These pictures were very kindly provided

 by Mr John B.L. Hancocks,

 son of Temporary Lieutenant (E) John P. Hancocks

HMS Shoreham
(Shoreham class sloop, built HM Dockyard Chatham 1931)

The attached photo appears to have been a clandestine record and an amateur print job at that (the original photo shows a clear thumb print!).  It was taken from HMS Enterprise on which my father Lt (E) JP Hancocks served at the time the French fleet were under bombardment in North Africa in 1940.  An expert now deceased analysed this photo for me, it seems likely that the capital ship depicted is an R Class, possibly Revenge or Resolution.  The smoke in the photo is from the 15”guns of the R class.  The ship in the right hand sector is the battle cruiser Renown, the ship just visible behind her is unidentified.  My late father occasionaly spoke of this event and I do know that many years later he actually had a French colleague who had been on the receiving end!