La Melpomène was in a British port in June 1940. After brief service with the Royal Navy, she was transferred into FNFL (Free French) service. In 1950 was sold for scrap.
La Pomone was in Vichy service after June 1940. Seized by the Germans at Bizerte, in December 1942, she became the Italian FR.42, and the German TA.10 in May 1943. In action against HMS Eclipse near Rhodes, she was badly damaged, and scuttled on 27 September 1943.
La Flore on the night of 21 May 1940 at the invitation of Admiral Abrial, carried General Weygand, the recently-installed supreme commander of French Forces, from Dunkirk via Dover to Cherbourg in order to reach Paris, having failed to meet up with Lord Gort, commander of the British Expeditionary Force. Flore had left Dunkirk harbour at full speed during a German air raid.[3] She was in a British port in June 1940. She was transferred into FNFL (Free French) service. In 1950 was sold for scrap.
L'Iphigénie was in Vichy service after June 1940. Seized by the Germans at Bizerte, in December 1942, she became the Italian FR.43, and the German TA.11 in May 43. She was sunk by Italian MAS motor torpedo boats at Piombino, 10 September 1943.
La Bayonnaise was scuttled in Toulon on November 27, 1942, to avoid her capture. The ship was raised by the Italians and renamed FR.44. She was repaired, but was taken over by the Germans after the Italian armistice and were renamed TA.13. As TA.13 she was scuttled on 23 August 1944.
Bombarde was in Vichy service after June 1940. She was seized by the Germans at Bizerte in December 1942, entering into Italian service as FR.41. However, she was once again captured by the Germans during the Italian armistice of September 1943, and were renamed TA.9. As TA.9 she was sunk by US aircraft off Toulon, 23 August 1944.
L'Incomprise was seized by the British at Portsmouth after the Fall of France. She served with the Free French Forces. At the war's end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950.
La Poursuivante was in Vichy service after June 1940. She was scuttled in Toulon on November 27, 1942, to avoid her capture, leaving her a total constructive loss.
La Cordelière was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940; she was returned to serve with Free French Forces. At the war's end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950.
Branlebas was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940; The Branlebas was retained by the Royal Navy but foundered 25 miles off Eddystone on 14 December 1940.
Baliste was in Vichy service after June 1940. She was scuttled in Toulon on November 27, 1942, to avoid her capture. The ship was raised by the Italians and were renamed FR45. She was taken over by the Germans after the Italian armistice and was renamed TA.12. As TA.12 she was sunk by Allied aircraft on 22 August 1943.[4]
Bouclier was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940; She was first transferred to Royal Dutch Navy and renamed as HNLMS Bouclier, but was returned to Free French forces in January 1941. At the war's end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950.
Referencesedit
^"La Melpoméne class Torpedo boats – Allied Warships of WWII". uboat.net. 1940-12-14. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
^"France – Torpedo boats – class LA MELPOMÈNE – Warships 1900-1950". warshipsww2.eu. Archived from the original on 2012-09-18. Retrieved 2012-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^Thorne, Alistair (1969). To Lose a Battle: France 1940. London: Macmillan. p. 572.
^Other sources give Baliste's loss date as 24.11.43
Bibliographyedit
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th revised and updated ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-5267-9327-0.
Roberts, John (1980). "France". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 255–279. ISBN0-8317-0303-2.
Saibène, Marc (2004). Les torpilleurs légers français 1937-1945: les torpilleurs de 610 tonnes du type la Melpomène et les torpilleurs de 1010 tonnes du type le Fier [The French Light Torpedo Boats 1937-1945: The Torpedo Boats of the 610-tonne La Melpomène Class and the 1010-tonne Le Fier Class] (in French). Rennes, France: Marines. ISBN2-9153-7913-0.
Salou, Charles (2004). Les torpilleurs de 600 tW du type "la Melpomène": construits d'après les lois des finances 1931-1932 [The 600-tonne Torpedo Boats of the La Melpomene Class: Built According to the 1931-1932 Finance Laws]. Collection Navires et Histoire des marines du mond; 4 (in French). Outreau, France: Lela Presse. ISBN2-914017-22-7.
