Vauquelin class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Vauquelin-class large destroyer
s (contre-torpilleurs) of the French navy
were laid down in 1930 and commissioned in 1931. They were very similar to the previous Aigle class
, the only difference being a single extra torpedo tube.
The class saw action in World War II
.
Maillé Brézé was lost on 30 April 1940 after a torpedo accident at Greenock, Scotland, killing 25 of her crew (sabotage was suspected at the time). Chevalier Paul was sunk off the coast of Syria on 16 June 1941, by British torpedo bombers. Vauquelin, Cassard, Kersaint and Tartu were all scuttled in Toulon Harbour
on 27 November 1942 to prevent their capture by Germany, these ships were too badly damaged to be salvaged.
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s (contre-torpilleurs) of the French navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
were laid down in 1930 and commissioned in 1931. They were very similar to the previous Aigle class
Aigle class destroyer
The Aigle class destroyers of the French navy were laid down between 1928 and 1929 and commissioned in 1931 and 1932...
, the only difference being a single extra torpedo tube.
The class saw action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Ships
- Cassard
- named after the 18th Century naval captain Jacques CassardJacques CassardJacques Cassard was a French naval officer and privateer.- Biography :Born on 30 September 1679 to a family of merchants of Nantes, Cassard began a career as a sailor at age 14 on the merchantmen owned by his family. In January 1697, he joined the French Navy on bombship Éclatante.In 1700,...
- built by at & Ch de Bretagne, Nantes
- completed 10 September 1933,
- Scuttled 27 November 1942
- Chevalier Paul
- named after 17th century Admiral Chevalier PaulChevalier PaulJean-Paul de Saumeur , often called Chevalier Paul was a French admiral who served in several Mediterranean campaigns.Saumeur began sailing at the age of twelve in the navy of the Order of Malta...
- built by F & Ch de la Mediterranee, Le Harve
- completed 20 July 1934,
- torpedoed and sunk 16 June 1941
- Kersaint (Penant numbers: 9, 92, X93) -
- named after admiral Armand de KersaintArmand de KersaintArmand-Guy-Simon de Coetnempren, comte de Kersaint, in short Armand de Kersaint , was a French sailor and politician. A Girondin, Kersaint held important naval posts during the early stages of the French Revolution...
, - built by At Ch de la Loire St Nazaire,
- completed 31 December 1933,
- Scuttled 27 November 1942
- Maillé BrézéFrench destroyer Maillé Brézé (1933)The Maillé Brézé was a Vauquelin class destroyer of the French Navy lost in an accidental explosion during World War II.On 30 April 1940, at 14:15, as Maillé Brézé was anchored at the Tail of the Bank off Greenock, a torpedo tube misfunctioned and launched an armed torpedo on the deck, setting fire...
-
- Maillé Brézé
- named after French admiral Jean Armand de Maillé-BrézéJean Armand de Maillé-BrézéJean Armand de Maillé-Brézé was a French admiral.He was born in Milly-le-Meugon, in one of the most powerful French families of the time; his father was Urbain de Maillé-Brézé, marquis de Brézé, Marshal of France, his uncle Cardinal Richelieu, King Louis XIII's renowned minister, and his...
, - built by at & Ch de St Nazaire Panhoet,
- completed 6 April 1933,
- lost by accidental explosion 30 April 1940, GreenockGreenockGreenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- Tartu (Penant numbers: 1, 51, X51) -
- Named in honour of Jean-François TartuJean-François TartuJean-François Tartu was a French Navy officer, and hero of the French Revolution....
- built by At Ch de la Loire St Nazaire,
- completed 31 December 1932,
- Scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Vauquelin -
- named after Moise VauquelinMoise VauquelinMoise Vauquelin or Moses Vanclein was a 17th century French buccaneer. During his four-year career as a privateer, he served as an officer under l'Ollonais and formed a brief partnership with Pierre Le Picard...
, - built by At Ch de France Dunkirk,
- Completed 3 November 1933,
- Scuttled 27 November 1942
Maillé Brézé was lost on 30 April 1940 after a torpedo accident at Greenock, Scotland, killing 25 of her crew (sabotage was suspected at the time). Chevalier Paul was sunk off the coast of Syria on 16 June 1941, by British torpedo bombers. Vauquelin, Cassard, Kersaint and Tartu were all scuttled in Toulon Harbour
Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon
The French fleet in Toulon was scuttled on 27 November 1942 on the order of the Admiralty of Vichy France to avoid capture by Nazi German forces during Operation Lila of the Case Anton takeover of Vichy France.- Context :...
on 27 November 1942 to prevent their capture by Germany, these ships were too badly damaged to be salvaged.