Unit Descriptions: Air, Naval, Land

[Extraneous]

.P These write-ups give a brief history of one or more vessels from each of the
main classes of submarine used by the Marine Nationale (MN). Note that post the
armistice with Germany, the Vichy French navy was known as the Forces Maritimes
Françaises (FMF), while the Free French fleet was known as the Forces Navales
Françaises Libres (FNFL).
.P These World In Flames counters represent a number of submarines rather than
any specific individual vessel. The dates printed on the back of the counters do
not tie up in any meaningful way with build dates for the various MN submarine
classes and therefore the counter date in most cases should be ignored.
.P The French had a large submarine fleet at the outbreak of World War II,
although at eighty boats, their submarine service was smaller than their main
rivals; the Italian navy.
.P The MN's submarines could be divided into three broad categories: Large, long-
range boats for use in protecting the overseas empire, commerce raiding and
operating with the fleet; smaller, shorter ranged boats, ideal for the relatively
confined waters of the Mediterranean; and mine-laying vessels.
.P After the French surrendered in June 1940, French submarines met a variety of
fates, and while some crews remained loyal to the Vichy regime, others fought for
the Free French.
.P This write-up looks at the Surcouf-class.
.B Name: Surcouf
.B Engine(s) output: 7,600 hp (Surfaced) 3,400 hp (Submerged)
.B Top Speed: 18.5 knots (Surfaced), 10 knots (Submerged)
.B Main armament: 8 x 21.7-inch torpedo tubes and 2 x 8-inch (203mm) gun
.B Displacement (Fully Submerged): 4,304 tons
.B Diving Depth: 250 ft
.P The three-boat Surcouf-class was authorised in the late twenties. The
class was designed partly to circumvent a loophole in the 1922 Washington Naval
Treaty. This treaty did not restrict submarine building, but did limit the
tonnage that could be used to build surface ships. The resourceful French
resolved to build a class of submarine cruisers, fitted with two 8-inch guns and
that carried its own aircraft. The idea was that these large, powerful, long-
range boats could operate against enemy merchant shipping and keep any escorts at
bay using the superior range of their large guns.
.P This concept was not new; the German navy had experimented with a submarine
cruiser design during the First World War, and, using this technology, the main
naval nations continued with experiments of their own at the end of that
conflict.
.P Note: submarines were later included in naval treaty limitations and Surcouf's
planned sister boats were cancelled.
.P Surcouf was, until the arrival of the Japanese I-400, the largest submarine in
the world. However, submarines of this size brought numerous problems, not least
stability, diving speed, and the sheer number of men needed to crew each one. As
a result, by the start of the Second World War, the British had abandoned its
submarine cruiser and only the Surcouf remained operational.
.P Surcouf was fitted with an impressive array of weapons. She had no less than
eight 21.7-inch torpedo tubes, mounted four in the bow and four, externally, in
the stern. Fourteen of these torpedoes could be carried. Additionally, she had
a further four, smaller, 15.7-inch torpedo tubes and a supply of eight such
torpedoes.
.P Her 8-inch guns were mounted in a twin, watertight turret. These guns were of
the same design as that fitted to French heavy cruisers, and they had a range of
30,000 yards. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Surcouf carried two 37mm and no
less than four 13.2mm guns. She also carried a hangar for her own float plane; a
small Besson MB411.
.P As required by her commerce raiding role, Surcouf had an impressive range;
10,000 nautical miles at 10 knots. Her top speed was also impressive at just
under 20 knots on the surface.
.P Surcouf was named after the famous 18th Century French privateer, Robert
Surcouf, who came to prominence fighting the British Royal Navy during the French
Revolution.
.P Surcouf entered service in May 1934. At the start of World War II she was
based at Cherbourg in northern France. She was used to assist the passage of
convoys from Canada in the early months of the war, although, as was the case all
her career, she regularly required repair and maintenance work.
.P When the Germans overran France in June 1940, Surcouf was at Brest having yet
another round of repair work carried out. She was patched up sufficiently to
allow her to set sail for the UK before the Germans could capture her. Her
commander, Capitaine de corvette Martin, put into port on the south coast, at the
Royal Navy base of Devonport, Plymouth.
.P The French signed an armistice with the Germans shortly thereafter, thus
beginning the countdown to one of World War II's saddest episodes. With France
out of the war, the British Commonwealth was alone in the fight against the
Fascists. The British were resolved to continue the fight, and knew that under no
circumstances could they allow the French fleet to fall into German hands. The
British requested that the French fleet be either turned over to them, handed
over to the neutral Americans or have the French put the ships out of action
themselves. If they failed to choose any of these options, then the British would
use any force necessary to ensure the ships stayed out of Axis hands.
.P The decision taken by the French commanders largely depended upon where they
were at the time. While blood was spilled at Mers-el-Kebir (see Bretagne) and
Dakar (see Richelieu) those ships in the UK and at Alexandria were taken without
a fight (see Paris); with one notable exception - on board the Surcouf.
.P Capitaine Martin realised that the British may decide to seize his submarine,
and while at Plymouth, he ordered guards to be posted and for the boat to be
sealed - only one hatch was to be open at anytime. His instincts were not wrong,
and in the early hours of the 3rd July 1940, sixty Royal Navy sailors - mostly
submariners from HMS Thames - boarded the Surcouf.
.P Martin was away from the Surcouf at that time, aboard the old battleship
Paris, and there was a brief but tense exchange between the British and French
officers on the submarine. One of the French officers, fearing that the British would
kill them, fired the first shot, liberally emptying his side arm in the small space of the
wardroom. Two British officers fell, mortally
wounded, while a third British sailor was shot dead by a second Frenchmen. As
the third sailor fell toward the ground, he killed a French sailor who was at
that time disposing of manuals and important technical papers.
.P The French officers decided to surrender, rather than continue with the
bloodshed, and the British - showing admirable restraint given that three of
their comrades were dead or dying - accepted. The fight aboard Surcouf was just
the first of many sad episodes that day...
.P Just a handful of the Surcouf's crew volunteered to fight against Germany with
De Gaulle and the FNFL, the remainder voted to return home. Surcouf was re-crewed
and put back into service. Now commanded by Cdr Blaison, she returned to Canada
to assist in convoy escort operations. While in North America she was at the
centre of another serious diplomatic incident.
.P The tensions between the President Roosevelt and General Charles De Gaulle
were a cause for serious concern throughout the Second World war. This story
is outside the scope of this write-up, however Surcouf was involved in one such
potentially explosive affair, when she was part of the Free French force that was
sent to liberate the islands of St.Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of
Newfoundland. The US government were at that time walking a difficult line in
trying to deal with the Vichy regime to the best effect and were left embarrassed
by this act, having previously guaranteed the territorial integrity of the
islands. The affair ultimately blew over, but Surcouf's role in the operation was
to feed the conspiracy theorists over her eventual fate.
.P With Japan now in the war, it was decided to send Surcouf to the Pacific,
where it was hoped she could prove useful in the war against Japanese merchant
shipping. This was a chance for Surcouf to be finally used for the role for which
she was designed. Sadly, she was never to get the chance to show what she could
do. On February 18, 1942 while on her way to Australia, it is believed the USS Thomson
Lykes, a Merchant ship, accidentally rammed her. She sank with all hands.
.P Surcouf was dogged by controversy during her brief operational career, and in
addition she has always been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories -
particularly surrounding her sinking. Maybe one day all will be revealed?



