Vauquelin class destroyer

The "Vauquelin"-class large destroyers ("contre-torpilleurs") of the French navy were laid down in 1930 and commissioned in 1931. They were very similar to the previous "Aigle" class, the only difference being a single extra torpedo tube.The class saw action in World War II.

Ships

* "Cassard" (Penant numbers: 2, 3, 93 and X92) - named after the 18 th Century naval captain Jacques Cassard, built by at & Ch de Bretagne, Nantes, completed 10 September 1933, Scuttled 27 November 1942
* "Chevalier Paul" (Penant numbers: 3, 2, 53, X52) - named after 17th century Admiral Chevalier Paul, built by F & Ch de la Mediterranee, Le Harve, completed 20 July 1934, torpedoed and sunk 16 June 1941
* "Kersaint" (Penant numbers: 9, 92, X93) - named after admiral Armand de Kersaint, built by At Ch de la Loire St Nazaire, completed 31 december 1933, Scuttled 27 November 1942
* "Maillé Brézé" (Penant numbers: 7, 91, X91) - named after French admiral Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé, built by at & Ch de St Nazaire Panhoet, completed 6th April 1933, lost by accidental explosion 30 April 1940, Greenock, Scotland
* "Tartu" (Penant numbers: 1, 51, X51) - built by At Ch de la Loire St Nazaire, completed 31 December 1932, Scuttled 27 November 1942
* "Vauquelin" (Penant numbers: 8, 52, X53) - named after Louis Nicolas Vauquelin, built by At Ch de France Dunkirk, Completed 3 November 1933, Scuttled 27 November 1942

"Maillé Brézé" was lost on 30 April 1940 after a torpedo accident at Greenock, Scotland, killing 25 of her crew (sabotage was suspected at the time). "Chevalier Paul" was sunk off the coast of Syria on 16 June 1941, by British torpedo bombers. "Vauquelin", "Cassard", "Kersaint" and "Tartu" were all scuttled in Toulon Harbour on 27 November 1942 to prevent their capture by Germany, these ships were too badly damaged to be salvaged.

References

* M.H Whitley, Destroyers of World War 2, 1988 Cassell Publishing ISBN 1-85409-521-8
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=289 Vauquelin-class at uboat.net]