French cruiser Algérie

The "Algérie" was a French heavy cruiser that served during the early years of World War II. She was built in response to the Italian "Zara" class cruisers, incorporating better armour than previous French cruisers.

"Algérie" started World War II as flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron which also included the cruisers "Dupleix", "Foch", "Duquesne", "Tourville", "Colbert" and destroyers from the 5th, 7th and 9th Contre-Torpilleur divisions. The "Algérie", "Dupleix", the battlecruiser "Strasbourg" and the British aircraft carrier HMS "Hermes" were based in Dakar in French West Africa, while searching for the German "Graf Spee".

In March 1940, after refitting at Toulon, she accompanied the battleship "Bretagne" to Canada, with 3,000 cases of French gold. In April, "Algérie" returned to the Mediterranean and when Italy declared war on France, she shelled Genoa in June. Her last mission before the French surrender was as a convoy escort.

After the French defeat in 1940, "Algérie" remained with the Vichy fleet based at Toulon. Her only mission for the Vichy navy was to escort the battleship "Provence" back to Toulon, after the battleship had escaped from Oran in 1940. In 1941, her secondary and anti-aircraft weaponry was strengthened and in 1942, she was fitted with radar.

She was still there when the Germans invaded the so-called "Free Zone" on the 27 November 1942. She was scuttled in the Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon. Demolition charges were set on the ship. The Germans tried to persuade her crew that scuttling was not permitted by Armistice provisions; her captain requested the Germans to wait until his superior could advise, as the fuses were lit. When admiral Lacroix finally arrived, he ordered the ship evacuated; as the Germans were preparing to board, he told them that the cruiser was about to explode. She was blown up and burnt for 20 days.

The Italians raised her on 18 March 1943 and, being too damaged to be repaired, she was broken up for scrap.