The Allied fleet assembled for Dakar

The Allied naval force included the carrier Ark Royal, the battleships Barham and Resolution, and the cruisers Australia, Cumberland, Devonshire, Dragon, and Delhi. HMAS Australia replaced Fiji after the latter was torpedoed en route, then steamed south quickly enough to overtake much of the expedition. Destroyers and sloops screened six troop transports and five supply ships, while Free French vessels and two hired Dutch ocean liners carried part of the landing force. This was far more than a naval demonstration. Its many combatant and transport elements still had to support a politically sensitive landing plan with only thirteen landing craft.