Le Fantasque class destroyer

French Navy – Contre-Torpilleurs de 2500 tonnes. 6 built 1930-1934, in service until 1942: Le Fantasque, L’Audacieux, Le Malin, Le Terrible, Le Triomphant, Le Fier*.

The Le Fantasque-class were a group of six large, very fast destroyers (officially classified as “contre-torpilleurs”) built for the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in the 1930s. These ships were among the fastest warships of their time, capable of reaching speeds over 45 knots (83 km/h or 52 mph) on trials. They were designed to answer the Giussano and Cadorna class cruisers of the Italian Regia Marina, in turn designed to hunt down French “contre-torpilleurs” and claiming a top speed of 42 knots themselves on trials. This meant setting up a record-beating 100,000 shp powerplant on forced heating on a 3000t hull. This enabled them to perform also commerce raiding missions with impunity as they could out-run anything afloat.

The ships built were Le Fantasque, L’Audacieux, Le Malin, Le Terrible, Le Triomphant, L’Indomptable. They saw extensive action during World War II, either under the regular Marine Nationale, under Vichy France of Free French Forces later. This included the Norwegian Campaign of early 1940, Convoy escort, commerce raiding missions in the Atlantic, Mediterranean actions, Operation Torch and later the Pacific and Indian Oceans (FFL Le Triomphant) or post-war service into the 1950s.

Development

The Le Fantasque (“the whimsical”) class destroyers were initially an interesting “counter of a counter” in the Italo-French rivalry of the Mediterranean. When the French in 1922 formulated their wish to separate their light vessels fleet between “torpilleurs” and “centre-torpilleurs” and unveiled the Guepard as the first example of these, the Regia Marina had nothing really fitting the comparison. The French idea was to have two types of destroyer, a 1400t standard that would be tasked of convoy and fleet escort (The standard Bourrasque and L’Adroit classes) and another type dedicated to counter and hunt down enemy destroyers preying on said convoys, the Guepard and “big cats” or “birds of prey” that followed, all above the 2400t mark and armed with intermediate guns above the average, at nearly 140 mm. This was closer to light cruiser standards (150 mm or 6-inches).

The Regia Marina still had a few flotilla leaders or “scouts” (cruisers) designed in WWI that fit the comparison: The Poerio, Mirabello, Aquila and Leone classes, albeit the latter went from 6-in guns to QF 120 mm guns instead.
However, for the mass of destroyers that were built after the 1917 “standard” Palestro and Curtatone classes, the Turbine, sella, Sauro, Freccia and others only had four 120 mm (4.7 in) guns and were generally slower.

So the RM attempted to design a counter, the first of the “Condotierri” classes of light cruisers, the Giussano and Cadorna. They were specifically designed to catch up and sink these French “contre-torpilleurs”. In reality the war turned out very differently, France fell quickly, and they ended facing the Royal Navy instead, and preyed upon by radar-equipped British destroyers instead notably the fearsome Tribals. But at the time, the Giussano (known to French intel when laid down from 1928 onwards) became rapidly a concern in turn for the French, which started working on a new design, hence a “counter of a counter”. Not a class of light cruisers, which could have led to an interesting “race within the race” of destroyer-killers, but bound by treaty, the French were limited by tonnage and just could not build more of them.
Instead, it was decided to create a destroyer that could simply out-run these cruisers and choose the moment of engagement, as they would be still out-ranged and out-gunned. So there was a race, but for speed alone instead.
The Giussano were trumpeted by fascist propaganda as capable of 42 knots (78 km/h; 48 mph) on trials, performed in unrealistic conditions, so the French destroyers needed to do better, especially in service. In more realistic conditions, fully loaded, the Giussano were capable of 37 knots on good weather conditions, calm or average seas. So that was the margin on what the French worked on. The idea was to put essentially a cruiser power plant shoehorn inside the destroyer hull. The early calculated figures for a power plant and a top speed set at 45 knots, asked for around 100,000 hp, which was never seen on a destroyer indeed. The average at the time was 30,000 hp. The Giussano themselves, which sacrificed everything to speed, had 95,000 hp under the deck.

And yet the French did it, obtaining on trials up to 101,000 hp and 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) setting a world record for a ship of that tonnage that still stands today with that steam technology. Modern gas-turbine catamarans are faster, but just. This was the pinnacle of steam power at sea. To give an idea, 100,000 shp was the same as developed by the WW2 Cleveland class Cruisers of the US Navy ten years later. However, from the moment they were launched and completed, the doctrine changed, and they were also tasked of escorting the new Dunkerque class fast battleships. The next Mogador class were laid down from 1936 to escort their planned successors, the Richelieu class fast battleships.

In all, six were laid down like the previous Vauquelin class to constitute a full squadron, in two batches, the first five in the same program law, all laid down officially on 16 November 1931 and the remainder in August, December 1931 and one in 1932, at these four respective yards:
Arsenal de Lorient: Le Fantasque, L’Audacieux: Nov. 1931, launched 1933-34, comp. 1935-36
Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne: Le Malin 1931/1933/1936. L’Indomptable 1932/33/36.
Chantiers Navals Français, Caen (launch) and Chantiers de la Loire, Saint-Nazaire (completion): Le Terrible 1931/33/35
Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk: Le Triomphant 1931/34/36

Design of the class, 1930 Naval Program

Hull and general design

Le Terrible in 1944. There are extra AA guns, Bofors and Oerlikons and missing third axial TT bank (plus a radar on a derrick mast). Originally for a Kombrig Kit

The Le Terrible class had an overall length of 132.4 meters (434 ft 5 in) and 125.4 meters between perpendiculars, for a beam of 12 meters (39 ft 4 in), and draft of 4.5 meters (14 ft 9 in). They were already longer and larger than the Vauquelins (129.3 x 11.8 m) and they of course displaced more at 2,569 metric tons (2,528 long tons) standard and 3,417 metric tons (3,363 long tons) deeply loaded versus 2,441t/3,120 t. No destroyer in the world at that time reached 3,400 tonnes fully loaded. This was of course a clear infraction of the provisions of the 1930 London Naval Treaty stipulating a maximum permissible tonnage per ship of 1,850 tons standard for all signatories. Yet France, even one of these, like Italy, clearly breached it. However, this was tolerated based on concessions made by France for its global tonnage already in 1923 at Washington.

