Guépard class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Guépard-class destroyer
s (contre-torpilleurs) of the French navy
were laid down in 1927 and commissioned in 1930. They were similar to the previous Chacal class, with a larger hull and with a slightly improved speed and gun armament with 138mm guns of a new design. The first three ships bore 'animal' names like the Chacals, while the remaining three were given names starting with V, for two battles and a field-marshal The class saw action in World War II
.
The other five members of the class (Guépard, Lion, Valmy, Vauban and Verdun) were all scuttled
on 27 November 1942 to prevent them falling into German hands. All were subsequently raised by the Italian navy, Lion and Valmy being repaired and commissioned as the Italian FR21 and FR24. Both were subsequently re-scuttled in September 1943 at La Spezia. Valmy was then raised once more and recommissioned into the Kriegsmarine
before finally sinking in Genoa in 1945.
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 1927 and commissioned in 1930. They were similar to the previous Chacal class, with a larger hull and with a slightly improved speed and gun armament with 138mm guns of a new design. The first three ships bore 'animal' names like the Chacals, while the remaining three were given names starting with V, for two battles and a field-marshal 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
- Bison -
- built by Arsenal de Lorient,
- completed 10 October 1930.
- She was sunk by German Junkers Ju 87Junkers Ju 87The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
Stukas while taking part in the evacuation of NamsosNamsos campaignIn April and early May, 1940 Namsos and its surrounding area were the scene of heavy fighting between Anglo-French, Polish and Norwegian naval and military forces on the one hand, and German military, naval and air forces on the other...
, on 3 May 1940, off TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. Out of 229 members on the crew, 136 were lost. Survivors from the Bison were picked up by HMS AfridiHMS Afridi (F07)HMS Afridi was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She served in the Second World War and was an early casualty, being sunk in an air attack off Norway in May 1940.- Construction :...
, which was then sunk by the Stukas.- Guépard (cheetahCheetahThe cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
) -
- Guépard (cheetah
- built by Arsenal de Lorient,
- completed 13 August 1929,
- scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Lion -
- built by AT & Ch de France Dunkirk,
- completed 21 January 1931,
- scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Valmy (named after the battle of ValmyBattle of ValmyThe Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
)-
- Valmy (named after the battle of Valmy
- built by AT & Ch St Nazaire Panhoet,
- completed 1 January 1930,
- scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Verdun (named after the battle of VerdunBattle of VerdunThe Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
) -
- Verdun (named after the battle of Verdun
- built by AT & Ch de la Loire, St Nazaire,
- completed 1 April 1930,
- scuttled 27 November 1942.
- Vauban (named after Marshall VaubanVaubanSébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
) -
- Vauban (named after Marshall Vauban
- built by AT & Ch de France Dunkirk,
- completed 9 January 1931,
- scuttled 27 November 1942.
The other five members of the class (Guépard, Lion, Valmy, Vauban and Verdun) were all scuttled
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 them falling into German hands. All were subsequently raised by the Italian navy, Lion and Valmy being repaired and commissioned as the Italian FR21 and FR24. Both were subsequently re-scuttled in September 1943 at La Spezia. Valmy was then raised once more and recommissioned into the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
before finally sinking in Genoa in 1945.