The Mystery of the Surcouf !

The Surcouf was a French Submarine.
At the beginning of World War II she was the biggest submarine in the world, She had a revolving turret with a pair of 8 inch guns. Surcouf had a hangar and carried an airplane. The Surcouf also had an extra large fuel tank and a huge storage compartment.

June of 1940

Surcouf was in refit in Brest. She escaped the Germans and limped across the channel to Portsmouth on the surface under great difficulty and much bravery as she had only one engine and a jammed rudder.
July 3rd 1940

( Operation Catapult)

In 1940 the British were worried that when the French surrendered it would deliver the French Navy to the Nazis. They had to act quickly and on the morning of July 3rd the British  surrounded the French Navy in North Africa and ordered them to surrender.The French considered this treachery and refused. Hundreds of French sailors were killed and more acrimony between the French and English. There were another 30 or 40 French Ships in British Ports. these too were boarded and asked to surrender. The Surcouf was the only one to resist, 2 British Officers were and one French sailor were killed. Surcouf was never forgiven for this. Most of the Officers were interred and replaced by free French Officers.

August 1940

Surcouf was refitted and put on convoy patrol. Some of her ex officers were killed when the Germans sunk a British Hospital ship that was repatriating French personnel. The French blamed the British for this tragedy and so even more acrimony was added to their relations.

Surcouf was not trusted and there were even rumors that the submarine was sinking our own ships. A British officer and 2 sailors were put on board for 'liason' purposes.
December 1940
Surcouf was sent to Canada on a "goodwill tour" with the Free French Admiral Muselier in charge. There were rumors that the free French were going to 'liberate St Pierre and Miquelon

Surcouf goes to Quebec City and the Admiral goes to Ottawa to confer with the Canadian government. Meanwhile in the city the Captain is confronted by a famous New York Times Reporter Ira Wolfert that Surcouf is leading a free French task force to take St.Pierre and Miquelon.
The Captain has the reporter kidnapped and hides him in the trunk of a car and smuggles him aboard Surcouf.
December 20th. Surcouf returns to Halifax and attends a Navy Party. they inform their hosts that they are leaving the next day on maneuvers

Dec 25 1940

 

Surcouf and 2 Free French Corvettes take St. Pierre in 15 minutes.
The Americans (Roosevelt) are furious and demand that the Free French return the island to Vichy. DeGaulle of course refuses.
Jan 1st 1941 (speculation)
The Americans send a destroyer to St. Pierre and are fired upon by the Surcouf. As many as 2 American sailors were killed and the incident was hushed up.

 

January 1941
It is decided that Surcouf should be sent to the pacific theater. She goes to Bermuda for repairs.
there are rumors that Surcouf is going to make a 'break' for Martinique and back under Vichy control 

February 18 1942
Officially? The Surcouf was accidentally sunk by the American Freighter 'Thompson Lykes'near the Panama canal.

February 18 1942
(speculation)
It is alleged that the Surcouf was sunk by the American submarines Marlin and Mackerel in Long Island Sound. There is a report that Surcouf was tailed by the 2 subs from Bermuda and probably circled back to St. Pierre.

I THINK THIS IS POSSIBLE BUT I AM LEANING MORE TO SURCOUF BEING SUNK BY AMERICAN PLANES OFF PANAMA.

And this could have been by mistake!

Other speculations
Rumours abound.

There are rumours that Surcouf had a great deal of the gold from the French Treasury in her large compartment.
It is also alleged that Surcouf was found and boarded in Long Island Sound in the sixties by Jacque Cousteau and hushed up.

I have misplaced my research notes so I am writing this from memory. I will update these facts as I research and receive information. I started to write a screenplay about Surcouf and spent about 10 years researching.I first heard of Surcouf from my father Harold LeDrew who was a marine machinist during the war. He remembered a sailor telling him that a french sub. the Surcouf was sinking our own ships.

Gary LeDrew