In this large, but not enormous hull, already comparable to a light cruiser/scout of WWI, engineers managed to shoehorn the formidable powerplant they would be famous for (see later). Now, design-wise, the Fantasque class were externally different from the previous Vauquelins in several aspects, the first being their silhouette, from four funnels to just two but also their masts. Indeed, engineers tried everything they could to reach the golden number assigned to them, 45 knots. They believed that reducing drag, like in aviation, by all means, was a way to achieve this, and thus it was decided to get rid of the usual tripods fore and aft. Instead, it was decided to have a single, simpler pole mast on top of the bridge with a cross-beam that would carry the necessary wireless radio cables, suspended on two strut supports installed over the second funnel. Note that neither the masts nor funnels were raked contrary to the usual practice, but both funnels were low and capped.

Another aspect, already looked after on prior designs, was the bridge, which had a rounded face, both for the enclosed bridge and open bridge above. The shape was further streamlined with the added advantage of an excellent panoramic vision. To improve hydrodynamic efficiency, numerous model tests were made in pool to determine an even more efficient hull shape, with the greatest beam reached amidship and progressive lines fore and aft to a rounded poop, and well-flared bow. The keel was not straight but as usual the draught was greater aft, and there was a short bow chin followed by a keel break to make for better water penetration.

There was a clipper bow and to keep seaworthiness, the freeboard was a bit taller than on the Vauquelin class.
To avoid sagging after trials, the hulls were later given reinforcement longitudinal beams running from the bridge to the quarterdeck house above the waterline. They also had two counter-keels, not located amidship but a bit further aft and close to the start of the shaft’s exits.
The crew of the Le Fantasque class consisted of 11 officers and 221 crewmen in peacetime, that can be increasing to 254 in wartime. They had at their disposal two boats, abaft the fore funnel, one being a motor pinnace on the port side. Life rafts and buoys were added. These destroyers were often described as being capable of carrying mines, but details of the rails are hard to come by, and the decks are shown bare.

Protection

The Fantasque class destroyer by nature were not protected, at least not with any armour. Some sources state the superstructure was even partly made in aluminium to gain weight, but it’s unsupported. In any case, there were the “usual suspects”, two anti-collision guard bars aft above the propellers shafts, the extensions at the prow above the anchors, the strength beams themselves can protect the flanks from any collision. To fight flooding, there was a double hull for over 70% below, and a full compartmentation for the powerplant, with a separation of the two steam turbines and all four boilers in six rooms, with longitudinal and transverse bulkheads. The ammunition storage was buried deep and there were fire-proof doors, but for quick-reload, ready rounds were stored in more exposed positions. There were also smoke pots on the stern deck.

Powerplant

From a Fr. Publication, Le Terrible on her May 1935 sea trials (Pinterest). Note she is lightly load, her prow is high, the sea is not that calm, and the legend says she was loaded at 2,569 metric tonnes in her trials, and managed an average of 44.9 knots for eight hours straight.
The ship’s power called for two geared Rateau-Breguet or Parsons steam turbines, the latter unusually large for destroyers, depending on the yard. They each drove a three-bladed 3.8-meter (12 ft 6 in) propeller. Steam came by four water-tube boilers with superheaters, that were modified to operate at a pressure of 27 kg/cm2 (2,648 kPa; 384 psi) and a temperature of 325 °C (617 °F), which was unremarkable and below average. Despite these, the output as designed was of 74,000 metric horsepower (54,000 kW; 73,000 shp), which was already off-the charts still. This was designed to provide a normal speed of 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph), when combat ready and fully loaded, on an average sea state. Le Terrible at 45.03 kts for a short run was the ultimate “Champion” but differed from her sisters by reworked propeller struts to negate vibrations, which somewhat influenced her speed characteristics.

However, the French looked after sea trials performances to make their own claims. Each of these, lightened to the core for sea trials (without ammunition food, water, reduced crew only needed to run the machinery, and reduced oil) and waiting for the idea sea conditions, greatly exceeded their designed speed. They ranged from 41.4 to 45.1 knots (76.7 to 83.5 km/h; 47.6 to 51.9 mph) from 94,353 to 98,529 PS (69,397 to 72,468 kW; 93,062 to 97,181 shp.), which by itself was truly remarkable, albeit useless other than to make a claim of pure performance. These destroyers had another advantage due to their large hull, like cruisers they were able to cut through waves in heavy weather rather than ride them, with a wavelength match. In poor weather they would have been indeed faster than their opponents in any case, and thus, the Marine Nationale staff also look at their posting in the Atlantic.

