French battleship Richelieu

Career

Ordered:
Laid down:	october 1935
Launched:	january 1939
Commissioned:	Spring 1940
Decommissioned:	1967
Fate:	scrapped
Struck:	1968
General Characteristics
Displacement:	48 000 t
Length:	247,90 m
Beam:
Draught:	9,70 m
Propulsion:	four Parsons geared turbines, 150 000 HP
Speed:	30 knots
Range:	8,500 nautical miles
Complement:	70 officers, 1550 men
Armament:	2 - 4 380mm main guns, 3- 3 152mm secondary, 6 - 2 100 mm Anti-Air guns, 14 - 4 40 mm Bofors Anti-Air guns, 48 20 mm Cerlikon Anti-Air cannons
Shielding	343 mm hull, 50 to 170 mm decks and 445 mm turrets
Planes	Three flying boats, two catapults.
Motto:

The Richelieu was a French battleship of World War II named for the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu.

Derived from the Strasbourg class, Richelieu and Jean Bart were designed to counter the threat of the Italian Navy. Their speed, shielding, armament and overall technology were state of the art (note the unusual 4-gun turret arrangement).

The keel was laid in october 1935 in Brest. Richelieu was launched in january 1939 and first tries were done in the spring of 1940.

She went to Dakar in summer and was attacked by Swordfish torpedo planes from the British carrier Hermes on July 8 which damaged her starboard propellers. At the time, the British were anxious not to let the French navy, under orders from Vichy France, to turn to the Axis Powers. She fought against the British and Free France naval forces in Dakar, where she was immobilised for repairs from the previous air attack. Gunnery duel occured between Richelieu and British battleships HMS Barham and HMS Resolution, who had to retire. Richelieu was further damaged in the battle when a defective 380mm shell put her n°2 main gun out of order.

When French Africa went to the Allies, Richelieu sailed to New York for refitting. Notable modifications were done to the anti-air armament. A special factory had to be assembled to provide ammunition of the appropriate calliber for Richelieu 's main artillery. Afterward, Richelieu fought in the Pacific War on the Allies side. She eventually was present in the Bay of Tokyo during the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

After the War, Richelieu served in the Indochina War, and in the Suez Crisis. She was de-commissioned in 1967 and scrapped in 1968.

French battleship Richelieu

See Also