PC : UK v France naval engagement 1930s?

Is there any likely scenario that would lead to British and French ships exchanging fire in the 1930s?

If so where and what would be the probable outcome?
 
Impossible. Britain relied on the french Navy to guard the Mediterranean throughout the 1930s. There was no way there was going to be a confrontation.
 
Lets assume it does, basically the french if they try to a stand up naval fight get their teeth kicked in. The vast majority of their battle line is some very obsolete dreadnoughts. They have two modern battlecruisers, a moderate amount of very lightly built cruisers and no carriers.

They are outnumbered and out gunned and with weaker ships.
 
If France and Britain fought a serious war, the naval aspect would be focused on on raiding. France had a very large submarine fleet, much larger than the one Germany began World War Two with. France also had a more robust cruiser fleet than Germany. The Richelieu would probably be the first full sized fast battleship commissioned, notable considering the trouble the Royal Navy went through with the Bismarck. France also had metropolitan ports that gave direct access to the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and a global network of colonial ports. The damage to trade would be tremendous.

The British would win a naval war in the end, but it would be crippling to Britain. That kind of Mutually Assured Distruction probably promoted teamwork between Britain and France, and also explains Britains's fall from superpower status: No one expected someone as irrational and lucky as Hitler to gain power in a major country with a real navy.
 
Well if somehow fighting broke out and was not quelled after the first battle, the War in Africa will be a bloody one. :eek:
 
Answer: Mers el Kebir.

That was the original inspiration for the question.

It just seems there weren't any real points for this to kick off in the 30s.

The best, albeit unlikely, scenario I could come up with would be some sort of uprising in Syria that spills in British controlled Palestine.

Both sides send ships and troops to put down the rebellion with a fair bit of finger pointing as to who is responsible.

An accident aboard a British ship causes an explosion. Believing they have been attacked by the nearby French the fleet opens fire and you get a lot of dead French sailors.

Italy and Germany both offer to mediate the emerging conflict (which would really annoy the French if England wants Germany to do it).

Unfortunately it all seems a bit ASB to be honest which is a pity cause driving a wedge between England and France around 33/34 would have huge consequneces.
 
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