Indomptable in a naval review (reddit)

The Fantasque class carried a maximum of 640 metric tons (630 long tons) of fuel oil (other sources 580, likely later extended to 630), for a range of 2,700 or 2,900 nautical miles (5,000 or 5,400 km; 3,100 or 3,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Those having Parsons turbines (Malin, Indomptable, Triomphant) were more economical. In addition, they were fitted with two 80-kilowatt (110 hp) turbogenerators located in the engine rooms rounded by a pair of 22-kilowatt (30 hp) diesel generators located in the aft engine room to provide emergency backup. For the machinery details:
Le Malin, L’Indomptable, Le Triomphant: 2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Penhoët boilers
Le Terrible: 2 sets Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines, 4 Yarrow Loire boilers
L’Audacieux, Le Fantasque: 2 sets Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines, 4 Penhoët boilers

ONI depiction of the class

Armament

On this chapter, there were no big changes compared to previous destroyers. There had been discussions about using twin turrets, but that development was postponed due to the lack of time and only applied to the Mogador, a choice that proved not the best, as the latter were slow-turning in the end. However, they repeated the artillery scheme of their predecessors, but added more torpedoes to their arsenal. With their five 138 mm guns, as “destroyers” weighting half the displacement of the cruisers supposed to hunt them down and twice as much as an average Italian destroyer, even a Navigatori class (900 tons more), they also outclassed British destroyers, having a side salvo weighing 200kg, twice more. This was a concern when under Vichy French service, indeed.

138mm/50 M1929

The Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1929 was the last iteration of destroyer main calibre also used on the next Mogador class with the modele 1934. Lessons had been learned on previous iterations, notably in terms of range. The 50-caliber Mle 1929 was indeed a lengthened version of the Modèle 1927 but used the same semi-automatic action and its horizontal sliding-block breech, so no improvement on the rate of fire. It had an autofretted monobloc barrel mounted on a hand-worked/trained, center-pivot model weighting approximately 11.7 tonnes (11.5 long tons; 12.9 short tons) protected by a 5 mm (0.20 in) thick gun shield for small shrapnel. The rate of fire was limited by several factors. Ammunition was brought up to the handling room by hoist from the magazines and the shells were then transferred on a “guttering” encircling the mount, a solution uniquer to the French to have ready rounds, allowing them to line up with the breech regardless of its angle of bearing.

Powder cartridges were fed into similar centreline chutes for a nominal firing cycle of 4-5 seconds with the automatic spring rammer, but the dredger hoists transporting the shells and cartridge cases slowed the process down. Still, a hit of them well-placed could cripple a Giussano class, with their 24 mm (0.94 in) thick belt, easily defeated with an AP round. Their own 152 mm /53 Model 1926–1929 sent a heavier shell at 50 kilograms (110 lb) and at a much larger range of 28.4 kilometres (17.6 mi) at +45°, however. But against an average destroyer like a Freccia class there was no contest. The latter’s 120 mm (4.7 in) shells weighted 23.49-kilogram (51.8 lb) and range was limited to 19.6 kilometres (12.2 mi) at 45°. They had a better muzzle velocity and thus, better penetrating power though.

Specs 138mm/50 M1929

Barrel Weight: 4,275 kilograms (9,425 lb).
Length: 7.28 metres (23.9 ft), barrel 6.927 metres (22.73 ft)
Shell: 40.6 kilograms (90 lb) 130×900 mm R, separate-loading, cased charge
Exact Calibre: 138.6 mm (5.46 in)
Breech: Semi-automatic, horizontal sliding-block
Elevation -10° to +30° (14° per second), traverse c300° average
Rate of fire: 7 rpm
Muzzle velocity: 800 metres per second (2,600 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 20,000 metres (22,000 yd)

37 mm AA

The Modèle 1925 was a single gun mount, hand-loaded, semi-automatic, with a low rate of fire compared to their clip-fed models, and fired a low projectile weight with a low velocity. All this combined to have only four of them make for a poor AA defence, even if that was a pair more than the previous Guepard. They were installed likely on two wing extension of the quarterdeck house aft that also supported the two aft main guns (N°3, 4). Not very efficient.
specifications 37mm/50 M1925:
Weight: 661 lbs. (300 kg)
Barrel length: 79.0 in (2.007 m), Bore 72.8 in (1.850 m)
Elevation/Traverse: -15/+80 degrees, 360°
Loading system: Welin breech Block
Muzzle velocity: 2,657 fps (810 mps)
Range: 7,850 yards (7,175 m) a 45°
Guidance: Optical + FCS
Crew: 3
Round: 6.2 lbs. (2.8 kg) full HE Model 1925 1.6 lbs. (0.725 kg), Incendiary.
Rate of Fire: 30-42 (15-21 practical)

13.2 mm AA

Two pairs were installed originally close to the bridge. This was a high rate of fire system on a light mount designed by Le Prieur. The 13.2mm was a Gas-operated system fed by 30-round box magazine, or 15-round feed strips. It was copied by Japan and Italy and used by the axis in WW2. The round was peculiar in this, it was a 12.7 × 99 mm Browning (.50 BMG) cartridge necked up to 13.2 mm calibre. A short round (96 mm) was introduced in 1935. It was mostly adopted for fixing the barrel wear issue.

⚙ specifications 13.2mm M1929 HMG

Mass: 37.5 kg (83 lbs) per gun stripped.
Length: 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in), Barrel 1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Shell: 13.2×99mm Hotchkiss Long (1929).
Elevation -10° to +90°, traverse 360°, 450 rpm cyclic, 200-250 rpm sustained
Muzzle velocity: 800 m/s (2,625 ft/s)
Max range: 7.2 km (4.5 mi), Effective 4,200 m (13,800 ft)/45°

Torpedo Tubes

Unlike the previous class which sported one triple, two twin banks, the Fantasque class three had triple TT banks. The arrangement was the same however, two forward, one on each beam and a third axial aft. Even as the two forward bank were on either side, there was a large gap so to, in theory, be capable of cross-fire, meaning the opposite bank could fire across the deck on the opposite side if needed, but this was rarely tested in practice and certainly dangerous. These were of the same model as the previous class.

