Mers El Kébir

{{Infobox settlement | name = Mers El Kébir | official_name = Commune of Mers El Kébir | native_name = بلدية المرسى الكبير | native_name_lang = ar | type = [[Municipalities of Algeria|Municipality]] | image_skyline = MOts Murdjajou surplombant Oran (13).jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = View of Mers El Kébir | image_shield = | nickname = | image_map = DZ 31 Mers el-Kebir.svg | mapsize = 220px | map_caption = Location of Mers El Kébir within Oran Province | pushpin_map = Algeria | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Mers El Kébir within Algeria | coordinates = {{Coord|35|43|43|N|0|42|25|W|region:DZ-31_type:adm3rd|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Algeria}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Algeria|Province]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Oran Province|Oran]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Algeria|District]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Aïn El Turk District|Aïn El Turk]] | established_title =  | established_date = | seat_type = [[Capital (political)|District seat]] | seat = | government_footnotes = | leader_title = [[People's Municipal Assembly|PMA Seats]] | leader_name = 9 | leader_title1 =  | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 =  | leader_name2 = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 10.98 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 0 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 16950 | population_as_of = 2006 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | timezone1 = [[Central European Time|CET]] | utc_offset1 = +01 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 31310 | area_code_type =  | area_code =  | blank_name_sec1 = [[Office of National Statistics (Algeria)|ONS]] code | blank_info_sec1 = 3115 | website =  | footnotes = | other_name = Baladiyya al-Marsā al-Kabīr }}

'''Mers El Kébir''' ({{langx|ar|المرسى الكبير|translit=al-Marsā al-Kabīr|lit=The Great Harbor}} {{Pronunciation|Al_marsa_al_kabir.ogg|help=no}}) is a port on the [[Mediterranean Sea]], near [[Oran]] in [[Oran Province]], northwest [[Algeria]]. It is famous for the [[Attack on Mers-el-Kébir|attack on the French fleet]] in 1940, in the [[Second World War]].

==History== [[File:MHNT PHa 138 Zx11.jpg|thumb|left|Mers El Kébir, 1881 by [[Eugène Trutat]], French photographer.]]

Originally a [[Phoenicia|Phoenician]] port,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.simply-crowd.com/produit/marseille-phenicienne-chronique-dune-histoire-occultee/|title=Marseille Phénicienne, chronique d’une histoire occultée|language=fr|work=simply-crowd.com|publisher=Gabriel Chakra|date=1 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://excerpts.numilog.com/books/9782402567060.pdf|title=Mers El Kebir, le grand port|language=fr|work=excerpts.numilog.com|publisher=Janvier Ferrara|date=22 December 2017}}</ref> it was called ''Portus Divinus'' under the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] presence, Mers-el-Kébir became an [[Almohad]] naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of the [[Kingdom of Tlemcen]] in the 13th century, and eventually became a centre of pirate activity around 1492. It was fought over by the [[Ottoman Turks]], Portuguese (defeated in the 1501 [[Battle of Mers-el-Kébir (1501)|Battle of Mers El Kebir]] by [[Abu Abdallah IV]]) and Spanish (defeated in the 1507 [[Battle of Mers-el-Kébir (1507)|Battle of Mers-el-Kébir]] by [[Abu Abdallah V|Abu Abd Allah V]]).

The Spanish, who named it ''Mazalquivir'', [[Capture of Mers-el-Kébir (1505)|captured it in 1505]] under [[Cardinal Cisneros]]. Mazalquivir was used as a base to capture neighbouring [[Oran]] in 1509. The Spanish held both cities until 1708, when they [[Siege of Oran (1707–1708)|were driven out]] by [[Bey]] [[Mustapha Ben Youssef]] (also known as ''Bouchelaghem''). The Spanish returned in 1732 when the armada of the [[José Carrillo de Albornoz, 1st Duke of Montemar|Duke of Montemar]] was victorious in the [[Battle of Aïn-el-Turk]] and again took Oran and Mazalquivir. The Spanish held both cities until 1792, when they were sold by [[Charles IV of Spain|King Carlos IV]] to the [[History of the Regency of Algiers|Dey of Algiers]] following a [[Siege of Oran (1790–1792)|siege]] by the forces of the Dey.

