Battle of Gabon

Battle of Gabon
Part of World War II

Free French Hotchkiss H39 tanks during the Battle of Gabon
Date27 October – 12 November 1940
(2 weeks and 2 days)
Location
Result Free French victory
Territorial
changes
Free French Forces gain control over Gabon and the remainder of French Equatorial Africa from the Vichy regime.
Belligerents

 Free France

Naval support:
 United Kingdom

 Vichy France

Commanders and leaders
Strength
Free French:
1,060 men[1]
1 aviso
1 minesweeper
1 cargo ship
Royal Navy:
1 heavy cruiser
1 sloop
1,500 men[2]
1 aviso
1 submarine
Casualties and losses
20-100 killed
4 aircraft destroyed
At least 35 killed[3]
1 aviso destroyed
1 submarine scuttled

The Battle of Gabon (French: Bataille du Gabon), also called the Gabon Campaign (Campagne du Gabon),[4] occurred in November 1940 during World War II. The battle resulted in forces under the orders of General de Gaulle taking the colony of Gabon and its capital, Libreville, from Vichy France, and the rallying of French Equatorial Africa to Free France.

  1. ^ "Histoires de Français Libres – Ordres de Bataille de la 1ère DFL – Gabon".
  2. ^ Yannis Kadari, " The epic of the Royal Cambouis: The FFL tank company in combat (1040-41 – first part) ", Batailles et Blindés , Caraktère, n o 1,november 2003, pp. 4–15
  3. ^ Jackson, Julian (2018). De Gaulle. Harvard University Press. p. 155.
  4. ^ Kennedy, David M. The Library of Congress World War II Companion p. 466