melpomène, class, torpedo, boat, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, j. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources La Melpomene class torpedo boat news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message The La Melpomene class was a group of 12 French torpedo boats built from 1933 to 1935 1 2 Class overviewNameLa Melpomene classOperators French NavyPreceded byMistral classSucceeded byLe Fier classCompleted12Lost6General characteristicsTypeDestroyerDisplacement610 tons standard 834 tons full loadLength80 7 m 264 ft 9 in o a Beam7 96 m 26 ft 1 in Draught3 07 m 10 ft 1 in Installed power2 boilers 22 000 shp 16 000 kW PropulsionGeared turbines 2 shaftsSpeed34 5 knots 63 9 km h 39 7 mph Complement5 8 officers 94 menArmament2 100 mm 3 9 in 40 caliber guns 2 37 mm 1 5 in AA guns 2 13 2 mm 0 52 in machine guns 2 550 mm 21 7 in torpedo tubes 1 x 2 Contents 1 Ships in class 2 Service histories 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksShips in class editAfter serving with Marine Nationale the ships of the La Melpomene class saw service in World War II with the Kriegsmarine Marine Nationale de l Armistice Vichy French Navy Regia Marina Free French Navy Royal Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy Ship Builder Commissioned FateLa Melpomene AC de Bretagne Nantes 12 November 1936 Sold and scrapped 15 5 1950La Pomone AC de la Loire Nantes 6 December 1936 see belowLa Flore AC de Bretagne Nantes 17 November 1936 Sold and scrapped 31 8 1950L Iphigenie AC de la Loire Nantes 21 November 1936 see belowLa Bayonnaise C Maritimes du Sud Ouest Bordeaux 7 April 1938 see belowBombarde AC de la Loire Nantes 1 August 1938 see belowL Incomprise AC Seine Maritime Le Trait 12 March 1938 see belowLa Poursuivante AC de France Dunkirk 10 November 1937 see belowLa Cordeliere AC Augustin Normand Le Havre 11 November 1937 see belowBranlebas AC Augustin Normand Le Havre 10 March 1938 Foundered off Eddystone on 14 December 1940Baliste AC de France Dunkirk 14 May 1938 see belowBouclier AC Seine Maritime Le Trait 6 August 1938 see belowService histories editLa Melpomene was in a British port in June 1940 After brief service with the Royal Navy she was transferred into FNFL Free French service In 1950 was sold for scrap La Pomone was in Vichy service after June 1940 Seized by the Germans at Bizerte in December 1942 she became the Italian FR 42 and the German TA 10 in May 1943 In action against HMS Eclipse near Rhodes she was badly damaged and scuttled on 27 September 1943 La Flore on the night of 21 May 1940 at the invitation of Admiral Abrial carried General Weygand the recently installed supreme commander of French Forces from Dunkirk via Dover to Cherbourg in order to reach Paris having failed to meet up with Lord Gort commander of the British Expeditionary Force Flore had left Dunkirk harbour at full speed during a German air raid 3 She was in a British port in June 1940 She was transferred into FNFL Free French service In 1950 was sold for scrap L Iphigenie was in Vichy service after June 1940 Seized by the Germans at Bizerte in December 1942 she became the Italian FR 43 and the German TA 11 in May 43 She was sunk by Italian MAS motor torpedo boats at Piombino 10 September 1943 La Bayonnaise was scuttled in Toulon on November 27 1942 to avoid her capture The ship was raised by the Italians and renamed FR 44 She was repaired but was taken over by the Germans after the Italian armistice and were renamed TA 13 As TA 13 she was scuttled on 23 August 1944 Bombarde was in Vichy service after June 1940 She was seized by the Germans at Bizerte in December 1942 entering into Italian service as FR 41 However she was once again captured by the Germans during the Italian armistice of September 1943 and were renamed TA 9 As TA 9 she was sunk by US aircraft off Toulon 23 August 1944 L Incomprise was seized by the British at Portsmouth after the Fall of France She served with the Free French Forces At the war s end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950 La Poursuivante was in Vichy service after June 1940 She was scuttled in Toulon on November 27 1942 to avoid her capture leaving her a total constructive loss La Cordeliere was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940 she was returned to serve with Free French Forces At the war s end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950 Branlebas was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940 The Branlebas was retained by the Royal Navy but foundered 25 miles off Eddystone on 14 December 1940 Baliste was in Vichy service after June 1940 She was scuttled in Toulon on November 27 1942 to avoid her capture The ship was raised by the Italians and were renamed FR45 She was taken over by the Germans after the Italian armistice and was renamed TA 12 As TA 12 she was sunk by Allied aircraft on 22 August 1943 4 Bouclier was seized by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940 She was first transferred to Royal Dutch Navy and renamed as HNLMS Bouclier but was returned to Free French forces in January 1941 At the war s end she was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1950 References edit La Melpomene class Torpedo boats Allied Warships of WWII uboat net 1940 12 14 Retrieved 2012 08 21 France Torpedo boats class LA MELPOMENE Warships 1900 1950 warshipsww2 eu Archived from the original on 2012 09 18 Retrieved 2012 08 21 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Thorne Alistair 1969 To Lose a Battle France 1940 London Macmillan p 572 Other sources give Baliste s loss date as 24 11 43Bibliography editCampbell John 1985 Naval Weapons of World War II Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 459 4 Colledge J J Warlow Ben amp Bush Steve 2020 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present 5th revised and updated ed Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 5267 9327 0 Roberts John 1980 France In Chesneau Roger ed Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 New York Mayflower Books pp 255 279 ISBN 0 8317 0303 2 Saibene Marc 2004 Les torpilleurs legers francais 1937 1945 les torpilleurs de 610 tonnes du type la Melpomene et les torpilleurs de 1010 tonnes du type le Fier The French Light Torpedo Boats 1937 1945 The Torpedo Boats of the 610 tonneLa MelpomeneClass and the 1010 tonneLe FierClass in French Rennes France Marines ISBN 2 9153 7913 0 Salou Charles 2004 Les torpilleurs de 600 tW du type la Melpomene construits d apres les lois des finances 1931 1932 The 600 tonne Torpedo Boats of theLa MelpomeneClass Built According to the 1931 1932 Finance Laws Collection Navires et Histoire des marines du mond 4 in French Outreau France Lela Presse ISBN 2 914017 22 7 Whitley M J 2000 Destroyers of World War Two An International Encyclopedia London Cassell amp Co ISBN 1 85409 521 8 External links editImages of the class Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title La Melpomene class torpedo boat amp oldid 1184187264, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
