French destroyer La Combattante

The "Combattante" ("Fighter") was a destroyer [Designed as "torpilleur", literally "torpedo ship"] of the "Forces navales françaises libres" (FNFL).

History

Laid down as HMS "Haldon" (L19), she was damaged in a bombing in the night of the 14 and 14 March 1941. She was offered to the FNFL in 1942, and renamed "La Combattante".

Escort duty and "S-Boot" fighting

The "Combattante" made her first sortie in the 23 March 1943, escorting a convoy in the English Channel. She rescued 68 sailors from the "Stell Traveller", a liberty ship sunk by a mine.

On the 29 May 1943, she rescued English and Australian aircrews ; in the night of September 1943, she rescued two British airmen.

In the night of the 25 and 26 April 1944, the "Combattante" and HMS "Rowley" intercepted a group of German S-Boot ; the "Combattante" managed to sink the "S-147" and damage another ship. In the night of the 12 and 13 of May, the "Combattante" destroyed the "S-141", killing Admiral Dönitz's son in the process.

In the night of the 27 and 28 May, the "Combattante" met Motor Torpedo Boats "MTB-732" and "MTB-739"; the two groups mistakingly engaged each other, and the "MTB-732" was sunk.

D-Day

Under "commandant" André Patou, the "Combattante" took part in "Operation Neptune", providing close fire support to the landing parties during the Battle of Normandy off Courseulles-sur-Mer. She stayed 3000 metres off the beach, in 4-metre deep waters, as she shelled shore batteries; at one point she ran aground, and HMS "Venus" morsed "I am happy that a French be the first to touch the ground of France". The "Combattante" destroyed several shore batteries, until troops started landing on the beach. She then returned to Portsmouth, escorting a landing ship dock.

Ferrying General De Gaulle

The "Combattante" kept escorting convoys in the Channel between France and England until the 14 July 1944, when she was ordered to the King's Stairs of Portsmouth harbour; there were General De Gaulle, Generals Béthouart and Koenig, Admiral d'Argenlieu, Gaston Palewski, Pierre Viénot, Pierre Billotte, François Coulet, Pierre de Chevigné, Geoffroy de Courcel, Pierre Laroque and Claude Hettier de Boislambert, waiting to cross the Channel to Normandy [It seems that the proper orders had not been given, which resulted in the following conversation :

— Commandant Patou: I assume you wish to go to France, General ?
— General De Gaulle: Did you not receive your orders ?
— Patou: No General, but it does not matter, we already know the way
— Admiral d'Argenlieu: Off to Normandy ! [http://www.grieme.org/comb.htm]

] The delegation also carried a 250-million franc treasure to counter introduction of the US occupation franc. One of the most famous photographs of De Gaulle was taken aboard during the journey, [ [http://beaucoudray.free.fr/degaulle.jpgphotograph] aboard the "Combattante"] before he landed at Courseulles. [ [http://expositions.bnf.fr/afp/grand/193.htm AFP ] ]

On the 25 June 1944, the "Combattante" rescued two downed US pilots.

Fights off Normandy

The "Combattante" further patrolled the Channel. In the night of the 25 and 26 August 1944, she sunk four German ships ferrying an artillery unit

On 23 February 1945, an explosion broke "Combattante" in two and she sank quickly, with 117 survivors of her 181-man crew. Allied sources stated the ship having been sunk whilst running on a mine.

On the German side, a "Kriegsmarine"-bulletin reported that "Combattante" was destroyed at 10.28 a.m. on 24 February by two torpedoes fired by "U-5330", a German pocket-submarine of the "Seehund" type commanded by lieutenant Klaus Sparbrodt, approximately 5 miles off the South-Fall Bank. Sparbrodt was decorated for his alleged success. The ship sunk by Sparbrodt was in fact the British cable layer "Alert" [http://www.uboat.net/ops/midget.htm] .

Notes and references

See also

* See French ship "La Combattante" for other ships by the same name.

External links

* [http://www.musee-maritime-rouen.asso.fr/dossier de presse La Combattante.htm LA COMBATTANTE 1942-1945, son histoire, son épave]
* [http://www.grieme.org/comb.htm LA COMBATTANTE]
* [http://www.netmarine.net/f/bat/combatan/ancien.htm netmarine.net]