23D/DT 550mm TORPEDOES:

The 23DT was for destroyer leaders (Contre-Torpilleurs).
Weight: 4,560 lbs. (2,068 kg), for 27 ft. 2 in. (8.280 m) x 500 mm (21.7 inches).
Warhead: 683 lbs. (310 kg) TNT
Powered by a Schneider alcohol fed air heater, 4-cyl.
Speed settings: 9,840 yards/39 kts. or 14,200 yards (13,000m)/35 kts.
France dis-invested in its torpedoes, and had nothing more recent than these 1926 models when the war started in 1939.
There was however work resuming in 1944 on a new model powered by oxygen at Toulon with better settings of 3,300 yards (3,000 m) at 55 knots and 19,700 yards (18,000 m) at 40 knots, but this model was only tested, it never entered service. Work resumed on torpedoes in 1950 and only for submarines.

ASW armament

They had a pair of internal depth charge racks on the poop, not the aft chutes with inverted stern as for previous destroyers. The need to have a standard clipper stern was imposed by speed considerations. But the nternal rails with conveyor belt worked the same. These two carried a total sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges, with eight more in reserve. They also later fitted had four depth-charge throwers, two on each broadside, with a dozen 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges in reserve.
Guiraud Model 1922: Weight 573 lbs. (260 kg) for a 441 lbs. (200 kg) charge for 50 x 88 cm (19.7 x 34.6 in).
Sink Rate or terminal velocity 10 fps (3 meters per sec.) with 100, 165, 250 and 330 feet (30, 50, 75 and 100 m) settings, later augmented to 120m.
For the Thornycroft Y-Guns, Guiraud Mle 1922 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges.

Mines

They had deck rails for small mooring mines, six each abaft the further aft gun on some depiction, but instead of the usual Sautter-Harlé modeles it seems they carried a total of forty 530-kilogram (1,170 lb) Breguet B4 mines, twenty per side. These were relatively small horned mines, although an antenna mine entered service in 1936.
Six switch horn type, 0.785 m (31 in) spherical shell. Total weight 530 kg (1,168 lbs.)
Charge 80 kg (176 lbs.) Mélinite.
Mooring cable setup 225, 300 or 400 m (738, 984 or 1,310 feet) while under 90 m (295 feet).

Innovative Fire Control

It should be added that these destroyers also improved on fire control. They had a main control centre atop and behind the open bridge and two 1-meter (3 ft 3 in) OPL Mle J.1930 high-angle stereoscopic rangefinders for AA fire installed on an amidship platform, plus an aft control tower for the torpedo tubes nearby. But the Le Fantasque class were the first to have a centralised fire control system for her main guns, with data provided to a mechanical computer. The classic system was generating a firing solution communicated by electric dial on each fire station. The Mle 1929 electro-mechanical fire-control computer that used data provided by a 5-meter (16 ft 5 in) OPL/SOM SJ.1 stereoscopic rangefinder atop the bridge did not change, but the novelty was a prototype remote-control gunnery system automatically laying the guns on target while compensating for the ship’s motion.

However, their electric motors were insufficiently sensitive and often overcompensated, and the circuit breakers for the elevation motors often tripped when the ship was rolling heavily. It was groundbreaking, but way too early in development to be reliable. Would France have a respite of a couple of years, this system might have been fully operational and really game changing.
By late 1936 the Mle 1929 computer was updated. New high-angle rangefinders installed amidships of the 1.5-meter (4 ft 11 in) OPL J4.1935 model from 1937. In December 1938 and April 1939, extra Hotchkiss machine guns were transferred to newly built platforms, so free the OPL Mle J.1930 rangefinders from amidships to the bridge’s wings.

Modernization

Le Terrible in 1946
By the autumn of 1940, Le Triomphant saw the removal of her 4th 138mm/50 replaced by a British 4-in(102mm)/45 QF Mk V, two 40mm/39 QF pompom Mk VIII, a quad Vickers 0.5 in (12.7mm)/62 AA mount, whereas she had two twin 12.7mm/62, and two single 12.7mm/62 Vickers HMGs, not Browning HMGs as sometimes shown. They were also fitted with a type 123 sonar, better than their basic hydrophones. In 1941, L’Indomptable saw the addition of three twin 37mm/50 M1933 AA mounts and in 1942, Le Triomphant in FNFL service received an additional seven 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk 4 AA guns.

Le Fantasque and Le Terrible in FNFL service between 1943 and 1944 received US-based AA upgrades, after the removal of two twin 37mm/50, and two twin 13.2mm/76 Hotchkiss as well as the N°3 aft 550 mm TT bank. They gained a quad 40mm/56 Mk 1.2 bofors mount installed on a tall bandstand on the quarterdeck house aft, two single 40mm/56 Mk 1.2 Bofors amidships, just in front of the aft funnel, and eight single 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk 4 in two positions forward, abaft the bridge on two levels, and four on a platform aft of the second funnel. They had their pol mast replaced by a small derrick to support US destroyer SA early warning radar, SF surface search radar a new Type 128D ASDIC sonar, and internal space was saved for a fuel stowage of 730t, to compare to the 580t of their debuts in 1935 thanks to the conversion of some boiler feed water tanks to fuel oil to improve range.

Prow of Le Terrible in 1943 – ONI

Between April 1944 and March 1945, Le Triomphant saw her last round of modifications, loosing her single 4-in/45 QF DP gun and 40mm/39 pompom as well as her two twin 37mm/50, 13.2mm/76, and all her Vickers 12.7mm/62 HMGs as well as her aft TT bank for a return of her 138mm/50 M1929 gun where it was located originally, and the addition of three twin 40mm/56 Mk 1.2, ten 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk 4, as well as the same radar as her three sisters and a fuel stowage also ported to 730t making them more useful in their carrier with the allies.
Even by 1945 with that armament they were routinely capable of 37 knots in even challenging sea conditions, earning the respect of the allies as far as destroyers went. There was a reason in the allied organization they were classed as “light cruisers”.

Appearance

La Fantasque, author’s old illu.

