of Algeria. Its territory stretched from Tlemcen to the Chelif bend and Algiers, and at its zenith reached ...
in the 13th century, and eventually became a center of pirate activity around 1492. It was fought over by the Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks () were a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group in Anatolia. Originally from Central Asia, they migrated to Anatolia in the 13th century and founded the Ottoman Empire, in which they remained socio-politically dominant for the e ...
, Portuguese (defeated in the 1501 Battle of Mers El Kebir by Abu Abdallah IV) and Spanish (defeated in the 1507 Battle of Mers-el-Kébir by Abu Abd Allah V). The Spanish, who named it ''Mazalquivir'', captured it in 1505 under Cardinal Cisneros. Mazalquivir was used as a base to capture neighbouring Oran
Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...
in 1509. The Spanish held both cities until 1708, when they were driven out by Bey Mustapha Ben Youssef (also known as ''Bouchelaghem''). The Spanish returned in 1732 when the armada of the Duke of Montemar was victorious in the Battle of Aïn-el-Turk and again took Oran and Mazalquivir. The Spanish held both cities until 1792, when they were sold by King Carlos IV to the Dey of Algiers following a siege
A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...
by the forces of the Dey.
The French occupied it in 1830, and renamed it Saint André de Mers-el-Kébir, enhancing the port in 1868 with an eponymous lighthouse; the latter was destroyed in World War II.
World War II
Following the German defeat of France in 1940, a portion of the French fleet became holed up in the port. On 3 July 1940, Force H of the British Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
, led by Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral.
Australia
In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
Sir James Somerville, attacked the French Navy
The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
'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
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
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
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Admiral Somerville sank or shelled three of Gensoul's ships, killing 1,300 sailors.
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. TheÉvian Accords
The Évian Accords were a set of declarations between the French Government and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic on 18 March 1962 in Évian-les-Bains which outlined the agreements for Algeria's Independence alongside coope ...
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. Including the navy's Kilo-class submarine fleet of six boats; as well as other frigates and corvettes.
See also
* *European enclaves in North Africa before 1830
The European enclaves in North Africa (technically 'Enclave and exclave#Related constructs and terms, semi-enclaves') were towns, fortifications and trading posts on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of western North Africa (sometimes called a ...
* Operation Torch
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa whil ...
* Presidio
* US Naval Bases North Africa
US Naval Bases in North Africa were sea ports and air base used in North Africa during World War II by the United States Navy. The ports and air bases supplied the troops of the Allies of World War II, Allies armies in the flight against Ger ...
References
External links
A plan of the Mers-el-Kébir anchorage
Accueil Kébir
MERS EL KEBIR 1940
Mers-el-Kebir – A Battle Between Friends
by Irwin J. Kappes {{DEFAULTSORT:Mers El Kebir Aïn El Turk District Communes of Oran Province Former Spanish colonies