Quote:
Originally Posted by Sid Guttridge
I have also read that the aircraft were sabotaged by the Vichy authorities in Martinique at a point when they feared a US occupation and that this was only discovered after July 1943. Is there any truth in the sabotage story?
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Yes, sometimes the Vichy's fighting spirit is ununderstandable.....and seriously disgusting.
Remember Mers-el-Kébir in July 6th & 9th 1940, where, by refusing the surrender possibility, the English Navy "had to" sink the French one.....
Surrender would have prevented the death of 1297 french sailers (as the decision not to sink the French Navy).
During that event, French air force reacted and shot down a couple of Swordfish and a Skua, if my knowledges are correct.
Well, the problem isn't that simple, because the Navy was the only political argument of France against occupying Germany, do that was their only "weight in the scale" as we say in french (sorry for my poor English, I'm french).
So the sailers were given orders in order to keep their fleet under French operational control, including the possibility to fight against the English Navy, even an old allied....
Sorry if this was a bit without links with the initial subject.
I would also like to say thanks for welcoming me here.
I hope I will be understandable...
Regards,
Guass.