Military history of Spain Portugal and engage French forces on the frontiers while Spanish "guerrilleros" wore down the occupiers. Acting in concert, regular and irregular allied forces prevented Napoleon's marshals from subduing the rebellious Spanish provinces. The Spanish navy, put to sea in support of France during the War of the Third Coalition in 1805, suffered terrible losses at the Battle of Trafalgar, having been weakened by yellow fever in the preceding years; in many ways this marked the nadir of Spanish naval history. The events in mainland Spain had extensive consequences for her empire. Spain's colonies in the Americas had shown an increasing
Free French Naval Forces of the war in France. He developed the aqua-lung in Paris during the German occupation.) The merchant fleet of the FNFL suffered heavy casualties, amounting to one quarter of its men. A number of warships were lost, notably the submarine "Surcouf", possibly sunk in a friendly fire incident. Other losses include the destroyers "Léopard", "Mimosa", "Alysse", and "La Combattante"; submarine "Narval"; patrol boats "Poulmic" and "Vikings". Free French Naval Forces Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres ("Free French Naval Forces") were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier.