French submarine Curie (P67)

The French submarine "Curie" was a British-built U class submarine, a member of the third group of that class to be built. Laid down as HMS "Vox" for the Royal Navy she was transferred to the Free French Naval Forces on the day she was commissioned, where she served as "Sous-Marin Curie" from 1943-46, but retaining her pennant number of P67 [ [http://www.submariners.co.uk/Boats/DB/index.php Submariners' Association website: HMS "Vox" page] ] . During her absence a later long hull U class submarine Pennant number 73 took the name "Vox", serving in the Far East during 1945 and being scrapped on 1 May 1946. When P67 returned to the Royal Navy in July 1946 she re-assumed the name "Vox" [ [http://home.cogeco.ca/~gchalcraft/sm/page32.html British Submarines of WWII website] ] , thus replacing her replacement.

ervice

"Curie" was handed over to the Free French Naval Forces on 2 May 1943, at a ceremony at Vickers' works in Barrow, north west England. General de Gaulle was present at the occasion, when RN sailors and Vickers workers saluted the raising of the Cross of Lorraine [Truffert, A. "Aux Postes de Combat". Paris: Editions G.P. (1945). Chapter 7.] . She was named after the earlier French submarine "Curie", which saw action in World War I.

After a working up period (during which her screws were damaged on 21 May 1943), her first patrol was to the Norwegian coast in June-July 1943. Up to 3 August 1943, when Free French Naval Forces amalgamated with those from French North Africa, she had been on patrol for 60 days and spent 192 hours submerged ["Historique des Forces Navales Françaises Libres", Vol 1, 2nd edition. Service historique de la marine (1990)] .

On the night of 21 June 1944 she bombarded construction sites for shore batteries at Cap Gros on the Mediterranean coast, and observed several hits. Several weeks later she was working with a British flotilla in the Dodecanese, sinking a cargo ship on 3 August. On 2 October in the same area she sank the merchant ships "Czar Ferdinand" and "Brunhild" (the former French wine-tanker "Bacchus") [H. Le Masson, "Les Sous-Marins français des origines à nos jours". Brest: Éditions de la Cité (1980).] . In 1945 "Curie" relocated from Plymouth to Brest in France, subsequently moving for a refit to Lorient where she stayed until March 1946. She was then on detached duty to a detection school at Casablanca and returned to the Royal Navy in July 1946 where she regained the name HMS "Vox".

Insignia

The badge of HMS "Vox" is a horn or cornucopia surmounted by a trident. That of "Curie" was of similar pattern as Royal Navy badges. The badge shows a stag's head and the inscription "Pola 1914", recalling the World War I exploit when the first "Curie" was lost. [ [http://www.chez.com/venturajl/sous_marins_curie.htm www.chez.com] ] . The ship's mascot was a terrier named "Radium".

References

External links

* [http://www.submariners.co.uk/Boats/Barrowbuilt/UV_Class/ Submariners Association - U and V class submarines]
* [http://www.chez.com/venturajl/sous_marins_curie.htm Submarine "Curie" website (in French). Several unusual photographs.]