Jean de Laborde was a French admiral who had a long career starting at the end of the 19th century and extending to World War II after which he was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. A pioneer of naval aviation in France, he captained the first French aircraft carrier, earned many awards, and held many top posts. He is most well known for his final military act, the scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon, after he refused to allow Germany to seize his fleet or to order his fleet to join the Allies during the German occupation of Vichy France in World War II, which left his prestige in ruins and led to his arrest and conviction for treason.
Jean de Laborde
Scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon
The scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon was orchestrated by Vichy France on 27 November 1942 to prevent Nazi German forces from seizing it. After the Allied invasion of North Africa, the Germans invaded the territory administered by Vichy under the Armistice of 1940. The Vichy Secretary of the Navy, Admiral François Darlan, defected to the Allies, who were gaining increasing support from servicemen and civilians. His replacement, Admiral Gabriel Auphan, guessed correctly that the Germans intended to seize the large fleet at Toulon, and ordered it scuttled.
Strasbourg, Colbert, Algérie, and Marseillaise
The stern of the cruiser Marseillaise
Panzertruppen watch the burning Colbert
Toulon in late 1944