In 1940 Somerville was appointed Commander of Force H in the Mediterranean based at Gibraltar. In July of that year it was his unpleasant task to threaten the French Fleet under Admiral GENSOUL at Oran and Mers-el-Kebir with annihilation unless it proceeded to sail out of range of Axis control. The French government had promised the Allies that no French ship would fall into enemy hands. Somerville delivered an ultimatum and when the French failed to respond, the British were obliged to fire and 1297 French lives were lost. In 1941 Somerville shelled Genoa and was active in the pursuit and ultimate defeat of the Bismarck. As Commander of Force H he was instrumental in helping convoys reach their destinations, including, for example, accompanying the convoy which took the tanks and equipment through the Mediterranean to General WAVELL’s forces in the Western Desert. Between 1942-44 Somerville was Commander in Chief of the Eastern Fleet which was based in Ceylon. In 1943 he attended the Washington Conference with CHURCHILL and ROOSEVELT and in 1944 he was Head of the British Naval delegation in Washington.