french destroyer french destroyer class destroyer built french_navy 1920s training ship mid-1930s serving convoy escort world war germans invaded france time bombarded advancing german forces near northern french coast took evacuation surrender france seized british july turned escorted convoys beginning year long conversion escort destroyer helped sink german submarine island late ran aground near weeks transferred mediterranean salvage attempts failed wreck abandoned broke half design description class ships designed counter large italian class destroyers overall length meters beam meters draft meters ships displaced metric tons long tons standard metric tons long tons deep load powered geared steam turbines driving propeller shaft steam provided temple boilers turbines designed produce metric horsepower shp propel ship knots mph sea trials reached knots mph single hour ships carried metric tons long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph crew consisted officers crewmen peacetime officers enlisted men wartime main armament class ships consisted canon modèle guns single mounts superfiring pair fore aft superstructure fifth gun aft funnel guns numbered rear anti aircraft armament consisted canon modèle guns single mounts positioned amidships ships carried water triple sets millimeter torpedo tubes pair depth charge built stern housed total kilogram depth charges fitted depth charge throwers carried dozen kilogram depth charges construction career named eponymous ordered february laid august shipyard launched september commissioned june completed october entered service november completion delayed problems propulsion machinery late deliveries sub contractors assigned division based brest completion sister ships jaguar depth charge throwers removed year ship present fleet reviewed president france july year later millimeter guns replaced twin mounts millimeter anti aircraft july sister 8th assigned brest april 8th redesignated 2nd division sister jaguar joined september world war september longer 2nd assigned convoy escort duties october guarded convoys traveling french morocco sur early ship british type installed addition depth charge throwers gun removed depth charge reduced dozen depth charges improve stability reassigned 2nd unit tasked carry demolition teams northernmost french ports ship arrived sur evening smaller destroyers bombarded advancing german troops approached defenses sur firing shots battle midday special flotilla constituted command admiral flag ships number smaller units support ongoing evacuation june rescued british soldiers boat delivered england mid june defended approaches sailed portsmouth june port surrendered germans ship operation catapult british operation capture disable ships french_navy germans seize use british began july handed august given lieutenant lieutenant went service free french commissioned september repair november british time british took opportunity improve anti aircraft suite gun replaced mounts platform rear funnel guns forecastle moved positions abreast fore funnel pair pounder light guns added platforms forward superstructure completion refit assigned convoy escort duties western approaches february rescued survivors british cargo ship began lengthy conversion escort destroyer kingston hull forward boiler funnel removed replaced additional oil storage additional accommodation ratings reduced maximum speed knots mph increased fuel storage metric tons long tons short tons raised range nmi crew ratings troublesome depth charge sealed machinery removed stern rebuilt accommodate rails stern dozen kilogram heavy depth charges plus additional stored decks existing depth charge throwers replaced improved throwers ship carried total kilogram vii light depth charges throwers compensate weight additional depth charges aft torpedo tubes removed inch gun replaced single millimeter light gun replaced moved positions upper deck occupied guns gun added aft superstructure pair quadruple mounts vickers added forward superstructure type search radar added escorting convoy july frigate hms spotted german submarine surface multiple attacks boat joined sloop hms sank submarine coordinates day collided sloop hms bow british ship repaired south_africa september october selected convince government join free french june collision consequent repairs delayed mission night november arrived island troops aboard landed successfully seized control island capital governor fled interior coast defense battery engaged fired men killed sides hold outs surrendered 30th remained indian_ocean escorting convoys march briefly refitted madagascar march mid april transferred mediterranean arrived alexandria egypt screened convoy malta shortly departed convoy returning alexandria accidentally ran aground near days later aerial attacks disrupted convoy allies attempted failed wreck broke june declared total loss july
French destroyer Léopard