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What happened to the French fleet at Toulon in November 1942?

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Map showing the British and Axis military campaigns in North Africa during World War II, with labeled troop movements, key battles, and shifting front lines from Egypt across Libya to Tunisia along the Mediterranean coast. The map includes arrows and dates marking advances and retreats by both sides, and highlights major turning points and defensive lines. — North Africa campaigns Military drives, defensive lines, and key battles during the North Africa campaigns of World War II, 1940–43.

Following the Allied invasion of northwest Africa in November 1942, Adolf Hitler ordered German forces to occupy the remainder of unoccupied France, including the naval base at Toulon.12

While the Allies attempted to secure the departure of the French fleet to North Africa to keep it out of Axis control, the effort was delayed by confusion in the chain of command and the interception of communications. On November 27, 1942, as German troops moved to seize the vessels, the French crews successfully prevented the fleet from falling into enemy hands by scuttling 73 ships, including cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, and one battleship.123