Le Triomphant in FFL service 1944 (pinterest)

The Fantasque class had for some bombastic names that fit well for “super-destroyer”, and were in fact reused in the late cold war on French SSBNs, carrying the ultimate deterrent.

⚙ Fantasque class specs.
Displacement	2,569 t (2,528 long tons) standard, 3,417 t (3,363 long tons) deep load
Dimensions	132.4 x 12 x 4.5 m (434 ft 5 in x 39 ft 4 in x 14 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts geared steam turbines, 4 boilers 74,000 PS (54,000 kW; 73,000 shp)
Speed	37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph)
Range	2,900 nmi (5,400 km; 3,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Armament	5× 138.6 mm, 2× 37 mm, 2×2 13.2 mm AA, 3×3 550 mm TTs, 2 DCR (28), 40 mines
Sensors	Hydrophones, Radars (1942)
Crew	11 officers, 254 crewmen (wartime)

Gallery (Pinterest)

Career of the Fantasque class

Le Fantasque

Le Fantasque (x101) on sea trials in Casco Bay (39 kts) on 13 June 1943, after refitting and requalification as light cruiser

Le Fantasque (The “whimsical” or “capricious one”) was laid down on 16 November 1931 at Arsenal de Lorient, launched 15 March 1934, completed 10 March 1936. She was in fact commissioned earlier on 15 November 1935, and her delayed completion was due that she ran aground while entering Lorient and badly damaged her keel and propellers. She was in service officially on 1 May 1936 with her crews fully ready, assigned to the newly formed 8th and 10th Light or “Division de contre-torpilleurs”, assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron in Brest. From 1 October 1936 L’Indomptable, Le Triomphant and Le Malin joined the 8th Light Division, Le Fantasque, Le Terrible and L’Audacieux, the 10th.
French President Albert Lebrun assisted to a naval review after inaugurating the Naval Academy in Brest, reviewing the 2nd Squadron on 30 May. From 15 January and 26 February she accompanied the cruiser to a cruise off Africa, as far as Conakry. On 27 May 1937 navy minister Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc reviewed her with the fleet.

Both Scout Divisions were assigned to the Force de Raid from September 1939 and she had asortie on 2–6 September after an erroneous report of German ships leaving port. She was sent to search for German commerce raiders and blockade runners and, with British ships, assigned to Force X based in Dakar in French West Africa from 10 October to 18 November. From 21–30 October, Force de Raid screened Convoy KJ 4 against a possible attack of KMS Admiral Graf Spee. On 25 November, with Le Terrible and Dupleix, she captured the 4,627-gross register ton (GRT) German merchantman SS Santa Fé. She later escorted Strasbourg and HMS Hermes in the Central Atlantic on 7–13 November. Then she escorted Strasbourg and Algérie back to France on 18 November and made a sortie in the Western Mediterranean on 12–13 June, after Italy declared war, the turned to escorting convoys evacuating personnel from mainland France to North Africa and cruisers looking for the Regia marina on 23–24 June after an erroneous report. At the time of Mers-el-Kébir on 3 July, they were escorting cruisers there, trying to locate Strasbourg after she escaped.
By late August, now under Vichy French control, the Free French managed to gain French Equatorial Africa except Gabon, so the axis authorized Vichy to sent cruisers and destroyers there to prevent a takeover. The 4th Cruiser Division was sent to the Gulf of Guinea with the 10th Scout Division as Force Y, leaving Toulon on 9 September, then Casablanca to refuel but were only able to reach Dakar at 24 knots due to their lack of range under Contre amiral Bourragué. Le Fantasque, delayed by machinery problems, eventually reached Dakar a day later on 20 September.

Then came a joint British and Free French attack force on Dakar. The Vichy French garrison refused General Charles de Gaulle’s appeal on the 23rd, opened fire on the formation, including coastal guns. The destroyers went out to lay a continuous smoke screen protecting the cruisers, manoeuvring to avoid counter-battery. Le Fantasque was undamaged in the battle of Dakar, eventually a success for Vichy. She was refitted back at Oran from 20 July 1941 to 27 January 1942.
With Operation Torch on 8 November, French West Africa, under orders of Admiral Darlan, swapped sides as ordered. This concerned Le Fantasque and Le Terrible, which joined the Allies on 24 November in Casablanca. They had a refit and modernization on 21 January 1943, completed later at Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston from 21 February to 25 June 1943. She however gains 410 tonnes (404 long tons) displacement, and yet on sea trials on 12 June, she still managed 39.5 knots (73.2 km/h; 45.5 mph), being reclassified “light cruiser” with the 10th Scout Division being redesignated the 10th Light Cruiser Division. The part that was never modified were the turbines, prone to frequent breakdowns, requiring a lot of maintenance. The unit policy became “two active, one in maintenance”.

They were in Casablanca on 18 July 1943, then Algiers to escorted convoys. She ventured in search of Axis shipping off Scalea (Italy on 20–21 August, and managed to spot and engage Italian MAS boats, as fast or faster they were. They did the same in the Bay of Naples on 21–22 August 1943. They escorted British Force H in the Salerno landings (Operation Avalanche) on 9 September 1943 and helped to shoot down a bomber that night. During the evacuation of Corsica on 10 September, she covered landings. On 13/14 and 22/23 September she supported the landings of 3,750 Free French troops at Ajaccio, and 430 long tons (437 t) of supplies but was lightly damaged, running aground on her last mission. On 17 October she left Oran to meet Richelieu in the Azores, going back from the US after a modernization and to Mers-el-Kébir. In November, she took part in two raids on German shipping in the Aegean Sea (19–24 November) with HMS Neptune. On 24 December, she stopped the German cargo ship Nicoline Maersk, which was beached to avoid capture.She was transferred to the Azores in search for German blockade runners (Operation Stonewall). They missed the Battle of the Bay of Biscay on the 28th, but headed for Gibraltar and returned to the Azores to resume their missions.

