French destroyer Enseigne Gabolde

Class overview
Name	Enseigne Gabolde
Operators	French Navy
Preceded by	Arabe class
Succeeded by	Bourrasque class
Completed	1
Scrapped	1
History
France
Name	Enseigne Gabolde
Ordered	1913
Builder	Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre
Laid down	26 June 1914
Launched	23 April 1921
Completed	1923
Stricken	1938
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	950  t (935 long tons) (normal)
Length	83.6 m (274 ft) (o/a)
Beam	8.21 m (26 ft 11 in)
Draft	3.12 m (10 ft 3 in)
Installed power	4 Normand boilers 20,000  shp (15,000  kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed	31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
Range	1,300  nmi (2,400 km; 1,500 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	80
Armament	3 × single 100 mm (3.9 in) Mle 1893 guns 1 × single 75 mm (3 in) AA gun 2 × twin 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes

Enseigne Gabolde was a destroyer built for the French Navy. Originally laid down in 1914 as a member of the Enseigne Roux class, construction was suspended in 1914 when the First World War began and was not resumed to a modified design until after the war. She was condemned in 1938 and subsequently scrapped.

Design and description

Enseigne Gabolde had an overall length of 83.6 meters (274 ft 3 in), a beam of 8.21 meters (26 ft 11 in), and a draft of 3.12 meters (10 ft 3 in). ^[1] She displaced 950 metric tons (935 long tons ) at normal load and her crew numbered 80 men. ^[2]

The ship was powered by a pair of Parsons steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four Normand boilers. The engines were designed to produce 20,000 shaft horsepower (15,000  kW ) which was intended to give her a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph). During her sea trials, Enseigne Gabolde reached a speed in excess of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) from 26,000 shp (19,000 kW). ^[3] The ship stowed 196 tonnes (193 long tons) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 1,300 nautical miles (2,400 km; 1,500 mi) at cruising speeds of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). ^[1]

The primary armament of Enseigne Gabolde consisted of three 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair forward of the superstructure and the remaining gun on a platform on the stern. For anti-aircraft defense she was equipped with a single 75-millimeter (3 in) AA gun. The ship was also fitted with two twin mounts for 550-millimeter (21.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships. ^[1]

Construction and career

Enseigne Gabolde was ordered from Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand and was laid down on 26 June 1914. Construction was suspended later that year and did not resume until 1918 after the design was modified. The ship was launched on 23 April 1921 and was finally completed in 1923. She was struck in 1938. ^[1]

Citations

1. Couhat, p. 116
2. Smigielski, p. 203
3. Smigielski, p. 204

References

• Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN   0-7110-0445-5.
• Roberts, Stephen S. (2021). French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-5267-4533-0.
• Smigielski, Adam (1985). "France". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 190–220. ISBN   0-87021-907-3.