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Notable events involving Emile Bertin include:

7 Apr 1940
HMS Jupiter (Cdr. D.B. Wyburd, RN) returned to Scapa Flow from escort duty.

She departed again later the same day escorting the French light cruiser Emile Bertin (Capt. R.M.J. Battet) and the large destroyers Maille Breze (Cdr. H.M.E.A. Glotin) and Tartu (Capt. J.M. Chomel) in.

8 Apr 1940
After a German force of warships was sighted which the Admiralty thought to be proceeding to the North-Atlantic, HMS Berwick (Capt. I.M. Palmer, DSC, RN), HMS Devonshire (Capt. J.M. Mansfield, DSC, RN), HMS York (Capt. R.H. Portal, DSC, RN) and HMS Glasgow (Capt. F.H. Pegram, RN), disembarked their troops and set out to sea and proceed north to intercept.

In the evening they were joined near Rattray Head by the French light cruiser Emile Bertin (Capt. R.M.J. Battet) and the large destroyers Maille Breze (Cdr. H.M.E.A. Glotin) and Tartu (Capt. J.M. Chomel).

By then it had become apparent that the Germans were proceeding to invade Norway and the cruisers were ordered to proceed towards the Home Fleet which was also at sea.

They joined the Fleet around mid-morning on the 9th.

9 Apr 1940
Around 1800A/9, the light cruisers HMS Galatea (Capt. B.B. Schofield, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral G.F.B. Edward-Collins, CB, KCVO, RN), HMS Arethusa (Capt. Q.D. Graham, RN), Emile Bertin (Capt. R.M.J. Battet, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E.L.H. Derrien) and the large destroyers Tartu (Capt. J.M. Chomel) and Maille Breze (Cdr. H.M.E.A. Glotin) parted company with the Home Fleet. They arrived at Scapa Flow around 1900A/10. (1)