The French occupied it in 1830, and renamed it Saint André de Mers-el-Kébir, enhancing the port in 1868 with an eponymous lighthouse;<ref>[http://www.lhdepot.com/database/dataphotopage.cfm?value=4330 Lighthouses at Lighthouse Depot ... Lighthouse Explorer Database ... Mers el Kebir Light] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311011636/http://www.lhdepot.com/database/dataphotopage.cfm?value=4330 |date=2007-03-11 }}</ref> the latter was destroyed in World War II.

=== World War II === {{main|Attack on Mers-el-Kébir}} [[File:Croiseur de bataille Strasbourg 03-07-1940.jpg|thumb|left|Attack on Mers El Kébir, 3 July 1940]]

Following the [[fall of France]] in 1940, a French fleet became holed up in the port. On 3 July 1940, [[Force H]] of the [[Royal Navy]], led by [[Vice admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice-admiral]] [[James Somerville|Sir James Somerville]], attacked the fleet at Mers-el-Kébir after its commanders refused to accede to any of Somerville's demands which were designed to ensure it would not join forces with [[Nazi Germany]] like [[Vichy France]]. The attack was successful, with Force H destroying or damaging several French warships. The attack, which led to Vichy France severing its relations with Britain, demonstrated to the world that the British would fight on against the [[Axis powers]].<ref>Hastings, Max. (2011) ''All Hell Let Loose The World at War 1939-1945''pp 80-81 Harper Press {{ISBN|978-0-00-733809-2}}</ref>

=== Post World War II === After World War II, France used its naval base at Mers-el-Kébir to assist in atomic tests, the base was substantially developed by the French in 1953.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pathé |first1=British |title=New Naval Base At Mers El Kebir |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/new-naval-base-at-mers-el-kebir/query/Algeria |website=www.britishpathe.com |access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref> The [[Évian Accords]] of 18 March 1962, which recognised Algerian independence, allowed France to maintain its base for 15 years; however, France withdrew five years later in 1967.

Google Earth imagery has confirmed that a sizeable number of the [[Algerian National Navy]] use the naval base at Mers El Kébir.<ref>{{cite web |title=Algeria: Mers El Kebir Imagery Update |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2016/05/29/algeria-mers-el-kebir-imagery-update/ |website=bellingcat |access-date=25 January 2021 |date=29 May 2016}}</ref> Including the navy's [[Kilo-class submarine]] fleet of six boats;<ref>{{cite web |title=Algerian Navy commissions additional two Kilo-class submarines |url=https://www.navaltoday.com/2019/01/10/algerian-navy-commissions-additional-two-kilo-class-submarines/ |website=Naval Today |access-date=25 January 2021 |date=10 January 2019}}</ref> as well as other frigates and corvettes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Algeria - Navy |url=http://countrystudies.us/algeria/167.htm |website=countrystudies.us |access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref>

[[File:MeK route du cimetiere.jpg|thumb|center|Old photograph of Cimetiere street]]

==See also== * {{Portal inline|Algeria}} * [[European enclaves in North Africa before 1830]] * [[Operation Torch]] * [[Presidio]] * [[US Naval Bases North Africa]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Mers El Kebir}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060221050526/http://www.hmshood.org.uk/reference/official/adm234/adm234-317.html A plan of the Mers-el-Kébir anchorage] * [http://www.merselkebir.org/ Accueil Kébir] {{in lang|fr}} * [http://merselkebir.unblog.fr/ MERS EL KEBIR 1940] {{in lang|fr}} * [http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/merselkebir.aspx Mers-el-Kebir – A Battle Between Friends] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312123451/http://militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/merselkebir.aspx |date=2016-03-12 }} by Irwin J. Kappes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mers El Kebir}} [[Category:Mers El Kébir| ]] [[Category:Aïn El Turk District]] [[Category:Communes of Oran Province]] [[Category:Former Spanish colonies]]