contre-torpilleurs sailed from Toulon to rendezvous with the French forces sailing north to France. They linked up with the Fourth in the early morning of 4 July and returned to Toulon. Strasbourg arrived later that evening. In August 1940 Colbert underwent a refit to upgrade her light anti-aircraft weapons. The quad 13.2 mm machineguns were finally installed during this refit. When completed she was placed in care and maintenance with a reduced crew. On 1 January 1941 she was activated to replace Dupleix in the Forces de haute mer. On 11 November 1942 the Germans started their occupation of Vichy France. The FHM was ready to sail to North Africa to defend it from the Torch landings but was denied permission to sail. By 27 November they had reached Toulon and entered the base. The Germans were delayed from entering the naval dockyard giving the French sailors time to scuttle the fleet. Colbert was at Dock No. 5. Her guns were spiked with 35 kg charges that were detonated destroying the guns and the sea cocks were opened and the ship settled to the bottom. Fire took hold of the ship and she burned until 3 December. She was raised post war and scrapped between 1946 and 47. References Bibliography External links 203 mm/50 (8in) Model 1924 naval gun 90 mm/50 (3.5 in) Model 1926 naval gun 37 mm/50 (1.46 in) Model 1933 naval gun 13.2 mm(0.5 in) machinegun Model 1929 French Pre-war Torpedoes World War II warships scuttled at Toulon 1928 ships World War II cruisers of France