"Le Hardi" entered service on 2 June 1940 and escorted an ocean liner to Casablanca, French Morocco, before sailing to Brest. "Fleuret" helped to escort the battleship from Casablanca to Dakar, French West Africa, on 12 June. The first mission of "Épée" and "Mameluk" was to rendezvous with "Le Hardi" to help escort the incomplete battleship to Casablanca a few days before the French signed an armistice with the Germans on 22 June. "Casque", "Lansquenet" and "Le Corsaire" took refuge in French North Africa in mid-June despite the latter only being 82% complete.