''Dumont d'Urville'' was a of the French Navy, designed to operate from French colonies in Asia and Africa. She was built by Ateliers et Chantiers Maritime Sud-Ouest of Bordeaux and launched on 21 March 1931.

Service history

After the

Fall of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second World ...

''Dumont d'Urville'' remained under

Vichy French Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

control and in September 1940 she was in

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as a part the Vichy government's attempt to gain control of the French colony. However, the Royal Australian Navy

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

arrived carrying a Free French temporary governor, which led the Vichy governor to depart aboard ''Dumont d'Urville'' on 25 September. On the night of 16–17 January 1941 ''Dumont d'Urville'' took part in the Battle of Koh Chang. In September 1942 ''Dumont d'Urville'' took part in rescuing survivors from which the had torpedoed and sunk, known as the ''Laconia'' incident. By 1944 ''Dumont d'Urville''s armament had been augmented with the addition of four single-mounted 40 mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns, 11 single-mounted 20 mm AA guns, four anti-submarine mortars and two racks for 66

depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive Shock factor, hydraulic shock. Most depth ...

s. ''Dumont d'Urville'' remained in French Navy service after the war until 26 March 1958 when she was scrapped.

References

Sources

* * * * * Bougainville-class avisos Ships built in France 1931 ships {{France-mil-ship-stub