French battleship Richelieu (1939)

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Richelieu was the name-ship of a class of French battleships of World War II. She was named after the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu.

Design

Derived from the Dunkerque class, Richelieu and Jean Bart as well as the unfinished Clemenceau and Gascogne were designed to counter the growing threat of the Italian Navy. Their speed, armour, armament and overall technology were state of the art and compared favourably with contemporary rivals. The turret arrangement for the main battery of eight 380 mm guns was unusual, with two 4-gun turrets located forward, enabling all the main armament to fire forwards. The Richelieu class, with their 380 mm main artillery, were the most powerful battleships ever built in France.

The keel was laid in October 1935 in Brest. Richelieu was launched in January 1939, and sea trials began in January 1940.

Vichy years

After the French defeat, the incomplete Richelieu (Captain Marzin) hastily left Brest, on 18 June 1940, narrowly escaping the advancing German forces. She sailed under her own power, escorted by the French destroyers Fougeaux and Frondeur, arriving at Dakar on 23 June 1940. The local political conditions prompted her transfer to Casablanca two days later, shadowed by a powerful British battle group. She returned to Dakar on 28 June and, although only 95% complete, she was commissioned there on 15 July 1940.

The creation of the Vichy state prompted British anxiety that the Vichy Navy would be taken over by the Axis Powers. This led to attacks by Swordfish torpedo bombers from the British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes on July 8 1940, after the destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir. A torpedo hit below the armoured deck disabled the starboard propulsion shaft on Richelieu and flooding caused her stern to touch bottom. She was pumped out after a few days, however, and made seaworthy for emergencies.

On 24th September, Richelieu fought against British and Free French naval forces at the Battle of Dakar. There was a gunnery duel between Richelieu and the British battleships HMS Barham: the Barham was hit twice by secondary batteries and the Richelieu was struck by two 15” shells, causing no serious damage. The Richelieu was further damaged in the battle when a 380 mm shell blew back and disabled two guns in the number 2 main turret: this was traced to use of the wrong type of propellant. The British force was beaten off.

Temporary repairs were completed by 24 April 1941 and Richelieu could sail on three engines at 14 knots, but with only three usable main guns. There was then another explosion in a 380 millimetre gun.

After French forces in Africa joined the Allies in November 1942, Richelieu sailed for refitting at the New York Navy Yard on 30 January 1943, which was declared complete on 10 October 1943. Significant modifications were made to the anti-aircraft armament; she was re-armed with U.S. pattern anti-aircraft guns: 56-40 mm (14x4) and 48-20 mm (48x1). A special factory had to be assembled to manufacture ammunition of the appropriate calibre for her main battery. She sailed for Mers-el-Kebir on 14 October and thence to Scapa Flow, arriving on 20 November.

Richelieu served with the British Home Fleet from November 1943 - March 1944, participating in an operation off the Norwegian coast in January, 1944. She was then transferred to the British Eastern Fleet to cover for British battleships undergoing refit. This was despite reputedly strong anti-Gaullist sympathies on board and limitations with her radar and ammunition (only available from US sources). She arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on 10 April 1944, in time to join the attack by Task Force 65 on Sabang, Borneo on April 19th (Operation Cockpit) and on Surabaya in May 1944 (Operation Transom) and on Operations Councillor and Pedal in June. On 22 July, she sailed to attack Sabang and Sumatra (Operation Crimson) and returned to Trincomalee on the 27th.

Relieved by HMS Howe, Richelieu returned to Casablanca on 7 September for a major refit, arriving back at Trincomalee on 20 March 1945. Now with Task Force 63 of the British East Indies Fleet, she joined in more bombardments of Sabang in April and of the Nicobar Islands in late April to early May. The next operation, to intercept the Japanese cruiser Haguro was abortive.

After a refit at Durban in July and August, the Richelieu arrived back at Trincomalee after the Japanese surrender. She covered the British re-occupation of Malaya, in September. During this task, she was damaged slightly by a magnetic mine.

She was present in Tokyo Bay during the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

Post-war

In late September 1945, Richelieu escorted a French troop convoy to Indochina to re-establish French colonial rule and bombarded shore targets in the First Indochina War. On 29 December, she sailed for France and arrived in Toulon on 11 February 1946.

There were visits to Britain and Portugal in 1946 and she carried the French President on a tour of French African colonies in April and June 1947. She stayed in home waters until 16 October 1948, when she was withdrawn from active service for refit and subsequent use as a gunnery training ship.

From 25 May 1956, she was used as an accommodation ship in Brest, and placed in reserve in 1958. The Richelieu was condemned on 16 January 1968 and renamed Q432. She was scrapped by Cantieri Navali Santa Maria of Genoa in September 1968.

External links

• [Génération Cuirassé] (in French). Notably, a number of significant photographs.
• [Extensive description of Richelieu's combat service]
• [warship.get.net.pl] a number of photographs
• [Richelieu Destroyer FS Richelieu on Alabordache.com]
• [Maritimequest Richelieu Photo Gallery]

Richelieu class battleship

Richelieu | Jean Bart | Clemenceau | Gascogne

List of battleships of France

 

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