The Unfinished Battleship of Saint-Nazaire
The Jean Bart, the second battleship of the Richelieu class, is launched on 6 March 1940 at the Saint-Nazaire shipyards (Penhoet and Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire). In June, she is far from finished: only a single main turret is in place, lacking its full fire-control system, and the propulsion is only partially installed.
On 11 June, Commander Ronarc'h receives orders to make for Casablanca. But the Germans are advancing toward Nantes, the exit channel has not been sufficiently dredged, and the slightest miscalculation of the tide could pin the ship to the bottom. At sea, a British destroyer even offers to tow her to England.
The commander must decide under pressure: risk taking out a vessel barely able to navigate, or choose another course.
With a battleship far from complete and the enemy closing in on the estuary, what does the commander decide?
Ronarc'h chose to flee toward Casablanca. The ship was brought out of the basin by three tugs in the early hours of 19 June, taking advantage of the high tide. She ran aground briefly, withstood an attack by He 111 bombers without major damage, and then, at sea, the commander declined the offer of the British destroyer HMS Vanquisher to tow her to England, in keeping with his orders. The Jean Bart reached Casablanca intact on 22 June 1940, escaping German capture. There she would confront the Americans during Operation Torch in November 1942.
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