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French Submarines Of World War II
The French submarine fleet of World War II was one of the largest in the world at that time. It saw action during the war but had a chequered service history due to France's position at that time. During the conflict, 59 submarines, more than three-quarters of the fleet, were lost. Construction history After World War I France had a fleet of 36 submarines, in a variety of classes, plus 11 ex-German U-boats; these were mostly obsolete (all had been disposed of by the 1930s) and she was interested in replacing them. To this end the French Navy made plans for a fleet of vessels in three Types: Type I ocean-going / grand patrol; Type 2 coastal defence; Type 3 mine layers. At the same time, the major powers were negotiating an arms limitation treaty at the 1922 Washington Naval Conference. There was discussion of banning submarines altogether, and to outlaw their use (a course favoured by Britain) both France and Italy opposed this. However the conference did place restri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million Military personnel, personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Air warfare of World War II, Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in hu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Circé-class Submarine (1925)
The ''Circé''-class submarines were a sub-class of the 600 Series of submarines built for the French Navy prior to World War II. There were four vessels in the class, built to a Schneider- Laubeuf design. They were ordered in 1925 and completed by 1927.Conway p.273 The four boats of the ''Circé'' class saw action during the Second World War, from September 1939 until the French armistice in June 1940. General characteristics The ''Circé'' class had a displacement of 615 tons surfaced and 776 tons submerged. They had an endurance of 3,500 miles at , with a maximum surface speed of , and a submerged speed of . Their armament was seven torpedo tubes (three forward, two midships, and two aft) with an outfit of 13 torpedoes. As with all French submarines of this period, the midships torpedo tubes were fitted externally in trainable mounts. They had a single deck gun and two machine guns, and were manned by crews of 41 men. Ships * was at Bizerta in June 1940. She w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
FNFL
The Free French Naval Forces (french: Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL) were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier. History In the wake of the Armistice and the Appeal of 18 June, Charles de Gaulle founded the Free French Forces (''Forces Françaises Libres'', or FFL), including a naval arm, the "Free French Naval Forces" (''Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres'', or FNFL). On 24 June 1940, de Gaulle made a separate call specifically to servicemen overseas to join him, and two days later the submarine ''Narval'' entered Malta and pledged its allegiance to the FFL. PlayfairThe Mediterranean & Middle East, Volume I: The Early Successes against Italy (to May 1941)p. 137 On 30 June, De Gaulle was joined by Vice-Admiral Émile Muselier, who had come from Gibraltar by flying boat. Muselier was the only flag officer of the French Navy to answer the call of De Gaulle. The French fleet was w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The Sea has played a central role in the history of Western civilization. Geological evidence indicates that around 5.9 million years ago, the Mediterranean was cut off from the Atlantic and was partly or completely desiccated over a period of some 600,000 years during the Messinian salinity crisis before being refilled by the Zanclean flood about 5.3 million years ago. The Mediterranean Sea covers an area of about , representing 0.7% of the global ocean surface, but its connection to the Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar—the narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates the Iberian Peninsula in Europe from Morocco in Africa—is only wide. The Mediterr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Submarine Surcouf (N N 3)
''Surcouf'' was a large French gun-armed cruiser submarine of the mid 20th century. She carried two 8" guns as well as anti-aircraft guns and (for most of her career) a floatplane. ''Surcouf'' served in the French Navy and, later, the Free French Naval Forces during the Second World War. ''Surcouf'' disappeared during the night of 18/19 February 1942 in the Caribbean Sea, possibly after colliding with the American freighter Thompson Lykes, although this is not definitely established. She was named after the French privateer and slave trader Robert Surcouf. She was the largest submarine built until surpassed by the first Japanese Aircraft carrier submarine in 1944. Design The Washington Naval Treaty had placed strict limits on naval construction by the major naval powers in regard to displacements and artillery calibers of battleships and cruisers. However, no agreements were reached in respect of light ships such as frigates, destroyers or submarines. In addition, to ens ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Émeraude-class Submarine (1937)
