{"id":96137,"date":"2025-11-27T02:00:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T07:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/?p=96137"},"modified":"2025-07-20T18:17:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T22:17:00","slug":"operation-catapult-the-royal-navys-day-of-infamy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/2025\/11\/27\/operation-catapult-the-royal-navys-day-of-infamy\/","title":{"rendered":"Operation Catapult: The Royal Navy&#8217;s day of infamy?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"854\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G_coefvANKY?si=rGUdyshvbCUMEZNh\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Lindybeige<\/strong><br \/>\nPublished 28 May 2025<\/p>\n<p>Operation Catapult took place on July 3rd 1940 at Mers El Kebir on the Algerian coast. It remains a point of controversy in the relations between the British and the French. Who was to blame for the sinking of the French ships and deaths of French sailors? You be the judge.<\/p>\n<p>Erratum: Acting Rear Admiral Onslow, captain of the aircraft carrier <em>Hermes<\/em>, was not &#8220;Rodney&#8221; Onslow as I named him, but Richard Francis John Onslow, M.V.O., D.S.C. (29 March, 1896 \u2013 9 April, 1942).<br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Buy the music &#8211; the music played at the end of my videos is now available here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUJHN0lHbHdVYkVYamxydExoSGNBUkRRMzRBUXxBQ3Jtc0trVXRXVmFpSVNKSWdYQXhZaEE4azlMZlBvVi1WLXhKUTJZRXlXZ2hjY1RJQTRZUUNPb2RucGl2cnZSMVNnMjBrcks5d3E4QnlLVWltWURRbnhYWjdnQjNZSmVkWm0wcXNqRTBocmVYemJQN1ltalE2RQ&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Flindybeige.bandcamp.com%2Ftrack%2Fthe-mandeville-march&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/lindybeige.bandcamp.com\/track&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Buy tat (merch):<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVVXaVhtUHZlVlduaEE5akM1ejU4YjN0cVExZ3xBQ3Jtc0trdC01ZU91WjNBd3lVLTZ0MndxUnBKS0hXb0pBSDBjbE9QcTUtVVZyd29lS01Idld4ak5fQmRqMzFRU29yZ2ptRU82azZ4ME15clFjWng4OS1GNF9sd1R0dktwVGNUcUZvalhPZUkzc1BLWlNBZjAyQQ&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bonfire.com%2Fresults%2FLindybeige%2F&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.bonfire.com\/results\/Lindy&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Picture credits:<br \/>\nHalifax picture by Yousuf Karsh &#8211; [1] Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 bekijk toegang 2.24.01.04 Bestanddeelnummer 902-2067, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2JIQzFuMGEzbjd4S1IxY2hxbGtmaW9HdnZDUXxBQ3Jtc0ttOWQxcmxwa2YyYVNSSTY3N1owbWN3NksxUlI4TTlUVEU5dkNEY1hSTU5rU01vamJUREYtUnY3YTczU1A4N2l4bFVhNm5LVVZFNkIxWGl2cnRCZ1BPOVFyZlFCUmZVS0NvSWN1Mk91RjNJNlNCNlVwUQ&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D37130836&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mers El Kabir under attack image by Jacques Mulard &#8211; Photot\u00e8que personnelle de l&#8217;auteur, CC BY-SA 3.0, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWJZeGg5d1BFaks5Y2o0Z29HNmxWY1o0NDQ4QXxBQ3Jtc0tuUXJoTi1lTkdkVzJmOElqVTdFMjVxTENvS0F2ajBQbjdzTzlxRDB1U2dSY0hEVXdyUTUtdVBNUmdiRjhTT2tzV1AtaDlCYjVqUWpzaXNNZ2wwN05OWnU2bkJPZGJXQUZhWVZhVWk1VG16ZC1pbFFoNA&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D3914615&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><br \/>\nBy Jacques Mulard &#8211; photot\u00e8que personnelle de l&#8217;auteur, CC BY-SA 3.0, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbS02bElJUDVUMnR3R29MdGlLTUVOU1d5Zkg3Z3xBQ3Jtc0tuaC1EODBEVUdSbzRMRWtsMmxsenRLSG91QXluUmtOZ0R0MVNmYmd5Z2xRcDV4WFc3MjcxUUFqNnNwMWRvOHRsUzFmSXF4ekNrTDNDVHdZVDFVbDZTbllxMzdTeWlaaktoa2s0VjBTVUZFd2VEUXg1Zw&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D3914504&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Map showing French fleet&#8217;s