[:-] Revolvers do not have a magazine that’s why they are called revolvers.


Pistols and side arms can be revolvers (cylinder fed) or automatics (magazine fed).


Military forces prefer the term “side arm” because this shows you to be “under arms” (considered armed while on duty).

Side arms are issued to Officers, Non-commissioned officers, and team members (machinegun, mortar, artillery, military police, and etc teams).

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

[:-] Revolvers do not have a magazine that’s why they are called revolvers.

Warspite1

Yeah, I knew that....... [:D]

[warspite1]

Does anyone know the significance of Dunkerque and Strasbourg and why these two, quite different, places shoud be used in the naming of one class of two fast French battleships?

Unless I am missing something, they do not seem to be linked in anyway. Strasbourg, a large city in eastern France that has been German/French owned down the centuries, and Dunkerque, a relatively important port (but by no means the largest) on the English Channel.

Seems a strange combo - what am I missing?

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Many thanks Extraneous - changes made [:)]

[:D] IMO: It was to insult the Germans for the French defeat at Sedan in 1870. [:D]

Strasbourg: because it was the capital of the reclaimed Alsace.


Dunkerque: because it was instrumental in thwarting the final German offensive 1917-1918.



Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace (Alsace-Lorraine 1871-1918).

After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the area was annexed by the newly created German Empire in 1871 by the Treaty of Frankfurt and became a Reichsland.

French troops entered Alsace-Lorraine in November 1918 at the end of the World War I and the territory reverted to France at the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.



Dunkerque held the vital North Sea end of the trench line.

The battlefield of the Yser is located close to the English Channel at the northern end of The Western Front. It is situated in the northwest region of the Flemish province of West-Flanders (also known as Flanders) in Belgium. The Yser battlefield covers the area from the Belgian coast at Nieuwpoort to the village of Bikschote. In order to block the Imperial German Army's advance towards the Channel ports of Dunkerque and Calais in mid October 1914 the decision was taken to flood the land to the east of the river Yser. The sluice gates were opened at Nieuwpoort and the seawater was deliberately allowed to flood this reclaimed, low-lying area of Flanders, thereby preventing the German Army from continuing the fight in this sector.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Many thanks Extraneous - changes made [:)]

[:D] IMO: It was to insult the Germans for the French defeat at Sedan in 1870. [:D]

Strasbourg: because it was the capital of the reclaimed Alsace.


Dunkerque: because it was instrumental in thwarting the final German offensive 1917-1918.



Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace (Alsace-Lorraine 1871-1918).

After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the area was annexed by the newly created German Empire in 1871 by the Treaty of Frankfurt and became a Reichsland.