1944 arrived, and Le Fantasque assisted the Allied landings at Anzio on 22 January, by a diversionary bombardment of Civitavecchia, Formia and Terracina. Next she carried out deep raids in the Adriatic looking for German shipping, on 27–29 February. The night of 29 February to 1 March they fell on a heavily escorted cargo ship and with her sister Malin sank the freighter and heavily damaged the torpedo boat TA37 and a corvette in the Battle of Ist. After other fruitless sweeps she bombarded Zante on 7/8 March and on 18/19 March, at last, she spotted a German convoy, sank two Siebel ferries, damaged two. Return fire (FLAK mostly, these barges were heavily armed) wounded eight men on Le Fantasque. She was refitted and transferred to Alexandria for patrols south of Crete and the Aegean in April 1944, taking part in the shelling of Kos. Back to the Adriatic in June 1944 she sank the small oil tanker SS Giuliana (17 June). In the last raid on 24/25 her port propeller shaft started vibrating so she slowed down to 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). On 15 August she provided naval gunfire support in Operation Dragoon, the landings in Provence. Le Fantasque spent 280 shells on various axis positions. Later she escorted escorted Richelieu to Toulon on 1 October.
She saw little service afterwards. The Mediterranean campaign was almost won, with the fight going on in northern Italy until V-Day. It was for a time expected to send her in the Pacific but nothing came of it. After the end of WW2 her fate was uncertain due to her troublesome machinery, albeit her modernization brought her a few more years of useful service.

She was indeed order in Saigon, French Indochina, arriving on 27 October 1945, alternating with Le Triomphant for gunfire support to the French garrison at Nha Trang and in the Gulf of Tonkin, straight from WW2 to the Indochina war. She took part in a naval review in Ha Long Bay on 24 March 1946. Furthermore, she made a “show the flag” cruise to Japan by May–June, departed Saigon for France on 4 July. On 1 January 1947, her unit the 10th LCD was combined with the 4th Division to create the “Cruiser Group”, but she saw less service due to shortage of trained personnel. This was for her in March–September before a major refit until May 1948, recommissioned on 12 July, active until decommissioned in August 1950, cancelling a last refit in Bizerte, reclassified as escort destroyers, 1st class from 1 July 1951 while in reserve, then fast escort in 1953. She was stricken at last and towed to Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer in September 1953, scrapped in 1958.

L’Audacieux

L’Audacieux was laid down at Arsenal de Lorient on 16 November 1931, launched on 27 November 1935. She entered service on 7 December after being completed on 27 November, with a completion delayed when it was discovered her boilers had defective firebricks. She was assigned to the newly formed 10th Light Division (scout divisions) assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron at Brest. From 1 October 1936 her unit comprised also Le Terrible and Le Fantasque. She departed Brest on 4 December 1935 to represent the Marine Nationale, at the celebration of the 300th year of the French colonization of the Antilles escorting the cruiser Emile Bertin and submarine Surcouf at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, and Fort-de-France in Martinique. She was present at the presidential naval review of 30 May 1936 and from 15 January and 26 February 1937, she cruised as far south as Conakry in French West Africa. On 27 May she was reviewed by Navy minister Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc and acted as flagship of the 2nd Light Squadron from 9 August to 7 November 1938.

She joined Force de Raid in 1939, tasked to hunt down German commerce raiders and blockade runners, without success. Together with Le Terrible, and Le Fantasque, she entered Force X based in Dakar from 10 October to 18 November, screened by late October Convoy KJ 4 in the Atlantic, fearing the KMS Admiral Graf Spee. She then escorted Strasbourg and Hermes in the Central Atlantic (7-13 November) then Strasbourg and Algérie back to France. She later escorted Strasbourg and Dunkerque at Mers-el-Kébir by late April 1940 and was in a sortie by Force de Raid in the Western Mediterranean on 12–13 June, then escorting convoys from mainland France, screened cruisers in a sortie on 23–24 June and was sailing to Mers-el-Kébir on 3 July, trying to meet Strasbourg, which was escaping to Toulon. By late August, under Vichy control she was assigned to the 4th Cruiser Division as Force Y sent on 9 September and via Casablanca on the 12th, reached Dakar under Contre amiral (Rear Admiral) Célestin Bourragué on 19–20 September after a false start.

On 23 September she took part in the battle of Dakar by smoking Vichy cruisers manoeuvring to shell the British force. L’Audacieux was sent to venture forth and spot the objectives as the fog settled, and was spotted the country class HMAS Australia, which eight 8-in guns made short work of her large hull at close range, blowing her bridge, knocking out all power, setting her on fire. She drifted ashore, saved by the fog, and ended beached near Rufisque. She lost 81 men, many more wounded. Likewise, she was fully refloated on 11 March 1941, slowly repaired until she managed to reach Bizerte on 7 August 1942 on the 22nd and fell under the German occupation on 8 December while in dry dock. The Germans made no attempt to repair her, and she was finished off by an Allied bombing and was sunk for good on 7 May 1943 by the Germans themselves, which lasted open the dry-dock gates during their evacuation. Refloated again on 14 December 1943, she patchedd enough to sail out of dock, but after inspection was declared a constructive total loss, cannibalized for parts for her sister and scrapped in August 1947.

Le Malin

Le Malin (“The clever one” or “The Devil”) was laid down at Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne on 17 August 1933, launched on 1 May 1936, commissioned on 20 December 1935, but completed on 1 May 1936 while entered service on 8 June with her turbines stripping some blades and requiring lengthy repairs. She was assigned to the 10th Light Division, 2nd Light Squadron in Brest. By October 1936 with Le Triomphant and L’Indomptable she joined the 8th Light Division and from 15 January to 26 February 1937 she made a cruise off Africa down to Conakry and by 27 May, was reviewed at sea by Navy Minister Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc. She took part in some Spanish Civil War patrols. She was assigned to the Force de Raid in 1939 and sortied on 2–6 September after an erroneous report of the Kriegsmarine leaving port of a raid, with all six destroyers. The unit was split again to look for German commerce raiders and blockade runners, and later she screened Convoy KJ 4. She also escorted Strasbourg back to Brest.

