 He held his own views regarding the evacuation at Dunkirk or by Operation Catapult.Second chief in command of general headquarter staff of maritime forces () in October 1939, he assumed with Admirals François Darlan, Maurice Le Luc and Négadelle, the reception of various inbound convoys.At Vichy, the counter-admiral Auphan was part of the tenant groups which harbored a political view of "attentisme" (the act of waiting and refraining until situations become more clear and precise).