The ''Brumaire''-class submarines were built for the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in th ...

prior to

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. There were sixteen vessels in this class, of the Laubeuf type. All saw action during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

, with three boats lost.

Naming

The French Navy built 34 Laubeuf-type submarines between 1906 and 1911. These are usually described as two classes, of which the ''Brumaire'' class was one, the other being the ''Pluviôse '' class. (Another source treats the vessels as one group, divided by the yards that built them). The boats had two naming schemes; the earlier vessels were named after the months of the French Revolutionary calendar, and the later ones after French scientists. However, apart from the name ship of the class, only two were named after months; the remaining thirteen boats of the ''Brumaire'' class were named for scientists.

Design

The ''Brumaire'' class were Laubeuf type submarines, following the Laubeuf standard design of double hull and dual propulsion systems (as were the ''Pluviôse'' class). The ''Brumaire'' boats had electric motors for underwater propulsion, and are usually listed as having diesel engines for surface propulsion, though in practice this was mixed. While most had diesels several of the earlier boats had steam engines. These had been preferred by Laubeuf in the early stages, though later Laubeuf type submarines, such as the , predecessors to the ''Pluviôse'' and ''Brumaire'' classes, had used diesel engines, and some of the later ''Pluviôse'' boats had diesels.

Construction

The ''Brumaire'' class were ordered in the 1906 programme and the first vessels were laid down the same year. However construction proceeded more slowly than the ''Pluviôse'' boats, and the first of the class, was not launched until four years later, priority being given to the ''Pluviôse'' boats. The boats were built at three of the French Navy’s dockyards, at the Arsenals of Cherbourg,

Rochefort Rochefort () may refer to: Places France * Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime department ** Arsenal de Rochefort, a former naval base and dockyard * Rochefort, Savoie in the Savoie department * Rochefort-du-Gard, in the Ga ...

and

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label=Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is the ...

. The first of the class, ''Brumaire'', was launched in April 1911, and the last, ''Franklin'' in March 1913.

Armament

The ''Brumaire''-class submarines were armed with torpedoes, of which eight were carried. They had one 17.7 inch torpedo tube mounted in the bow, with one torpedo loaded and one carried as a reload, and six carried externally. Of these four were in

Drzewiecki drop collar The Drzewiecki drop collar was an external torpedo launching system most commonly used by the French and Imperial Russian Navies in the first two decades of the 20th century. It was designed by Stefan Drzewiecki, a Polish engineer and inventor. ...

s and two in external cradles alongside the conning tower.

Service history

The ''Brumaire'' class were acknowledged to be good sea boats and saw action throughout the First World War on patrol and close blockade duty. Of the sixteen built, four were lost in action. Two vessels ( and ) were mined; another () was sunk by aircraft, the first incidence of such a loss. The fourth, was lost attempting to penetrate the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Pola. She was later raised by the Austrians and put into service by them, but was returned after the Austrian surrender.

Ships

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

French Submarines: 1863 - Now
(French)
u-boat-laboratorium.com article on ''Curie (Q87)''
{{WWI French ships Submarine classes Ship classes of the French Navy