#frenchbattleship

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Dunkerque, anchored at Spithead in May 1937

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French Battleship Bretagne

Bretagne was the lead ship of her class of three dreadnought battleships launched in April 1913 for the French Navy. Bretagne entered service in February 1916, after the start of World War I. She spent the bulk of her nearly 25-year-long career in the Mediterranean Squadron and sometimes served as its flagship. During World War I she provided cover for the Otranto Barrage that blockaded the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the Adriatic Sea, but saw no action.

The ship was significantly modernised in the interwar period, and when she was on active duty, conducted normal peacetime cruises and training manoeuvres in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. After World War II broke out in September 1939, Bretagne escorted troop convoys and was briefly deployed to the Atlantic in search of German blockade runners and commerce raiders. Germany invaded France on 10 May 1940 and the French surrendered only six weeks later, at which time the battleship was stationed in Mers-el-Kébir, French Algeria. Fearful that the Germans would seize the French Navy, the British attacked the ships there on 3 July 1940 after the French refused to surrender or demilitarise the fleet; Bretagne was hit four times and exploded, killing the majority of her crew. Her wreck was salvaged in 1952 and broken up for scrap.

More photos here

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French Battleship Dunkerque

Laid down on 24 December 1932, launched on2 October 1935 and commissioned on 1 May 1937, Dunkerque was the first French battleship completed since the First World War. Although initial design was concentrated on countering Italian cruisers, the German Deutschland-class heavy cruisers became a larger threat. The Dunkerque-class battleships armour was designed to withstand the 11-inch guns of the Deutschlands while having guns large enough to overpower them.

In the early stages of World War Two Dunkerque participated in searches for German commerce raiders and undertook convoy escort duty. At the time of the French surrender, Dunkerque was in Mers El Kabir. The British, fearing that the French Fleet may fall under German control, sent an ultimatum that the French ships either join Britain; sail to the French West Indies; disarm themselves or make for a neutral port and be interned. When the ultimatum expired, the British ships open fire. In the resulting naval and air bombardment, Bretagne was sunk, with Provence and Dunkerque damaged.

In the initial attack Dunkerque was hit by four 15-inch shells from HMS Hood. These caused a loss of power and major damage to the main armament. She was beached to prevent her from being sunk. On the following morning, an attack by Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers sank the patrol boat Terre-Neuve moored along side. A detonation of the depth charges on board caused severe damage to Dunkerque's bow.

Subsequent repair work allowed Dunkerque to sail to Toulon for extensive repairs. She was scuttled in November 1942 when the Germans occupied all of Southern France. Raised, she was being scrapped by the Italians until September 1943 when Italy surrendered. Germany then seized the wreck and continued the scrapping process. Post war, Dunkerque's remains were finally scrapped in 1958.

More photos here

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Dunkerque at Le Havre, June 1939

Laid down on 24 December 1942, launched on2 October 1935 and commissioned on 1 May 1937, Dunkerque was the first French battleship completed since the First World War. Although initial design was concentrated on countering Italian cruisers, the German Deutschland-class heavy cruisers became a larger threat. The Dunkerque-class battleships armour was designed to withstand the 11-inch guns of the Deutschlands while having guns large enough to overpower them.

More photos here.

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French Battleship Danton

The lead ship of her class, Danton was a semi-dreadnought of the French Navy. She was launched on 4 July 1909 and commissioned on 1 June 1911. On the outbreak of the First World War, Danton was used to escort troop ships from North Africa to Europe, as the German battle cruiser Goeben and light cruiser Breslau were operating in the Mediterranean.

Along with here five sister ships, Danton was used to blockade the Austro-Hungarian and Turkish fleets, to prevent them breaking out into the Mediterranean. On 19 March 1917, while returning from a refit in Toulon, she was sunk by U-64 35 km south-west of Sardinia. Of the 1,102 men onboard, 296 were lost.

More photos here.

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French Battleship Vergniaud

Vergniaud was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 12 April 1910, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 18 December 1911.

On 16 August 1914, Voltaire participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in thee sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.

For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean.

Post-war, Vergniaud was laid up in reserve, but found to be in poor condition. Stripped of armament, she was used as a target ship. She was listed for disposal in 1927 and sold for scrap in 1928.

More photos here.

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French Battleship Voltaire

Voltaire was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 16 January 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.

On 16 August 1914, Voltaire participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in thee sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.

For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean. On 10 October 1918, while returning to Mudros following an overhaul, she was torpedoed by the German U-boat UB-48. Although struck by two torpedoes, she was able to make temporary repairs at Mudros and then sail to Bizerte for permanent repairs.

She was modernised post-war from 1922 to 1925, being used as a training ship from 1927. She was condemned in 1937 and scuttled in Quiberon Bay (France) on 31 May 1938 for long-term use as a target. The wreck was sold in December 1949 and broken up from March 1950 onwards.

More photos here.