Duguay-Trouin class cruiser
Encyclopedia
The three Duguay-Trouin class light cruisers were built for France in the early 1920s.
The fate of these three ships after the French surrender illustrates the dichotomy
within the French armed forces at the time: one ship was interned, then joined the Free French, another twice resisted Allied bombardment and was destroyed, and the third was disarmed at a French colonial port and subsequently sunk.
At the end of 1920, after having examined copies of the plans for the U.S. Omaha class
, four designs had been drafted. All four used hulls based on the Omahas, with eight newly-designed 155 mm and four 75 mm Anti-Aircraft guns and twelve torpedo tubes. The differences lay in the combinations of power and protection.
Design C was selected and detailed work started. The new class would achieve 34 knots (67 km/h), using oil firing and single-reduction geared turbines, and have minimal protection; barely splinter-proof on the gun shields. The main armament would be a new breech-loading M1920 gun of 155 mm calibre, based on an army weapon, with a range of 26,100 metres. In action, this weapon proved to be slow to operate. The 75 mm anti-aircraft battery was of the M1922 type.
Orders were placed during 1922 on this basis, despite determined efforts to "improve" the design.
None of the ships had their light armour truly tested by equivalent adversaries: Primauguet's destruction at Casablanca
was at the hands of a greatly superior force. As intended, they were fast and economical, although with a limited range.
In 1942, Primauguet had her anti-aircraft battery increased.
Once back with the Allies, Duguay-Trouin had her torpedo tubes and aircraft installations removed in 1943 and her AA weaponry was augmented in 1943 and again in 1944, when radar
was also added.
The fate of these three ships after the French surrender illustrates the dichotomy
Dichotomy
A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts, meaning it is a procedure in which a whole is divided into two parts...
within the French armed forces at the time: one ship was interned, then joined the Free French, another twice resisted Allied bombardment and was destroyed, and the third was disarmed at a French colonial port and subsequently sunk.
The ships
- Duguay-TrouinFrench cruiser Duguay-TrouinThe Duguay-Trouin was the lead ship of a class of French light cruisers, launched in the early 1920s. She was named after René Duguay-Trouin, Sieur du Gué, French privateer, admiral and Commander in the Order of Saint-Louis.-Pre-war:...
(decommissioned 9 March 1952). - La Motte-Picquet (disarmed December, 1941).
- Primauguet (lost 8 November 1942).
Design
The design of this class was the result of a protracted process that had started in mid-1919, with the Italians as likely adversaries. A detailed design (Project 171) had been completed by the end of 1919, but there were significant reservations within the Navy and the Chief of the General Staff withdrew them in February 1920. While discussion continued, there were opportunities to compare with newly-commissioned cruisers of other navies. The foreign designs were indeed superior, particularly armament.At the end of 1920, after having examined copies of the plans for the U.S. Omaha class
Omaha class cruiser
The Omaha-class cruisers were a class of light cruisers built for the United States Navy. The oldest class of cruiser still in service with the Navy at the outbreak of World War II, the Omaha class was an immediate post-World War I design....
, four designs had been drafted. All four used hulls based on the Omahas, with eight newly-designed 155 mm and four 75 mm Anti-Aircraft guns and twelve torpedo tubes. The differences lay in the combinations of power and protection.
Design C was selected and detailed work started. The new class would achieve 34 knots (67 km/h), using oil firing and single-reduction geared turbines, and have minimal protection; barely splinter-proof on the gun shields. The main armament would be a new breech-loading M1920 gun of 155 mm calibre, based on an army weapon, with a range of 26,100 metres. In action, this weapon proved to be slow to operate. The 75 mm anti-aircraft battery was of the M1922 type.
Orders were placed during 1922 on this basis, despite determined efforts to "improve" the design.
None of the ships had their light armour truly tested by equivalent adversaries: Primauguet's destruction at Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
was at the hands of a greatly superior force. As intended, they were fast and economical, although with a limited range.
Modifications
After completion, single catapults were installed on the quarter-decks of each ship, initially with 2 Gourdou-Leseurre GL-812 flying-boats, later the GL-832. The Duguay-Trouin and Primauguet were subsequently equipped with a single Loire-Nieuport 130 in the 1930s.In 1942, Primauguet had her anti-aircraft battery increased.
Once back with the Allies, Duguay-Trouin had her torpedo tubes and aircraft installations removed in 1943 and her AA weaponry was augmented in 1943 and again in 1944, when radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
was also added.