French destroyer Brestois

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History
Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svgFrance
Name:Brestois
Builder: Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes
Laid down: 17 May 192615 June 1928
Launched: 18 May 1927
Completed: 15 June 1928
Fate: Sunk 8 November 1942
General characteristics
Class and type: L'Adroit-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,380 t (1,360 long tons) (standard)
  • 2,000 t (2,000 long tons) (full load)
Length: 107.2 m (351 ft 8.5 in)
Beam: 9.9 m (32 ft 5.8 in)
Draft: 3.5 m (11 ft 5.8 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range: 3,000  nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Crew: 9 officers, 153 crewmen (wartime)
Armament:

The French destroyer Brestois was one of 14 L'Adroit-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1920s.

<i>LAdroit</i>-class destroyer

The L'Adroit-class destroyer was a group of fourteen French Navy destroyers (torpilleur) laid down in 1925–26 and commissioned from 1928 to 1931. They were the successors to the Bourrasque class, with the same armament, but being slightly heavier overall.

French Navy Maritime arm of the French Armed Forces

The French Navy, informally "La Royale", is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces. Dating back to 1624, the French Navy is one of the world's oldest naval forces. It has participated in conflicts around the globe and played a key part in establishing the French colonial empire.

Contents

Design and description

The L'Adroit class was a slightly enlarged and improved version of the preceding Bourrasque class. The ships had an overall length of 107.2 meters (351 ft 8 in), a beam of 9.9 meters (32 ft 6 in), and a draft of 3.5 meters (11 ft 6 in). The ships displaced 1,380 metric tons (1,360 long tons) at standard load and 2,000 metric tons (2,000 long tons) at deep load. They were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three du Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 31,000 metric horsepower (22,800  kW ; 30,576  shp ), which would propel the ships at 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ships carried 386 metric tons (380 long tons) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 3,000 nautical mile s (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [1]

<i>Bourrasque</i>-class destroyer ship class

The Bourrasque class was a group of twelve French Navy destroyers (torpilleur) laid down in 1923 and in service from 1926 to 1950. Along with the heavier Chacal class, they were part of a plan to modernise the French fleet after the First World War. The Bourrasques were smaller and slower than the Chacals, but were nonetheless comparable with the British W class. The class saw varied service in the Second World War, in five different navies, on both sides. These ships were named after types of wind.

Length overall maximum length of a vessels hull measured parallel to the waterline

Length overall is the maximum length of a vessel's hull measured parallel to the waterline. This length is important while docking the ship. It is the most commonly used way of expressing the size of a ship, and is also used for calculating the cost of a marina berth.

Beam (nautical) width of a ship at its widest point measured at its nominal waterline

The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point as measured at the ship's nominal waterline. The beam is a bearing projected at right-angles from the fore and aft line, outwards from the widest part of ship. Beam may also be used to define the maximum width of a ship's hull, or maximum width including superstructure overhangs.

The main armament of the L'Adroit-class ships consisted of four Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of a pair of Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 guns. The ships carried two above-water triple sets of 550-millimeter (21.7 in) torpedo tubes. A pair of depth charge chutes were built into their stern; these housed a total of sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges. In addition two depth charge throwers were fitted for which six 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges were carried. [2]

Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924

The Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 was a medium-caliber naval gun used as the primary armament on a number of French destroyers during World War II.

Superfiring

The idea of superfiring armament is to locate two turrets in a line, one behind the other, but with the second turret located above ("super") the one in front so that the second turret could fire over the first. This configuration meant that both forward or aft turrets could fire at any target within their sector, even when the target was in the same vertical plane as the turrets.

Anti-aircraft warfare combat operations and doctrine aimed at defeating enemy aerial forces; all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action

Anti-aircraft warfare or counter-air defence is defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action". They include surface based, subsurface, and air-based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be used to protect naval, ground, and air forces in any location. However, for most countries the main effort has tended to be 'homeland defence'. NATO refers to airborne air defence as counter-air and naval air defence as anti-aircraft warfare. Missile defence is an extension of air defence as are initiatives to adapt air defence to the task of intercepting any projectile in flight.

Construction and career

Brestois was laid down on 17 May 1926, launched on 18 May 1927 and completed on 15 June 1928. She capsized following damage by gunfire from the ships of United States Navy Task Force 34 off Casablanca, French Morocco, on 8 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Casablanca. [3]

United States Navy Naval warfare branch of US Armed Forces

The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most capable navy in the world and it has been estimated that in terms of tonnage of its active battle fleet alone, it is larger than the next 13 navies combined, which includes 11 U.S. allies or partner nations. It has the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, and two new carriers under construction. With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve, the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the U.S. military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 290 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 operational aircraft as of June 2019, making it the third-largest air force in the world, after the United States Air Force and the United States Army.

Casablanca City / State in Casablanca-Settat, Morocco

Casablanca is the largest city of Morocco. Located in the central-western part of Morocco bordering the Atlantic Ocean, it is the largest city in the Maghreb region and the eighth-largest in the Arab world. Casablanca is Morocco's chief port and one of the largest financial centers in Africa. According to the 2014 population estimate, the city has a population of about 3.35 million in the urban area and over 6.8 million in the Casablanca-Settat region. Casablanca is considered the economic and business center of Morocco, although the national political capital is Rabat.

Naval Battle of Casablanca

The Naval Battle of Casablanca was a series of naval engagements fought between American ships covering the invasion of North Africa and Vichy French ships defending the neutrality of French Morocco in accordance with the Second Armistice at Compiègne during World War II. The last stages of the battle consisted of operations by German U-boats which had reached the area the same day the French troops surrendered.

Notes

  1. ↑ Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 3
  2. ↑ Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 3
  3. ↑ Le Masson p126

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References

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