French troops entered Alsace-Lorraine in November 1918 at the end of the World War I and the territory reverted to France at the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.



Dunkerque held the vital North Sea end of the trench line.

The battlefield of the Yser is located close to the English Channel at the northern end of The Western Front. It is situated in the northwest region of the Flemish province of West-Flanders (also known as Flanders) in Belgium. The Yser battlefield covers the area from the Belgian coast at Nieuwpoort to the village of Bikschote. In order to block the Imperial German Army's advance towards the Channel ports of Dunkerque and Calais in mid October 1914 the decision was taken to flood the land to the east of the river Yser. The sluice gates were opened at Nieuwpoort and the seawater was deliberately allowed to flood this reclaimed, low-lying area of Flanders, thereby preventing the German Army from continuing the fight in this sector.

Warspite1

Thanks as ever Extraneous - good job you're here!

Where did you get that info from - i.e. is it your opinion or from a naval source?

[Extraneous]

My opion.

Remember the British and French wanted to punish Germany for WWI.

My briother claims the names were given because it was their turn for ships to be named for those cities.

France felt humiliated by the Franco-Prussian War.



wikipedia for the Franco-Prussian War (wasn't sure of the dates).

Searched WWI for Dunkerque information.


Highschool history:

The effects of the Franco-Prussian War.

Dunkerque was used as a base by the British durring WWI.

After WWI Alsace (Alsace-Lorraine) was ceeded back to France (Strasbourg is the capital).

[Fishbed]

Indeed, only two ships have ever been named Dunkerque in the history of French navy: a small patrol boat and, then, the said Battlecruiser, that had the small patrol boat renamed because of this. Ships didn't get named Dunkerque before after the WW1, so indeed it was most probably an homage to the city's suffering during WW1 rather than a take at its very glorious past as a privateer harbor under Louis XIV.
http://www.netmarine.net/g/bat/dunkerque/anciens.htm

I couldn't find many ships named Strasbourg either. Both names (such provincial city names) go against the usual denominations traditionally used in the French Navy, but still could be justified by the fact that the lead ship of the previous unbuilt class was supposed to be named Lyon (with a sister ship named Lille, but also with Duquesne and Tourville). Before that, BBs were mainly named after provinces (except for Paris, which is somewhat in the middle),famous sailors and a few concepts (Liberté...), and after that, Richelieu and Jean Bart took the names of personalities too (the latter being from Dunkerque by the way ^^).

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

I couldn't find many ships named Strasbourg either. Both names (such provincial city names) go against the usual denominations traditionally used in the French Navy, but still could be justified by the fact that the lead ship of the previous unbuilt class was supposed to be named Lyon (with a sister ship named Lille, but also with Duquesne and Tourville). Before that, BBs were mainly named after provinces (except for Paris, which is somewhat in the middle),famous sailors and a few concepts (Liberté...), and after that, Richelieu and Jean Bart took the names of personalities too (the latter being from Dunkerque by the way ^^).

Warspite1

This all makes sense. There was a Strassburg - batting for the other side obviously thanks to the war of 1870 - around the time of WWI. So a bit of revenge sounds the right reason for their naming. Thanks guys [:)]

[warspite1]

Please see an example of a French aircraft carrier (Béarn)

