The Spahi-class was over 50 percent larger than the preceding Branlebas class to match the increase in size of foreign destroyers.[1]Aspirante Herber had a length between perpendiculars of 64 meters (210 ft), a beam of 6.6 meters (21 ft 8 in),[2] and a draft of 2.3 meters (7 ft 7 in). The ships displaced 530–550 metric tons (522–541 long tons) at deep load. Their crew numbered 77–79 officers and men.[1]
Aspirante Heber was powered by two triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four Guyot boilers. The engines were designed to produce 7,500 indicated horsepower (5,600 kW) which was intended to give the Spahi class a speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). During her sea trials, Aspirante Herber reached a speed of 28.25 knots (52.32 km/h; 32.51 mph). The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 1,000–1,200 nautical miles (1,900–2,200 km; 1,200–1,400 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]
The primary armament of the Spahi-class ships consisted of six 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure and the others were distributed amidships. They were also fitted with three 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes. One of these was in a fixed mount in the bow and the other two were on single rotating mounts amidships.[1]
Construction and careeredit
Aspirante Herber was built by Arsenal de Lorient and was launched on 30 April 1912. She was completed in August 1912.[4] When the First World War began in August 1914, Aspirant Herber was assigned to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (2e escadrille de torpilleurs) of the 1st Naval Army (1ère Armée Navale). During the preliminary stages of the Battle of Antivari, Montenegro, on 16 August, the 1st, 4th and 5th Destroyer Flotillas were tasked to escort the core of the 1st Naval Army while the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Flotillas escorted the armored cruisers of the 2nd Light Squadron (2e escadre légère) and two British cruisers. After reuniting both groups and spotting the Austro-Hungarianprotected cruiserSMS Zenta and the destroyer SMS Ulan, the French destroyers played no role in sinking the cruiser, although the 4th Flotilla was sent on an unsuccessful pursuit of Ulan. Having broken the Austro-Hungarian blockade of Antivari (now known as Bar), Vice-Admiral (Vice-amiral) Augustin Boué de Lapeyrère, commander of the 1st Naval Army, decided to ferry troops and supplies to the port, escorted by the 2nd Light Squadron and the 1st and 6th Destroyer Flotillas while the rest of the 1st Naval Army bombarded the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Cattaro, Montenegro, on 1 September. Four days later, the fleet covered the evacuation of Danilo, Crown Prince of Montenegro to the Greek island of Corfu. The 2nd Flotilla bombarded Stončica Lighthouse on the island of Lissa on 19 September. The flotilla escorted multiple small convoys loaded with supplies and equipment to Antivari, beginning in October and lasting for the rest of the year, always covered by the larger ships of the Naval Army in futile attempts to lure the Austro-Hungarian fleet into battle. The Naval Army raided Lissa and the island of Lastovo on 2 November with the destroyer Lansquenet entering Vis harbor and extorting a ransom from the townsmen lest the French bombard the town. As they departed, the French shelled the lighthouse again.[5]
The torpedoing of the French battleship Jean Bart on 21 December caused a change in French tactics as the battleships were too important to risk to submarine attack. Henceforth, only the destroyers would escort the transports, covered by cruisers at a distance of 20–50 miles (32–80 km) from the transports. The first convoy of 1915 to Antivari arrived on 11 January and more were made until the last one on 20–21 April. After Italy signed the Treaty of London and declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire on 23 May, the ship was still assigned to the 1st Flotilla when the unit was transferred to the 2nd Division of Destroyers and Submarines (1ère division de torpilleurs et de sous-marines) of the 2nd Squadron (escadre) based at Brindisi, Italy.[6]
Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0445-5.
Freivogel, Zvonimir (2019). The Great War in the Adriatic Sea 1914–1918. Zagreb: Despot Infinitus. ISBN978-953-8218-40-8.
Jordan, John & Caresse, Philippe (2017). French Battleships of World War One. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-639-1.
Prévoteaux, Gérard (2017). La marine française dans la Grande guerre: les combattants oubliés: Tome I 1914–1915 [The French Navy during the Great War: The Forgotten Combatants, Book I 1914–1915]. Collection Navires & Histoire des Marines du Mond. Vol. 23. Le Vigen, France: Éditions Lela presse. ISBN978-2-37468-000-2.
Prévoteaux, Gérard (2017). La marine française dans la Grande guerre: les combattants oubliés: Tome II 1916–1918 [The French Navy during the Great War: The Forgotten Combatants, Book II 1916–1918]. Collection Navires & Histoire des Marines du Mond. Vol. 27. Le Vigen, France: Éditions Lela presse. ISBN978-2-37468-001-9.
Roberts, Stephen S. (2021). French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859–1914: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-5267-4533-0.
Smigielski, Adam (1985). "France". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 190–220. ISBN0-87021-907-3.
