![]() | |
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | Boutefeu |
Namesake | Linstock |
Builder | Dyle et Bacalan, Bordeaux |
Laid down | 1909 |
Launched | 2 May 1911 |
Completed | 1911 |
Fate | Sunk by a mine, 15 May 1917 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | Bouclier-class destroyer |
Displacement | 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) |
Length | 72.3–78.3 m (237 ft 2 in – 256 ft 11 in) (o/a) |
Beam | 7.6–8 m (24 ft 11 in – 26 ft 3 in) |
Draft | 2.9–3.3 m (9 ft 6 in – 10 ft 10 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 steam turbines |
Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
Range | 1,200–1,600 nmi (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph) |
Complement | 80–83 |
Armament |
|
Boutefeu was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
The Bouclier class were designed to a general specification and varied significantly from each other in various ways. [1] The ships had an overall length of 74–78.3 meters (242 ft 9 in – 256 ft 11 in), a beam of 7.6–8 meters (24 ft 11 in – 26 ft 3 in), and a draft of 2.9–3.1 meters (9 ft 6 in – 10 ft 2 in). Designed to displace 800 metric tons (787 long tons ), they displaced 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men. [1]
Boutefeu was powered by a pair of Zoelly steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The engines were designed to produce 13,000 shaft horsepower (9,700 kW ) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). Boutefeu handily exceed that speed, reaching 31.4 knots (58.2 km/h; 36.1 mph) during her sea trials. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,200–1,600 nautical miles (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at cruising speeds of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph). [2]
The primary armament of the Bouclier-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships. [1]
During World War I, a 45-millimeter (1.8 in) or 75-millimeter (3 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine guns, and eight or ten Guiraud-type depth charges were added to the ships. The extra weight severely overloaded the ships and reduced their operational speed to around 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph). [1]
Boutefeu was ordered from Dyle et Bacalan and was launched from its Bordeaux shipyard on 2 May 1911. The ship was completed later that year. [3] During the preliminary stages of the Battle of Antivari, Montenegro, on 16 August, the 1st, 4th and 5th Destroyer Flotillas were tasked to escort the core of the 1st Naval Army while the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Flotillas escorted the armored cruisers of the 2nd Light Squadron (2e escadre légère) and two British cruisers. After reuniting both groups and spotting the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser SMS Zenta and the destroyer SMS Ulan, the French destroyers played no role in sinking the cruiser, although the 4th Flotilla was sent on an unsuccessful pursuit of Ulan. Having broken the Austro-Hungarian blockade of Antivari (now known as Bar), Vice-Admiral (Vice-amiral) Augustin Boué de Lapeyrère, commander of the 1st Naval Army, decided to ferry troops and supplies to the port using a small requisitioned passenger ship, SS Liamone, escorted by the 2nd Light Squadron, reinforced by the armored cruiser Ernest Renan, and escorted by the destroyer Bouclier with the 1st and 6th Destroyer Flotillas under command while the rest of the 1st Naval Army bombarded the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Cattaro, Montenegro, on 1 September. Four days later, the fleet covered the evacuation of Danilo, Crown Prince of Montenegro, aboard Bouclier, to the Greek island of Corfu. The flotilla escorted multiple small convoys loaded with supplies and equipment to Antivari, beginning in October and lasting for the rest of the year, always covered by the larger ships of the Naval Army in futile attempts to lure the Austro-Hungarian fleet into battle. Amidst these missions, the 1st and 6th Flotillas were led by the French destroyer Dehorter as they conducted a sweep south of Cattaro on the night of 10/11 November in an unsuccessful search for Austro-Hungarian destroyers. [4]
While returning from an attack on a suspected Austro-Hungarian submarine base in the Gulf of Drin by a mixed group of Italian, British and French cruisers and destroyers on 9 June, the British light cruiser HMS Dublin was torpedoed by the submarine U-4, despite a close escort of six destroyers, that included Boutefeu and Bisson. [5]
On 15 May 1917, during the Battle of the Strait of Otranto, Boutefeu struck a mine laid earlier that day by the Imperial German Navy submarine UC-25 just outside Brindisi harbor. The destroyer broke in two and sank in under two minutes, with heavy loss of life. [6] [7]
Mameluk was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the twentieth century.
Aspirant Herber was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Enseigne Henry was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Lansquenet was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Carabiner was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Hussard was one of seven Spahi-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Spahi was the name ship of her class of destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Chasseur was the name ship of her class of four destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Casque was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was sold for scrap in 1927.
Cimeterre was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Dague was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Completed in 1912, the ship was initially assigned to the 1st Naval Army in the Mediterranean Sea. During the First World War, she escorted the battle fleet during the Battle of Antivari off the coast of Montenegro in August 1914 and escorted multiple convoys to Montenegro over the next six months. Dague struck a mine in Antivari harbor in February 1915 and sank with the loss of 38 crewmen.
Faulx was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. During the First World War, she escorted the battle fleet during the Battle of Antivari off the coast of Montenegro in August 1914 and escorted multiple convoys to Montenegro for the rest of the year. Faulx protected the evacuation of the Royal Serbian Army from Durazzo, Albania, in February 1916.
Fourche was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. During the First World War, she escorted the battle fleet during the Battle of Antivari off the coast of Montenegro in August 1914 and escorted multiple convoys to Montenegro for the rest of the year. Fourche protected the evacuation of the Royal Serbian Army from Durazzo, Albania, in February 1916. The ship was sunk by an Austro-Hungarian submarine in June with the loss of 19 crewmen.
Bouclier was the name ship of her class of a dozen destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Commandant Bory was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Commandant Rivière was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
Mangini was one of six Bisson-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s. The ship was condemned in 1934.
Protet was one of six Bisson-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s. The ship was condemned in 1933 and sold for scrap in 1933.
Renaudin was one of six Bisson-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the early 1910s. Completed in 1913, the ship was assigned to the 1st Naval Army in the Mediterranean Sea. During the First World War, she escorted the battle fleet during the Battle of Antivari in August 1914 and escorted multiple convoys to Montenegro for the rest of the year. Renaudin helped to sink a crippled Austro-Hungarian destroyer during the 1st Battle of Durazzo in late 1915 and protected the evacuation of the Royal Serbian Army from Durazzo, Albania, in February 1916. The ship was sunk by an Austro-Hungarian submarine the following month with the loss of 50 crewmen.
Bisson was the name ship of her class of destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1910s, entering service in 1913. She served in the Mediterranean Sea during the First World War, sinking the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-3 on 6 July 1915 and took part in the Battle of Durazzo in December 1915 and the Battle of the Strait of Otranto in May 1917. She was stricken in 1933 and scrapped in 1939.