.B Engines output: 37,200 hp
.B Top speed: 21.5 knots
.B Main armament: 8 x 6.1-inch (155mm), 6 x 2.9-inch (75mm) guns
.B Aircraft: 25 (operational max) plus 15 in reserve
.B Displacement (full load): 28,400 tons
.B Thickest armour: 3.1-inch (belt)
.P Béarn was the only aircraft carrier completed by the Marine Nationale (MN)
by the outbreak of World War II. She began life as a Normandie-class battleship,
but having been laid down in 1914, construction was halted during the First World
War.
.P In 1919, with the war won, work on Béarn resumed, but she was no longer
destined to be finished as a battleship. With the British Royal Navy leading the
way on the development of naval aviation, the French were keen not to be left
behind, and, with a short flight deck fitted, landing-on trials were carried out
over the next two years.
.P In 1922, following the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty, it was decided
to complete Béarn as an aircraft-carrier, but a lack of money meant that the
project proceeded only very slowly. Work on her conversion began in 1923 and she
was completed four years later. Assistance was received from the British, who
provided plans for one of their own conversions - HMS Eagle.
.P Béarn was fitted with two hangars and she was able to carry up to 40 aircraft.
However, a maximum of just twenty-five could be operational at any one time, and
these were operated from the upper hangar. The remaining reserve aircraft were
stowed in the lower hanger. These two hangars were served by three lifts.
.P Vertical protection consisted of an armour belt 3.1-inches thick rather than
the 9.5-inch belt that she was originally designed with. For horizontal
protection there were three layers: a 1-inch armoured flight deck, a main deck of
similar thickness, and a 3-inch lower hangar deck.
.P Defensive armament was provided by eight single 6.1-inch guns mounted in
casemates in the hull. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence there were six 75mm guns
and, later, eight 37mm guns were added. The armament package was rounded off with
four 21-inch underwater torpedo tubes.
.P By the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, speed was a problem for
Béarn. She could only manage 21.5 knots and with the arrival of fast battleships
during the thirties, she was no longer able to operate with the fleet.
.P However, this was not her biggest problem. The lack of money generally, and to
the MN specifically, meant that the development of naval aircraft was severely
limited during the inter-war years, and consequently, by September 1939, Béarn's
aircraft were obsolete. She carried 1931 vintage Levasseur torpedo-bombers and
Dewoitine D37 fighters which were actually withdrawn from service two months
after the outbreak of war....
.P Béarn was named after a former province of France, located in the south of the
country.
.P Béarn was completed in May 1927 and at the outbreak of World War II she was
part of the Force de Raide based in Brest. This force, commanded by Admiral
Gensoul, was designed to act as a troubleshooting force that could be used to
search out and attack German surface raiders that ventured into the Atlantic. The
Force de Raide initially consisted of Béarn; the fast battleships Dunkerque and
Strasbourg; the light cruisers Montcalm, Georges Leygues and Gloire; and
escorting destroyers. In October the Force de Raide were deployed in search of
German surface raiders operating in the Atlantic, although they were to play no
part in the finding and destruction of Graf Spee later that year.
.P After just two months of war, it was clear that Béarn was proving to be
something of a liability to the effectiveness of the Force de Raide; she was
simply too slow, while her aircraft were obsolete and proving unreliable. Béarn
was detached from Gensoul's force and she was then used as an aircraft
transporter for aircraft sold to the French by the Americans.
.P In May 1940 she sailed with the cruisers Jeanne D'Arc and Émile Bertin for
North America as part of an operation to transfer French gold reserves to Canada.
Whilst in North America Béarn was loaded with crated aircraft ready for the
return journey. However, she and her escorts were still there at the time of the
signing of the armistice with Germany.
.P The three ships were ordered to the French-owned Caribbean islands of
Martinique and Guadeloupe; Béarn and Émile Bertin sailed for the former, while
Jeanne D'Arc docked in the latter island.
.P In July 1940, when the British carried out their attacks on the Vichy French
fleet at Mers-El-Kebir and Dakar and also seized French ships berthed at ports in
the United Kingdom and Egypt, they left these three ships in the West Indies
alone. No doubt distance played its part in the decision, which was all about
keeping the French fleet out of German hands. However, the Royal Navy maintained
a watching brief on the islands until May 1942, when, under pressure from the
United States, the Vichy authorities agreed to their demilitarisation.
.P On the 30th June 1943 Béarn was transferred to Free French control, the Forces
Navales Françaises Libres (FNFL). She was obviously no-more fit for front line
duties than she had been in 1939, however she was successfully used in the role
of aircraft transporter between the United States and the United Kingdom, and it
was in this role that she saw out the war.
.P After the war, Béarn was initially used to transport aircraft to the French
colony of Indo-China, and was later relegated to a training role. After a stint
as a submarine tender, Béarn was scrapped in 1967.

[warspite1]

....and secondly, a French battleship (Dunkerque)