October 31, 2023
french, destroyer, aspirant, herber, aspirant, herber, seven, spahi, class, destroyers, built, french, navy, first, decade, 20th, century, aspirant, herber, seahistoryfrancenameaspirant, herberbuilderarsenal, rochefortlaunched30, april, 1912completedaugust, 19. Aspirant Herber was one of seven Spahi class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century Aspirant Herber at seaHistoryFranceNameAspirant HerberBuilderArsenal de RochefortLaunched30 April 1912CompletedAugust 1912StrickenJuly 1930General characteristicsClass and typeSpahi class destroyerDisplacement530 550 t 522 541 long tons Length64 m 210 ft p p Beam6 6 m 21 ft 8 in Draft2 3 m 7 ft 7 in Installed power7 500 ihp 5 593 kW 4 Guyot boilersPropulsion2 shafts 2 triple expansion steam enginesSpeed28 knots 52 km h 32 mph Range1 000 1 200 nmi 1 900 2 200 km 1 200 1 400 mi at 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph Complement77 79Armament6 single 65 mm 2 6 in gun 3 450 mm 17 7 in torpedo tubes Contents 1 Design and description 2 Construction and career 3 References 4 BibliographyDesign and description editThe Spahi class was over 50 percent larger than the preceding Branlebas class to match the increase in size of foreign destroyers 1 Aspirante Herber had a length between perpendiculars of 64 meters 210 ft a beam of 6 6 meters 21 ft 8 in 2 and a draft of 2 3 meters 7 ft 7 in The ships displaced 530 550 metric tons 522 541 long tons at deep load Their crew numbered 77 79 officers and men 1 Aspirante Heber was powered by two triple expansion steam engines each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four Guyot boilers The engines were designed to produce 7 500 indicated horsepower 5 600 kW which was intended to give the Spahi class a speed of 28 knots 52 km h 32 mph During her sea trials Aspirante Herber reached a speed of 28 25 knots 52 32 km h 32 51 mph The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 1 000 1 200 nautical miles 1 900 2 200 km 1 200 1 400 mi at a cruising speed of 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph 3 The primary armament of the Spahi class ships consisted of six 65 millimeter 2 6 in Modele 1902 guns in single mounts one each fore and aft of the superstructure and the others were distributed amidships They were also fitted with three 450 millimeter 17 7 in torpedo tubes One of these was in a fixed mount in the bow and the other two were on single rotating mounts amidships 1 Construction and career editAspirante Herber was built by Arsenal de Lorient and was launched on 30 April 1912 She was completed in August 1912 4 When the First World War began in August 1914 Aspirant Herber was assigned to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla 2e escadrille de torpilleurs of the 1st Naval Army 1ere Armee Navale During the preliminary stages of the Battle of Antivari Montenegro on 16 August the 1st 4th and 5th Destroyer Flotillas were tasked to escort the core of the 1st Naval Army while the 2nd 3rd and 6th Flotillas escorted the armored cruisers of the 2nd Light Squadron 2e escadre legere and two British cruisers After reuniting both groups and spotting the Austro Hungarian protected cruiser SMS Zenta and the destroyer SMS Ulan the French destroyers played no role in sinking the cruiser although the 4th Flotilla was sent on an unsuccessful pursuit of Ulan Having broken the Austro Hungarian blockade of Antivari now known as Bar Vice Admiral Vice amiral Augustin Boue de Lapeyrere commander of the 1st Naval Army decided to ferry troops and supplies to the port escorted by the 2nd Light Squadron and the 1st and 6th Destroyer Flotillas while the rest of the 1st Naval Army bombarded the Austro Hungarian naval base at Cattaro Montenegro on 1 September Four days later the fleet covered the evacuation of Danilo Crown Prince of Montenegro to the Greek island of Corfu The 2nd Flotilla bombarded Stoncica Lighthouse on the island of Lissa on 19 September The flotilla escorted multiple small convoys loaded with supplies and equipment to Antivari beginning in October and lasting for the rest of the year always covered by the larger ships of the Naval Army in futile attempts to lure the Austro Hungarian fleet into battle The Naval Army raided Lissa and the island of Lastovo on 2 November with the destroyer Lansquenet entering Vis harbor and extorting a ransom from the townsmen lest the French bombard the town As they departed the French shelled the lighthouse again 5 The torpedoing of the French battleship Jean Bart on 21 December caused a change in French tactics as the battleships were too important to risk to submarine attack Henceforth only the destroyers would escort the transports covered by cruisers at a distance of 20 50 miles 32 80 km from the transports The first convoy of 1915 to Antivari arrived on 11 January and more were made until the last one on 20 21 April After Italy signed the Treaty of London and declared war on the Austro Hungarian Empire on 23 May the ship was still assigned to the 1st Flotilla when the unit was transferred to the 2nd Division of Destroyers and Submarines 1ere division de torpilleurs et de sous marines of the 2nd Squadron escadre based at Brindisi Italy 6 She was one of five destroyers that escorted the predreadnought battleship Charlemagne from Bizerte French Tunisia to Toulon in September 1917 7 References edit a b c Smigielski p 202 Couhat p 95 Couhat pp 95 96 Couhat p 96 Freivogel pp 98 100 117 121 Prevoteaux I pp 27 55 56 59 62 Prevoteaux I p 113 Roberts p 389 Jordan amp Caresse 2017 p 279Bibliography editCouhat Jean Labayle 1974 French Warships of World War I London Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 0445 5 Freivogel Zvonimir 2019 The Great War in the Adriatic Sea 1914 1918 Zagreb Despot Infinitus ISBN 978 953 8218 40 8 Jordan John amp Caresse Philippe 2017 French Battleships of World War One Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 59114 639 1 Prevoteaux Gerard 2017 La marine francaise dans la Grande guerre les combattants oublies Tome I 1914 1915 The French Navy during the Great War The Forgotten Combatants Book I 1914 1915 Collection Navires amp Histoire des Marines du Mond Vol 23 Le Vigen France Editions Lela presse ISBN 978 2 37468 000 2 Prevoteaux Gerard 2017 La marine francaise dans la Grande guerre les combattants oublies Tome II 1916 1918 The French Navy during the Great War The Forgotten Combatants Book II 1916 1918 Collection Navires amp Histoire des Marines du Mond Vol 27 Le Vigen France Editions Lela presse ISBN 978 2 37468 001 9 Roberts Stephen S 2021 French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859 1914 Design Construction Careers and Fates Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 5267 4533 0 Smigielski Adam 1985 France In Gray Randal ed Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press pp 190 220 ISBN 0 87021 907 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title French destroyer Aspirant Herber amp oldid 1155298592, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
