© 2004 - Mike MacKenzie, Largs and District Historical Society , Kirkgate House, Manse Court, LARGS, Ayrshire, KA30 8AW, United Kingdom. The information is provided for the purposes of private study and research - Commercial Rights Reserved.
THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF |
THE SAILORS OF THE FREE FRENCH NAVAL FORCES |
WHO SAILED FROM GREENOCK IN THE YEARS 1940-1945 |
AND GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC |
FOR THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE |
AND THE SUCCESS OF THE ALLIED CAUSE |
A LA MEMOIRE |
DU CAPITAINE DE FREGATE BLAISON |
DES OFFICIERS ET DE L’EQUIPAGE |
DU SOUS-MARIN "SOURCOUF" |
PERDU DAN L’ATLANTIQUE |
FEVRIER 1942 |
A LA MEMOIRE |
DU CAPITAINE DE FREGATE BIROT |
DES OFFICIERS ET DES EQUIPAGES |
DES CORVETTES "ALYSSE" ET "MIMOSA" |
DISPARUS DANS LA BATAILLE DE L’ATLANTIQUE |
1942 |
A LA MEMOIRE DES MARINS |
DES FORCES NAVALES FRANCAISES LIBRES |
QUI N’ONT JAMAIS CESSE LE COMBAT |
ET SONT TOMBES GLORIEUSEMENT |
POUR LA LIBERATION DE LA FRANCE |
DANS L’HONNEUR ET PAR LA VICTOIRE |
THIS MEMORIAL WAS DESIGNED AND ERECTED |
BY THE OFFICERS AND MEN |
OF THE FRENCH NAVAL BASE AT GREENOCK |
WITH THE HELP OF SUBSCRIPTIONS |
RAISED AMONG THE CREWS |
OF THE FREE FRENCH NAVAL FORCES |
THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF |
THE SAILORS OF THE FREE FRENCH NAVAL FORCES |
WHO SAILED FROM GREENOCK IN THE YEARS 1940-1945 |
AND GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC |
FOR THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE |
AND THE SUCCESS OF THE ALLIED CAUSE |
TO THE MEMORY |
OF COMMANDER BLAISON |
THE OFFICERS AND THE CREW |
OF THE SUBMARINE "SOURCOUF" |
LOST IN THE ATLANTIC |
FEBRUARY 1942 |
TO THE MEMORY |
OF COMMANDER BIROT |
THE OFFICERS AND THE CREWS |
OF THE CORVETTES "ALYSSE" AND "MIMOSA" |
MISSING DURING THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC |
1942 |
TO THE MEMORY OF THE SEAMEN |
OF THE FREE FRENCH NAVAL FORCES |
WHO NEVER GAVE UP THE FIGHT |
AND WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES GLORIOUSLY |
FOR THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE |
IN HONOUR AND THROUGH VICTORY |
THIS MEMORIAL WAS DESIGNED AND ERECTED |
BY THE OFFICERS AND MEN |
OF THE FRENCH NAVAL BASE AT GREENOCK |
WITH THE HELP OF SUBSCRIPTIONS |
RAISED AMONG THE CREWS |
OF THE FREE FRENCH NAVAL FORCES |
Notes :-
The Submarine SURCOUF was the largest submarine in the world in 1942. The French had somehow managed to keep her, although most of the former French Navy’s vessels were denied them. The Corvettes had both been Royal Navy (Flower Class) Corvettes (ALYSSE was formerly named ALYSSUM) and they were part of quite a large number of Royal Navy vessels which were put at the disposal of the Free French Naval Forces. ALYSSE and MIMOSA were both lost to U-boats, but SURCOUF was rammed and sunk by a U.S. freighter, with very heavy loss of life.
Notes :-
In April 1940 the French Destroyer MAILLÉ BRÉZÉ (2400 tons), named after a French Admiral (1618-1646), blew up off Greenock with heavy loss of life following an accident involving her own torpedoes.
Although this disaster occurred before the Free French Naval Forces were established, many people tend to regard the Cross of Lorraine on Lyle Hill in Greenock as a memorial to the loss of the MAILLÉ BRÉZÉ as well as to the later losses of the Free French naval vessels.
[ see also the Largs and District Historical Society page ]
[ return to the Home Page of this Web Site ]
[ latest update - 20 July 2004 ]
Visitor Counter :-