.B Engine(s) output: 112,500 shp
.B Top Speed: 29.5 knots
.B Main armament: 8 x 13-inch (330mm), 16 x 5.1-inch (130mm) guns
.B Displacement (full load): 35,500 tons
.B Thickest armour: 9.75-inch (belt)
.P The Dunkerques were a class of two, fast, capital ships that were built
for the Marine Nationale (MN) between 1932 and 1938. They are generally classed
as fast battleships, although their design had much in common with the
battlecruiser concept, and indeed are considered as such by some.
.P Although the Italian Navy was the main focus of French naval concern between
the wars, the MN could not afford to ignore the re-arming of the Kriegsmarine,
and in particular, the three new pocket-battleships of the Deutschland-class. The
first of this latter class had entered service in 1933, and it was in response to
the Deutschlands that the Dunkerques were built.
.P The German ships were built as commerce raiders that were "faster than any
more powerful ship, and more powerful than any faster ship. However, the
Dunkerques were designed to be faster, more powerful and better armoured than the
German ships, and they achieved all three targets.
.P Although the comparison with the Deutschlands was favourable, the Dunkerques
were, in all but speed, undoubtedly at a disadvantage when compared to the
contemporary battleship classes, and their speed would be beaten by the newer
battleships laid down during the late thirties.
.P The Dunkerques main armament was fitted in two quadruple turrets, both fitted
forward in a bid to save weight. The guns were sited slightly further apart than
was traditionally the case, in order to try and avoid one lucky hit disabling
both turrets. Their secondary armament was provided by sixteen 5.1-inch guns
fitted in three quadruple and two twin turrets. Close-range anti-aircraft (AA)
weaponry came in the form of eight 37mm and thirty-two 13.2mm guns. A catapult
was fitted aft, and these ships could operate up to two aircraft.
.P Armour protection was light; certainly if these ships are to be considered
battleships. Their armour belt, designed to withstand the 11-inch shells of the
Deutschlands, ranged from 9.75-inches at it thickest, reducing to 5.75-inches,
while horizontal armour was 5-inches at its thickest.
.P Their designed speed of 29.5 knots was comfortable exceeded in trials and they
remained amongst the fastest capital ships in the world at the outbreak of World
War II.
.P The two ships of the class were named after French cities, Dunkerque being a
port in northern France, and Strasbourg a city in eastern France. The choice of
these names is interesting and is likely to have been driven by anti-German
sentiment between the wars; Dunkerque was where the German offensive in 1914
stalled, and the province of Alsace (of which Strasbourg is the capital) was
handed back to France at the end of World War I, having been taken by the Germans
after the war of 1870.
.P Dunkerque was completed in April 1937, and at the start of the Second World
War, she was part of the Force de Raide based in Brest. This force, commanded by
Admiral Gensoul, was designed to act as a troubleshooting force that could be
used to search out and attack German surface raiders that ventured into the
Atlantic. The Force de Raide initially consisted of the aircraft carrier Béarn;
the fast battleships Dunkerque and Strasbourg; the light cruisers Montcalm,
Georges Leygues and Gloire; and escorting destroyers.
.P At the beginning of October, Gensoul's fleet, less Strasbourg, was sent to
Dakar, Senegal. They made up Force M, one of the eight groups of Allied ships
that were tasked with looking for German surface raiders. At the end of that
month they were deployed to guard KJ.4, a large Atlantic convoy, given that the
pocket-battleship Deutschland had just begun to make her presence felt in the
North Atlantic.
.P The following month the force was back at Brest, although they no longer had
an aircraft carrier with them. It was clear by now that Béarn was simply too slow
to be of assistance to Gensoul's task force and she left the Force de Raide. At
the end of November Dunkerque put to sea with Georges Leygues, Montcalm and two
destroyers, and headed for Iceland. The two German battlecruisers, Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau, were attempting a break-out into the Atlantic, although this
ultimately came to nothing (see Montcalm).
.P The remainder of 1939 and the early months of 1940 saw Gensoul's ships remain
at Brest, from where they continued to remain on stand-by, ready for any further
attempts by the Kriegsmarine to enter the Atlantic. They also formed part of the
distant escort for the convoy that took the French gold reserves to Canada.
.P Then, at the end of April 1940, with Italy increasingly likely to enter the
war, the Force de Raide, was transferred from Brest to Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria.
Dunkerque was there when the Italians declared war on the Allies on the 10th June
1940. On that day there was a report that an enemy cruiser was attempting to
break through the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Force de Raide was ordered to
search the area. The report proved false and on the return journey the cryuisers
Galissonniere, Jean de Vienne and Marseillaise were all near missed by torpedoes
from Italian submarines.
.P Within a few weeks of the Force de Raide's arrival in the Mediterranean, the
French were out of the war. An armistice was concluded with the Germans and
France and her empire were split into two; a German-occupied zone that covered
northern and western France, and a nominally independent country, known as Vichy
France, that administered itself and its large overseas empire. This arrangement
caused consternation in the United Kingdom as it was feared that the French Fleet
was vulnerable to seizure by the Germans.
.P At the start of July the British therefore carried out their plan to seize the
French Fleet in order to ensure that its ships did not fall into German hands
(see Bretagne, Paris and Submarine Counter 4937). When Admiral Darlan refused any
of the options given to them by the British, the Royal Navy fired upon the Vichy
warships in the harbour. Dunkerque was badly damaged during the attack, having
been hit by three shells.
.P Aircraft from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal returned to Mers-el-Kebir two
days later to ensure Dunkerque was sunk or at least, incapable of further
service. A torpedo hit a boat, full of explosives, that was moored alongside
Dunkerque and the resulting damage ensured that the battleship was put out of
action for almost a year.
.P Ultimately, in February 1942, she managed to get back to the main Vichy French
Mediterranean naval base at Toulon where she received further repair work.
Dunkerque was eventually scuttled that November when the Germans attempted to
capture the Vichy Fleet (see Strasbourg).
.P Dunkerque was raised after the war and she was scrapped in 1958.

[Extraneous]