The 8th Scout Division was sent to Mers-el-Kébir on 5–9 April 1940, then back to Brest with the invasion of Norway on the 10th. On 23/24 April 1940 her unit made a sortie to the Skagerrak, hoping to catch German merchantmen for Norway, only crossing two patrol boats, damaging one, and two S-boats while being close to a convoy of minelayers, not spotted. Le Malin soon ran into engine problems and the formation had to slow speed. They were attacked by the Luftwaffe and had several near-misses. Le Triomphant’s propeller shafts were damaged. Le Malin and L’Indomptable were ordered back to Mers-el-Kébir on 9 May, transferred to Algiers and sortied with Force de Raid into the Western Mediterranean on 12–13 June after Italy declared war, then escorting convoys between France and North Africa while looking for Italian cruisers on 23–24 June. Operation Catapult saw her escorting Algiers-based cruisers which missed Strasbourg after she escaped.

By late August, she escorted the 4th Cruiser Division (three light cruisers) as Force Y from Toulon on 9 September via Casablanca, but the cruisers continued the trip alone as the destroyers initially lacked range to reach Dakar even down to 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) and Contre amiral Célestin Bourragué ordered them back to Casablanca. Le Malin and L’Audacieux attempted once more and reached Dakar on 20 September. In the Battle of Dakar she provided a continuous smoke screen to protect the cruisers and remained undamaged. She started a refit at Casablanca on 13 July 1942, almost complete when Operation Torch was launched on 8 November.

She remained unmolested during the Battle of Casablanca, until a ricocheting 16-inch shell from USS Massachusetts struck the jetty close to Le Malin, tearing a large hole in her hull, and disabling Boiler No. 3, killing 7 men. Her forward engine and boiler rooms were flooded so she listed heavily to port. After the port fell to US forces, she was turned over all to the Free French. Limited facilities only allowed temporary repairs and with a single turbine she could run at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), with which she crossed the Atlantic to Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston to be repaired and modernized, arriving on 26 June. The refit as completed on 17 November 1943 and unlike Le Terrible and Le Fantasque, she had four depth charge throwers abreast the aft superstructure, reclassified as a light cruiser and her unit redesignated the 10th Light Cruiser Division. Still, her turbines were prone to frequent breakdowns and maintenance remained heavy so she rotated in service with her sisters.

She left the US on 19 December after some training, joined Le Fantasque in the Azores on 31 December to patrol for blockade runners for weeks and she later supported the Allied landings at Anzio, on 22 January 1944 before tasked of deep raids in the Adriatic until late February. In the night of 29 February/1 March they spotted and attacked a cargo ship, sank it and badly damaged the accompanying torpedo boat TA37 and a Gabbiano class corvette (Battle of Ist). After a refit she was transferred to Alexandria for patrols south of Crete, the Aegean in April, having no engagements but the battle of Kos. In June, her port propeller shaft was swapped for a new one. On 15 August she covered Operation Dragoon (Allied landing in Provence), spending 80 shells and on 5 September, with USS Ludlow she was missed by an attack of Marder mini-submarines, she sank three, captured one. She entered Toulon on 13 September. In night exercises by December, she collided with Le Malin, severing her bow, killing 70 men, under repair until 5 November 1945 with the bow from L’Indomptable scuttled in Toulon in 1942.

Postwar, she was used for transport missions. On 1 January 1947 she teamed up with the 4th Cruiser Division as the “Cruiser Group” with two ships in her unit in 1947 and had a refit at Bizerte from 7 November to October 1948. She was in reserve on 1 November 1949, reclassified as escort destroyer 1st class by July 1951, still used to escort French aircraft carriers, and still capable of 41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph) after refit on 21 August. She escorted the carrier Arromanches to French Indochina from September to May 1952 and back to Toulon on 13 June. Le Malin sailed for Brest to be placed in reserve on 1 August; stationary training ship for the Naval Academy and floating jetty for minesweepers at Lannion. She was stricken on 3 February 1964 and reduced to a breakwater at Lorient in 1965–1976, BU in 1977, probably the very last still existing French destroyer of the interwar at this point.

Le Terrible

Le Terrible in 1944 (ONI)
Le Terrible was laid down at the Chantiers Navals Français, Caen on 8 December 1931, and completed at Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire, Saint-Nazaire, launched on 30 November 1933 and commissioned on 15 April 1935, completed on 1 October, entering service on 5 February 1936 with ehr same delay as her sisters when her turbines stripped some blades. She was assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron in Brest and from October 1936 with Le Fantasque and L’Audacieux she joined the 10th division. She was reviewed by Pdt. Albert Lebrun when inaugurating the Naval Academy in Brest on 30 May 1936. From 15 January and 26 February 1937 she made a cruise to French West Africa. On 27 May she was reviewed by Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc.
In 1939, she joined Force de Raid at Brest, sortied on 2–6 September (erroneous report) and made several sorties in search of German commerce raiders and blockade runners. On 21–30 October she screened Convoy KJ 4. On 25 November, with the cruiser Dupleix, she captured the 4,627 GRT German merchantman SS Santa Fé. She escorted Strasbourg and Hermes in the Central Atlantic 7–13 November. She then Strasbourg and Algérie back to France on 18 November. Next, she escorted Dunkerque to Canada on 11 December with a cargo of gold.
She was then ordered to Mers-el-Kébir on 5–9 April, the back to Brest with the invasion of Norway on the 10th and back to Mers-el-Kébir on 27 April. She made a fruitless sortie against the Italians (erroneous report) on 12–13 June. She was present in Mers-el-Kébir when Operation Catapult was launched. But this 3 July she managed to raise steam and leave harbour, engaged by British destroyers along the way as she escorted Strasbourg back to Toulon.

