French cruiser Duguay-Trouin

The Duguay-Trouin was the lead ship of a class of French light cruisers, launched in the early 1920s. She was named after René Duguay-Trouin, Sieur du Gué, French privateer, admiral and Commander in the Order of Saint-Louis.

Pre-war

After completion, "Duguay-Trouin" was assigned to the 2nd Squadron and based at Brest. In 1929, she became flagship of the 3rd Light Division in the Mediterranean and, in 1931, she undertook an extended cruise to Indo-China, then a French colony. "Duguay-Trouin" returned to the 2nd Squadron at Brest in 1932, this time as flagship, remaining there until 1935. In 1936, she became a gunnery training ship until June 1939, when she joined the 6th Cruiser Division.

World War II

France declared war on 3 September 1939 and the "Duguay-Trouin", with other French ships commenced Atlantic patrols to intercept German shipping. On 16 October, "Duguay-Trouin" intercepted the German merchant ship "Halle" convert|200|mi|km|-1 south-west of Dakar. The "Halle" was scuttled to prevent its capture.

In early May, 1940, she was transferred to the eastern Mediterranean, based at Beirut, for operations in the Adriatic and Dodecanese.

After the French surrender, she joined Admiral Rene-Emile Godfroy's Force X at Alexandria, Egypt where she was, with other French warships, disarmed by agreement and interned by the British from 22 June 1940. Axis forces occupied Vichy France in November 1942. The "Duguay-Trouin" rejoined the Allies on 30 May 1943 and was re-armed in July Fact|date=February 2007.

Her first Allied employment was as a troop transport in early 1944. She supported the landings in southern France in July 1944 and subsequently undertook bombardments along the Italian coast until April.

Post-war

After the war, "Duguay-Trouin" was sent to Indo-China and supported army operations against the Viet Minh.

She was decommissioned 19 March 1952.

References

cite book
last = Whitley
first = M J
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Cruisers of World War II - An International Encyclopedia
publisher = Arms and Armour Press
date = 1995
location = London
pages = pp 27 & 28
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 1-85409-225-1

See also

* French ship "Duguay-Trouin"