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Events on Wednesday 3 July 1940 1
1940Attack on Mers-el-KébirThe Royal Navy attacks the French fleetOn 3 July British warships attacked the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir to keep it out of German hands after the French refused an ultimatum. Almost 1,300 French sailors were killed and the battleship Bretagne was sunk. Vichy France broke off diplomatic relations with Britain.