position by derivative work: Maxrossomachin &#8211; This SVG map includes elements from this map:, CC BY-SA 3.0, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbS02bElJUDVUMnR3R29MdGlLTUVOU1d5Zkg3Z3xBQ3Jtc0tuaC1EODBEVUdSbzRMRWtsMmxsenRLSG91QXluUmtOZ0R0MVNmYmd5Z2xRcDV4WFc3MjcxUUFqNnNwMWRvOHRsUzFmSXF4ekNrTDNDVHdZVDFVbDZTbllxMzdTeWlaaktoa2s0VjBTVUZFd2VEUXg1Zw&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D3914504&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>MS 406 image by Martin \u010c\u00ed\u017eek &#8211; Martin \u010c\u00ed\u017eek, CC BY-SA 4.0, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWRZNkdCYldCUGE5WEJadFFyNFktbm9LcFpXd3xBQ3Jtc0tsbkFBTDZTazFYOVBQS2htNWk3Wi0yWWtydlpWWEI5b3BmQmlfQ3BGRjJSUEg2SGR5ZFVMdUh4c2ZfMThQbnJFdEs2QmFBcHZ2aWt0TzFxMDFSc3BKLW1ZYUdWbkZLem9UTERMRTNIUVp1V0k0SUlxQQ&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D49338819&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Andrew Cunningham image by Yousuf Karsh &#8211; [1] Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 bekijk toegang 2.24.01.04 Bestanddeelnummer 902-2069, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1NiTVdMOG5ZbW9Rckw2cE5HUTRCSWRtWlVVd3xBQ3Jtc0trZ1huT1VCd1pPVDlCc2NITlQ0OWtQVDBPV2FPTl9qb1kydVhvVHoyQXJkNmxneTJFdE5jYVQ3UjNHYnVJT2ExZFE3SmZkVXBBdEU4OXAzQlRURGNaYUdMN1RyVjF6MzNraUptV201WmtPV3AyYUR3RQ&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D37131099&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cedrick Holland Image by Beadell, S J (Lt) &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmlEd2tSUGtMQk9xa204eUc5MzNNOEFpUFdMd3xBQ3Jtc0tubFJPOUF0dlJDMnc5MU4zODB2YnZNTmRmOFdVVlhQTUF0SlByUjNYZnRCZURwWEJ0R0s3T1RmQllhUFpQMDdFbmtKcW95bERGaVpDSFpkVC1iM2Y0MGhYcUtmRUdiUEt5VWxaVXN1QlBEQ2tiNzBEZw&#038;q=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.iwm.org.uk%2Fiwm%2FmediaLib%2F%2F451%2Fmedia-451309%2Flarge.jpgThis&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/media.iwm.org.uk\/iwm\/mediaLib\/&#8230;<\/a> photograph A 14068 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums., Public Domain, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=video_description&#038;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3pTX0xIUWFTVE03ODAwUHNKNXpYajdMRVhyZ3xBQ3Jtc0trNXhnaXQ2VFA2enFPS3FNN2YxTkxUWkhqLWNYcEhxNENuS21iMEpsckYwNW9wd2h1Q3ljekpNVU5qcnpfcHgtMEpVTVY0emdqOXJPYmlQb3JDMm55RmdOcWJPWUF4amR0eTNwdkRVT1ppRFBOMXM4Zw&#038;q=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fw%2Findex.php%3Fcurid%3D39599736&#038;v=G_coefvANKY\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Lindybeige: a channel of archaeology, ancient and medieval warfare, rants, swing dance, travelogues, evolution, and whatever else occurs to me to make.<\/p>\n<p>My website:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.LloydianAspects.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.LloydianAspects.co.uk<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lindybeige Published 28 May 2025 Operation Catapult took place on July 3rd 1940 at Mers El Kebir on the Algerian coast. It remains a point of controversy in the relations between the British and the French. Who was to blame for the sinking of the French ships and deaths of French sailors? You be the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[362,4,1117,7,5,230],"tags":[648,432,572,1398,30,61],"class_list":["post-96137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-africa","category-britain","category-france","category-history","category-military","category-ww2","tag-algeria","tag-diplomacy","tag-leadership","tag-lindybeige","tag-navy","tag-ships"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2hpV6-p0B","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96137"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96138,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96137\/revisions\/96138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}