.B Engine(s) output: 112,500bhp
.B Top Speed: 29.5 knots
.B Main armament: 8 x 13-inch (330mm), 16 x 5.1-inch (130mm) guns
.B Displacement (full load): 35,500 tons
.B Thickest armour: 9.75-inch (belt)
.P The Dunkerques were a class of two, fast, capital ships that were built
for the Marine Nationale (MN) between 1932 and 1938. They are generally classed
as fast battleships, although their design had much in common with the
battlecruiser concept, and indeed are considered as such by some.
.P Although the Italian Navy was the main focus of French naval concern between
the wars, the MN could not afford to ignore the re-arming of the Kriegsmarine,
and in particular, the three new pocket-battleships of the Deutschland-class. The
first of this latter class had entered service in 1933, and it was in response to
the Deutschlands that the Dunkerques were built.
.P The German ships were built as commerce raiders that were "faster than any
more powerful ship, and more powerful than any faster ship. However, the
Dunkerques were designed to be faster, more powerful and better armoured than the
German ships, and they achieved all three targets.
.P Although the comparison with the Deutschlands was favourable, the Dunkerques
were, in all but speed, undoubtedly at a disadvantage when compared to the
contemporary battleship classes, and their speed would be beaten by the newer
battleships laid down during the late thirties.
.P The Dunkerques main armament was fitted in two quadruple turrets, both fitted
forward in a bid to save weight. The guns were sited slightly further apart than
was traditionally the case, in order to try and avoid one lucky hit disabling
both turrets. Sixteen 5.1-inch guns fitted in three quadruple and two twin turrets
provided their secondary armament. Close-range anti-aircraft (AA) weaponry came in
the form of eight 37mm and thirty-two 13.2mm guns. A catapult was fitted aft, and
these ships could operate up to two aircraft.
.P Armour protection was light; certainly if these ships are to be considered
battleships. Their armour belt, designed to withstand the 11-inch shells of the
Deutschlands, ranged from 9.75-inches at it thickest, reducing to 5.75-inches,
while horizontal armour was 5-inches at its thickest.
.P Their designed speed of 29.5 knots was comfortable exceeded in trials and they
remained amongst the fastest capital ships in the world at the outbreak of World
War II.
.P The two ships of the class were named after French cities, Dunkerque being a
port in northern France, and Strasbourg a city in eastern France. The choice of
these names is interesting and is likely to have been driven by anti-German
sentiment between the wars; Dunkerque was where the German offensive in 1914
stalled, and the province of Alsace (of which Strasbourg is the capital) was
handed back to France at the end of World War I, having been taken by the Germans
after the war of 1870.
.P Dunkerque was completed in April 1937, and at the start of the Second World
War, she was part of the Force de Raid based in Brest. This force, commanded by
Admiral Gensoul, was designed to act as a troubleshooting force that could be
used to search out and attack German surface raiders that ventured into the
Atlantic. The Force de Raid initially consisted of the aircraft carrier Béarn;
the fast battleships Dunkerque and Strasbourg; the light cruisers Montcalm,
Georges Leygues and Gloire; and escorting destroyers.
.P At the beginning of October, Gensoul's fleet, less Strasbourg, was sent to
Dakar, Senegal. They made up Force M, one of the eight groups of Allied ships
that were tasked with looking for German surface raiders. At the end of that
month they were deployed to guard KJ.4, a large Atlantic convoy, given that the
pocket-battleship Deutschland had just begun to make her presence felt in the
North Atlantic.
.P The following month the force was back at Brest, although they no longer had
an aircraft carrier with them. It was clear by now that Béarn was simply too slow
to be of assistance to Gensoul's task force and she left the Force de Raid. At
the end of November Dunkerque put to sea with Georges Leygues, Montcalm and two
destroyers, and headed for Iceland. The two German battlecruisers, Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau, were attempting a breakout into the Atlantic, although this
ultimately came to nothing (see Montcalm).
.P The remainder of 1939 and the early months of 1940 saw Gensoul's ships remain
at Brest, from where they continued to remain on stand-by, ready for any further
attempts by the Kriegsmarine to enter the Atlantic. They also formed part of the
distant escort for the convoy that took the French gold reserves to Canada.
.P Then, at the end of April 1940, with Italy increasingly likely to enter the
war, the Force de Raid, was transferred from Brest to Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria.
Dunkerque was there when the Italians declared war on the Allies on the 10th June
1940. On that day there was a report that an enemy cruiser was attempting to
break through the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Force de Raid was ordered to
search the area. The report proved false and on the return journey the cruisers
Galissonniere, Jean de Vienne and Marseillaise were all near missed by torpedoes
from Italian submarines.
.P Within a few weeks of the Force de Raid’sarrival in the Mediterranean, the
French were out of the war. An armistice was concluded with the Germans and
France and her empire were split into two; a German-occupied zone that covered
northern and western France, and a nominally independent country, known as Vichy
France, that administered itself and its large overseas empire. This arrangement
caused consternation in the United Kingdom, as it was feared that the French Fleet
was vulnerable to seizure by the Germans.
.P At the start of July the British therefore carried out their plan to seize the
French Fleet in order to ensure that its ships did not fall into German hands
(see Bretagne, Paris and Submarine Counter 4937). When Admiral Darlan refused any
of the options given to them by the British, the Royal Navy fired upon the Vichy
warships in the harbour. Dunkerque was badly damaged during the attack, having
been hit by three shells.
.P Aircraft from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal returned to Mers-el-Kebir two
days later to ensure Dunkerque was sunk or at least, incapable of further
service. A torpedo hit a boat, full of explosives, that was moored alongside
Dunkerque and the resulting damage ensured that the battleship was put out of
action for almost a year.
.P Ultimately, in February 1942, she managed to get back to the main Vichy French
Mediterranean naval base at Toulon where she received further repair work.
Dunkerque was eventually scuttled that November when the Germans attempted to
capture the Vichy Fleet (see Strasbourg).
.P Dunkerque was raised after the war and she was scrapped in 1958.


