french battleship pre dreadnought battleship french_navy laid january launched april completed june member group broadly similar battleships ordered response class like half sisters armed main battery guns guns individual turrets speed mph spent majority career alternating northern outbreak world war escorted troop convoys north_africa france joined naval operations dardanelles participated major attack turkish fortresses straits march attack hit approximately times suffer fatal damage struck sank minutes men rescued complement british battleships sunk mines day disaster convinced allies abandon naval campaign favor amphibious assault gallipoli design member group battleships built broadly similar design different considered unique vessels ship formed basis ships design specifications identical ships different engineers designed vessel ships based previous battleship instead mounting main battery centerline ships arrangement earlier vessel moved main battery guns single turrets wings ships built response class battleships general characteristics machinery meters long perpendiculars beam draft displacement tonnes long tons unlike half sisters deck cut main deck level superstructure reduced size equipped small fighting masts standard crew officers enlisted men wartime complement increased vertical triple expansion engines driving single screw steam supplied belleville water tube boilers propulsion system rated indicated horsepower allowed ship steam speed knots mph built carry long tons short tons coal additional space allowed long tons short tons total armament armor main armament consisted canon modèle guns single gun turrets fore aft mounted canon modèle guns single gun turrets amidships ship sides secondary armament consisted canon modèle guns mounted single turrets corners superstructure carried quick firing guns pounders pounder guns armament suite rounded torpedo tubes submerged ship hull tubes mounted water later removed ship armor constructed steel main belt thick amidships tapered lower edge forward central citadel belt reduced stem belt extended entire length hull belt thick armor main battery guns protected armor secondary turrets thick sides conning tower thick sides service history laid january launched april completing fitting work commissioned french_navy june replaced new battleship turn replaced old ironclad battleship northern squadron squadron remained commission months year annual fleet maneuvers july august served flagship neutral observer simulated battles maneuvers battleship accidentally rammed january vessels emerged largely undamaged returned command vice admiral following eruption mount naples april battleships aided survivors disaster annual summer fleet exercises conducted july august maneuvers nearly collided battleship assigned retained active service year reduced crew loss dardanelles older french pre dreadnoughts escorted allied troop convoys mediterranean november ordered dardanelles guard sortie german battlecruiser bombarded turkish fort asian february bombardment assisted battleship sending firing radio provided counter battery fire suppress ottoman coastal artillery march attack dardanelles fortresses plan called british pre dreadnoughts suppress turkish fortifications french battleships attack fortifications close range french fleet commanded admiral acting allied commander rear admiral stood admiral allied battleships arranged line abreast rows stationed center second row force entered straits bombarded town turning fortress nearby fortifications half hour french british battleships shelled forts turning attacking individual gun batteries course attack fortresses sustained hits turkish artillery fire forward turret disabled gas broke shells destroyed masts struck pound explosive charge detonated starboard gun turret mines laid week attack unknown allies capsized sank minutes ship poor condition time age likely contributed rapid sinking speculation ammunition magazine exploded destruction ship caught allies surprise loss came height bombardment torpedo boats smaller vessels rushed pick survivors rescued handful men complement men killed sinking despite sinking loss day british remained unaware minefield thinking explosion caused shell torpedo subsequently british pre dreadnoughts ocean irresistible sunk battlecruiser damaged minefield badly damaged coastal artillery engagement loss british battleships march attack major factor decision abandon naval strategy constantinople instead opt gallipoli land campaign
French battleship Bouvet