#semidreadnought

[destinationsjourney]

French Battleship Mirabeau

Mirabeau was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 28 October 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.

During 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, Mirabeau was deployed to the Black Sea as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Revolution. In February 1919 she ran aground and could not be refloated until some of her guns, armour and boilers were removed. After returning to France, she was stricken from the navy list and broken up for scrap in 1922.

More photos here.

[destinationsjourney]

French Battleship Condorcet

Condorcet was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 20 April 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 25 July 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 the 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, Condorcet was modernised from 1923 – 25 after which she was used as a training ship. From 1931 Condorcet was converted into an accommodation hulk. When the Germans invaded Vichy France in November 1942 she was captured intact and used as accommodation from Kriegsmarine sailors. In August 1944 she was badly damaged by Allied bombing and subsequently scuttled by the Germans. Salvaged in September 1945, she was sold and broken up.

More photos here.