What if the people evacuating Jean Bart had taken her to a British port in 1940?
Short answerIf she reached Britain, Jean Bart could be completed with British help and a possible French-Canadian crew, providing another fast battleship while Hood refitted.
NotesJean Bart was not ready for the proposed voyage, so the scenario first assumes that she reaches a British port. British completion would then depend partly on finding enough personnel to operate her. If the Free French lacked sailors, French-speaking Canadians could supplement the crew. British 15-inch/42 guns are suggested as a substitute if French weapons were unavailable, using existing barrels of broadly comparable weight. A completed fast battleship could allow Hood to enter refit and pair Jean Bart with King George V or Prince of Wales against Bismarck.