"Kersaint" was present when the British attacked the French ships in Mers-el-Kébir, French Algeria, in July, but was not damaged. When the Vichy French government reestablished the (FHM) on 25 September after it negotiated rules limiting the force's activities and numbers with the Italian and German Armistice Commissions, "Cassard" was the only "Vauquelin"-class ship initially assigned; the others were placed in reserve. "Le Chevalier Paul", "Vauquelin" and "Tartu" replaced three older in the FHM on 15 November. After the Allies invaded French Lebanon and Syria in June 1941, "Le Chevalier Paul" was dispatched to Lebanon with more ammunition for the ships there. She was sunk by British torpedo bombers en route on 16 June and "Vauquelin" sailed from Toulon the following day. She reached Beirut four days later; on the 29th, all three of the based there sailed for Greece to load reinforcements and supplies bound for Lebanon. They were spotted by British aircraft on their way back to Lebanon in early July and turned back in accordance with their orders. In the meantime, "Tartu", "Cassard" and a heavy cruiser transported a battalion of infantry from Algiers, French Algeria, to Marseilles between 30 June and 1 July that was intended to reinforce the Levant.