Tigre escaped Mers-el-Kebir after she and Lynx briefly engaged HMS Wrestler and depth-charged HMS Proteus. Vichy reserve service left her stripped of armament, and the Germans captured her at Toulon before transferring her to Italy. As FR 23 she served mainly as a transport. The Free French took custody at Bizerte in October 1943 and recommissioned her in December, but repairs delayed her return to service until March 1944. Oerlikons strengthened her light anti-aircraft armament before near-miss damage in 1944 led to further work. An escort conversion improved her fuel capacity and accommodation and replaced her depth-charge arrangements. She escorted convoys and supported the Allied flank force along the Italian-French border. After the war she ferried troops, supported French forces in Algeria, and served as a gunnery and then engineering training ship. A long career gave her fewer wartime opportunities than Léopard's shorter period of intense activity.
Notable Point · 15:15-19:29
Tigre's long war with few opportunities
Tigre was a capable Chacal-class destroyer, but Mers-el-Kebir, Vichy reserve status, Italian custody, and late repair kept her from useful Allied service until 1944.