“Force de Raid” is the French spelling Raide cannot be substituted for Raid.

[Extraneous]

.B Engines output: 37,200bhp
.B Top speed: 21.5 knots
.B Main armament: 8 x 6.1-inch (155mm), 6 x 2.9-inch (75mm) guns
.B Aircraft: 25 (operational max) plus 15 in reserve
.B Displacement (full load): 28,400 tons
.B Thickest armour: 3.1-inch (belt)
.P Béarn was the only aircraft carrier completed by the Marine Nationale (MN)
by the outbreak of World War II. She began life as a Normandie-class battleship,
but having been laid down in 1914, construction was halted during the First World
War.
.P In 1919, with the war won, work on Béarn resumed, but she was no longer
destined to be finished as a battleship. With the British Royal Navy leading the
way on the development of naval aviation, the French were keen not to be left
behind, and, with a short flight deck fitted, landing-on trials were carried out
over the next two years.
.P In 1922, following the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty, it was decided
to complete Béarn as an aircraft-carrier, but a lack of money meant that the
project proceeded only very slowly. Work on her conversion began in 1923 and she
was completed four years later. Assistance was received from the British, who
provided plans for one of their own conversions - HMS Eagle.
.P Béarn was fitted with two hangars and she was able to carry up to 40 aircraft.
However, a maximum of just twenty-five could be operational at any one time, and
these were operated from the upper hangar. The remaining reserve aircraft were
stowed in the lower hanger. These two hangars were served by three lifts.
.P Vertical protection consisted of an armour belt 3.1-inches thick rather than
the 9.5-inch belt that she was originally designed with. For horizontal
protection there were three layers: a 1-inch armoured flight deck, a main deck of
similar thickness, and a 3-inch lower hangar deck.
.P Defensive armament was provided by eight single 6.1-inch guns mounted in
casemates in the hull. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence there were six 75mm guns
and, later, eight 37mm guns were added. The armament package was rounded off with
four 21-inch underwater torpedo tubes.
.P By the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, speed was a problem for
Béarn. She could only manage 21.5 knots and with the arrival of fast battleships
during the thirties, she was no longer able to operate with the fleet.
.P However, this was not her biggest problem. The lack of money generally, and to
the MN specifically, meant that the development of naval aircraft was severely
limited during the inter-war years, and consequently, by September 1939, Béarn's
aircraft were obsolete. She carried 1931 vintage Levasseur torpedo-bombers and
Dewoitine D37 fighters which were actually withdrawn from service two months
after the outbreak of war....
.P Béarn was named after a former province of France, located in the south of the
country.
.P Béarn was completed in May 1927 and at the outbreak of World War II she was
part of the Force de Raid based in Brest. This force, commanded by Admiral
Gensoul, was designed to act as a troubleshooting force that could be used to
search out and attack German surface raiders that ventured into the Atlantic. The
Force de Raid initially consisted of Béarn; the fast battleships Dunkerque and
Strasbourg; the light cruisers Montcalm, Georges Leygues and Gloire; and
escorting destroyers. In October the Force de Raid were deployed in search of
German surface raiders operating in the Atlantic, although they were to play no
part in the finding and destruction of Graf Spee later that year.
.P After just two months of war, it was clear that Béarn was proving to be
something of a liability to the effectiveness of the Force de Raid; she was
simply too slow, while her aircraft were obsolete and proving unreliable. Béarn
was detached from Gensoul's force and the Americans then used her as a aircraft
transport for aircraft sold to the French.
.P In May 1940 she sailed with the cruisers Jeanne D'Arc and Émile Bertin for
North America as part of an operation to transfer French gold reserves to Canada.
Whilst in North America Béarn was loaded with crated aircraft ready for the
return journey. However, she and her escorts were still there at the time of the
signing of the armistice with Germany.
.P The three ships were ordered to the French-owned Caribbean islands of
Martinique and Guadeloupe; Béarn and Émile Bertin sailed for the former, while
Jeanne D'Arc docked in the latter island.
.P In July 1940, when the British carried out their attacks on the Vichy French
fleet at Mers-El-Kebir and Dakar and also seized French ships berthed at ports in
the United Kingdom and Egypt, they left these three ships in the West Indies
alone. No doubt distance played its part in the decision, which was all about
keeping the French fleet out of German hands. However, the Royal Navy maintained
a watching brief on the islands until May 1942, when, under pressure from the
United States, the Vichy authorities agreed to their demilitarisation.
.P On the 30th June 1943 Béarn was transferred to Free French control, the Forces
Navales Françaises Libres (FNFL). She was obviously no-more fit for front line
duties than she had been in 1939, however she was successfully used in the role
of aircraft transporter between the United States and the United Kingdom, and it
was in this role that she saw out the war.
.P After the war, Béarn was initially used to transport aircraft to the French
colony of Indo-China, and was later relegated to a training role. After a stint
as a submarine tender, Béarn was scrapped in 1967.



I am leaving it alone but technically “AA” as used here is an incorrect term.