The ''Émeraude''-class submarines were a quartet of four minelaying submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...s that were ordered for the French Navy during the 1930s. Only the name boat was laid down before the German invasion of France on 10 May 1940 and she was demolished before she could be launched. Ships Notes Bibliography * External linksFrench Submarines: 1863 - Now (French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Emeraude Class Submarine (1937) Sub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saphir-class Submarine (1928)
The ''Saphir''-class submarines were a class of six submarines built in France between 1926 and 1935 for the French Navy. Most saw action during World War II for the Vichy French Navy or the Free French Naval Forces. Three were captured by Italian forces but not used. Design ''Saphir''-class submarines had a surfaced displacement of and a submerged displacement of . Their dimensions were long, with a beam of and a draught of . Propulsion while surfaced was provided by two Normand-Vickers diesel motors with a total of and while submerged by two electric motors providing a total of through two shafts enabling a maximum speed of while surfaced and while submerged. Their bunkers of of oil fuel gave them a surfaced range of at , and at and their batteries a submerged range of at . They carried a complement of 42 men. ''Saphir''-class submarines could dive up to . The ''Saphir''-class submarines were constructed to be able to launch torpedoes and lay mines without sur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Second Armistice At Compiègne
The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed at 18:36 near Compiègne, France, by officials of Nazi Germany and the Third French Republic. It did not come into effect until after midnight on 25 June. Signatories for Germany included Wilhelm Keitel, a senior military officer of the Wehrmacht (the German armed forces), while those on the French side held lower ranks including General Charles Huntziger. Following the decisive German victory in the Battle of France (10 May – 21 June 1940) during World War II, this armistice established a German occupation zone in Northern and Western France that encompassed about three fifths of France's European territory, including all English Channel and Atlantic Ocean ports. The remainder of the country was to be left unoccupied, although the new regime which replaced the Third Republic was mutually recognized as the legitimate government of all of Metropolitan France except Alsace-Lorraine. The French were also permitted to retain control of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Republic, France during the Second World War. On 3 September 1939, France French declaration of war on Germany (1939), declared war on Germany following the German invasion of Poland. In early September 1939, France began the limited Saar Offensive and by mid-October had withdrawn to their start lines. German armies German invasion of Belgium (1940), invaded Belgium, German invasion of Luxembourg, Luxembourg and German invasion of the Netherlands, the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. Fascist Italy (1922-1943), Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940 and attempted an Italian invasion of France, invasion of France. France and the Low Countries were conquered, ending land operations on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front until the Normandy l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aurore-class Submarine
The ''Aurore'' class was a class of fifteen coastal submarines designed for the French Navy. The prototype – ''Aurore'' – was authorised in 1934, the next four in 1937, a further four in 1938, two in 1938, and a final four subsequently. Some of the ships were captured by Nazi Germany after the Fall of France, most of them in an unfinished state; two were intended to be completed for the German Navy, ''Africaine'' becoming ''UF-1'' and ''Favorite'' becoming ''UF-2'', but only the first was completed during the World War II, the second reverting to French control while still uncompleted. Five of the submarines, , , , and , were completed after the war, were commissioned in the French Navy and served into the 1960s. ''Andromède'', ''Artémis'' and ''Créole'' were fitted with GUPPY sails and submarine snorkel A submarine snorkel is a device which allows a submarine to operate submerged while still taking in air from above the surface. British Royal Navy personnel often re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minerve-class Submarine
''Minerve''-class submarines were a class of submarine built for the French Navy prior to World War II. The class were based on the French Admiralty 630 series design, but with more power and better armament. The class had six internal 550 mm torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and three 400 mm tubes mounted externally on a moveable triple mount. ''Minerve'' and ''Junon'' were seized by the British in July 1940, following the battle of France, and handed over to the Free French Forces in September the same year, and served throughout the war. ''Minerve'' was wrecked off Chesil Beach in September 1945, while ''Junon'' returned to France and served until 1954. The other four boats remained under Vichy control until November 1942 when, following the German occupation, ''Pallas'' and ''Cérès'' were scuttled at Oran, and ''Vénus'' scuttled at Toulon, while ''Iris'' sailed for the neutral port of Cartagena, and was interned there until after the end o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
