The French Navy frigate FS Commandant Blaison, known as ‘F793’ to her friends, has dropped anchor in the Thames to mark the historic 1940 appeal by G�n�ral de Gaulle for French forces to join his struggle against the German occupation.
The modern anti-submarine patrol vessel is moored alongside HMS Belfast in the Pool of London, by Tower Bridge, as part of the annual celebration marking de Gaulle’s broadcast on the BBC 71 years ago this week to carry on the resistance after the Fall of France.
The crew were on parade at the weekend at the French embassy in Knightsbridge where Ambassador Bernard Emie made a speech about de Gaulle’s rallying call in the darkest days of the Second World War.
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