During World War II “Flak” was the correct term in Europe “AA” was the correct term in the Far East.

[warspite1]

Three things:

What is the difference between SHP, BHP and HP?

Not sure I understood the point about Force de Raid(e)

Anti-aircraft (AA) is used in all write-ups for consistency.

[Extraneous]

BHP: The unit of power in the British engineering system, = 550 foot-pounds of work per second = 33,000 foot-pounds per minute, approximately 745.6999 watts. Abbr. hp. and abbr. B.H.P.

HP: Horsepower is defined as work done over time. The exact definition of one horsepower is 33,000 lb.ft./minute. Put another way, if you were to lift 33,000 pounds one foot over a period of one minute, you would have been working at the rate of one horsepower. In this case, you'd have expended one horsepower-minute of energy.

SHP: Standard mechanical horsepower is defined as about 33,000 ft-lbf/min, or 745.7 watts. However, there are many different official and unofficial definitions of horsepower. Some of these definitions refer to different ways of measuring power for a specific application ("Brake horsepower”, “Drawbar horsepower”, “Air horsepower”, and etc.).

[warspite1]

Second and last example of a French carrier - this time Marechal Ney. QUESTION: I have seen Marechal spelt with an accent over the e and without. Which version is correct please?

.P This is a World In Flames "What if" counter that gives the French player the
opportunity to build one of two small aircraft carriers; provided she remains in
the game long enough.
.P As truly hypothetical ships there are no technical details available, but the
values given to these counters by ADG suggest that they would have been of the
escort carrier type; relatively small vessels of a fairly basic construction that
were more lightly armed and armoured than fleet carriers, and with a slower
speed.
.P The two carrier counters appear in the French force pool in 1940 (Suchet) and
1941 (Marechal Ney) and they allow the French player to explore options that
would have been open to the French had the German attack on France in May 1940
been repulsed. As a result of a stalemate on the Franco-German border, the
Germans could have turned their attention to the U-boat war more quickly and in
bigger numbers.
.P In such a scenario the French need to purchase military supplies from the
United States would have continued, and these supply convoys would have needed
the protection of increasing numbers of escort vessels, including carriers.
.P The two ships have been given the name of French Marshals from the Napoleonic
era, Louis Gabriel Suchet and Michel Ney.

[Froonp]

Maréchal, in french, définitely needs an accent.

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Second and last example of a French carrier - this time Marechal Ney. QUESTION: I have seen Marechal spelt with an accent over the e and without. Which version is correct please?

.P This is a World In Flames "What if" counter that gives the French player the
opportunity to build one of two small aircraft carriers; provided she remains in
the game long enough.
.P As truly hypothetical ships there are no technical details available, but the
values given to these counters by ADG suggest that they would have been of the
escort carrier type; relatively small vessels of a fairly basic construction that
were more lightly armed and armoured than fleet carriers, and with a slower
speed.
.P The two carrier counters appear in the French force pool in 1940 (Suchet) and
1941 (Marechal Ney) and they allow the French player to explore options that
would have been open to the French had the German attack on France in May 1940
been repulsed. As a result of a stalemate on the Franco-German border, the
Germans could have turned their attention to the U-boat war more quickly and in
bigger numbers.
.P In such a scenario the French need to purchase military supplies from the
United States would have continued, and these supply convoys would have needed
the protection of increasing numbers of escort vessels, including carriers.
.P The two ships have been given the name of French Marshals from the Napoleonic
era, Louis Gabriel Suchet and Michel Ney.

[warspite1]

Thanks Froonp - I will make the changes to the write-up on the website and the master file.

[Extraneous]

"Maréchal Ney" - Michel Ney, 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa (January 10, 1769 – December 7, 1815) was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I. He was known as Le Rougeaud ("red faced" or "ruddy") by his men and nicknamed le Brave des Braves ("the bravest of the brave") by Napoleon.


"Maréchal Suchet" - Louis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera (March 2, 1770 – January 3, 1826) was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.


Since CVL Maréchal Ney has the prefix Maréchal shouldn’t CVL Suchet be renamed CVL Maréchal Suchet?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

"Maréchal Ney" - Michel Ney, 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa (January 10, 1769 – December 7, 1815) was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I. He was known as Le Rougeaud ("red faced" or "ruddy") by his men and nicknamed le Brave des Braves ("the bravest of the brave") by Napoleon.


"Maréchal Suchet" - Louis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera (March 2, 1770 – January 3, 1826) was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.


Since CVL Maréchal Ney has the prefix Maréchal shouldn’t CVL Suchet be renamed CVL Maréchal Suchet?

Warspite1

No doubting his bravery at all (how many horses is he supposed to have shot from under him at Waterloo?) - but no doubting either the pigs ear he made of that battle and the earlier clash at Quatre Bras - whoops! [;)]

[warspite1]

Does anyone know anything about the French destroyer Bourrasque? I have it that she started the war as part of the 4th Destroyer Division and was based in Brest. However, between then and Dunkirk in May 1940 I can find nothing. Any ideas anyone?