Under the Vichy French government, she joined the “Forces de haute mer” (FHM)) on 25 September and had a refit in late 1940. She was sent to Dakar on 11 February 1941 as replacement for L’Audacieux (crippled by the British during the Battle of Dakar) and returned to Toulon for a refit from 31 December 1941 to 14 June 1942. She saw little service afterwards as fuel oil was limited. On 8 November, with Operation Torch, Le Terrible and Le Fantasque were not present in Toulon and were not scuttled. She joined the Allies on 24 November and sailed to Casablanca to have her AA removed on 21 January 1943 and proceeded across the Atlantic to Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston for a modernization to US standards. From 21 February until 22 May and reclassified as a light cruiser as part of the 10th Light Cruiser Division. Still, her turbines showed frequent breakdowns and required a lot of maintenance, so her unit ensured one ship of the three rotated in maintenance all the time.

Le Terrible visited the French West Indies to show the flag as they joined the Free French in July 1943. She left Martinique on 30 July for Dakar on 5 August, then Algiers on 15 August. With Le Fantasque, she sortied searched for Axis shipping off Scalea in Italy, on 20–21 August and engaged Italian MAS in the Bay of Naples on 21–22 August. They escorted British Force H in the Salerno landings (Operation Avalanche) on 9 September and landed troops in Corsica later on 13/14 September, herself carrying 500 troops to Ajaccio and 60 long tons of supplies. Afterwards she was immobilized with turbine problems again and on 17 October she departed Oran to meet Richelieu at the Azores and back to Mers-el-Kébir after her US upgrades. She took part in two raids in search of German shipping in the Aegean Sea in November with HMS Neptune.

By late February, the 10th LCD was ordered to perform deep raids in the Adriatic to look for German shipping. On the night of 18/19 March, Le Terrible and Le Fantasque gutted a convoy, sinking two Siebel ferries and damaged two other. In return, FLAK wounded one man on Le Terrible. After refit, she was transferred to Alexandria for patrols south of Crete and the Aegean by April, then back to the Adriatic in June, sinking in a sortie on the 17th the small oil tanker SS Giuliana. Next they provided naval gunfire support in Operation Dragoon by August. She spent 158 shells at Cannes. She later escorted Richelieu to Toulon on 1 October, but in night exercises by December she collided with Le Malin, the latter loosing her bow and both loosing about 70 men. Le Terrible had her hull badly damaged over 27 meters (89 ft) with four major holes flooding the aft engine and boiler rooms.
Thus sent her to repairs at Bizerte, lasting until 1 January 1946. Back to Toulon on 26 April she made a show the flag cruise to Northern Europe in May and on 1 January 1947, she entered the Cruiser Group, active in 1948 but decommissioned on 12 July, transferred to Bizerte on 27 April 1949, in reserve on 15 March 1950. She was reclassified as escort destroyers, 1st class from July 1951 “escorteur rapide” in 1953, refitted from 1 May 1952 to early April 1953 to escort Arromanches and Dixmude in the Eastern Mediterranean by May–June and LaFayette in June. Then this was Bois Belleau from February to August 1954 and LaFayette from September 1954 to February 1955, and Arromanches until August. She was back in Brest on 28 August to be decommissioned on 1 September, used as stationary training ship for the Naval Academy until a special reserve on 1 December 1956, stricken on 29 June 1962, scrapped in 1963 after a 40 years career.

Le Triomphant

Le Triomphant in a naval review prewar – Australian War Museum src
Le Triomphant was laid down at Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk on 28 August 1931, launched on 16 April 1934 and completed on 25 May 1936 long after being commissioned on 31 December 1935, and she entered service on 24 July. Her turbines stripped some blades and needed long repairs and new trials. She entered the 2nd Light Squadron in Brest and from October 1936 with L’Indomptable and Le Malin she was assigned to the 8th Light Division. From 15 January-26 February 1937 she was part of the West African cruise, and later a naval review for Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc. In 1937-38 she probably took part in a few patrols off Spain too. In 1939, she was assigned to the Force de Raid at Brest sortied on 2–6 September (erroneous report) and started search missions in the Atlantic against raiders and blockade runners, short due to theior limited range. On 21–30 October she screened Convoy KJ 4; on 25 November she met Strasbourg and then her sister Dunkerque to Canada with gold on board at high speed, with in addition Valmy, Mogador and Volta.

As an Italian declaration of war seemed close the Force de Raid was sent to Mers-el-Kébir in French Algeria by 5–9 April 1940 but sent back to Brest when the Germans launched Operation Rheinübung against Norway. On 23/24 April she was part of a high-speed patrol of the Skaggerak and skirmished with patrol boats and S-boats. Le Malin had engine issues and had to reduce speed, and they were attack by Stukas in the morning. Le Triomphant had one propeller shaft damaged by a near-miss and retired to Lorient on 30 April for repairs. But the campaign on land was a disaster and soon the Germans closed in on Brittany, she sailed for Plymouth on 21 June.
On 3 July she was seized as part of Operation Catapult by British troops, fortunately without incident. She was immobilized and her crew interned for a time, until she was turned over to the FNFL on 28 August under command of Capitaine de frégate Philippe Auboyneau (future admiral), partially refitted with British AA and radars, sonars, in September–October, recommissioned on 23 October and ready for missing in November assigned to the 11th Escort Group, Firth of Clyden western Scotland. She had constant propulsion issues, as well as vibrations from her propeller shafts, aggravated when she broke loose from her mooring in Greenock in a gale in February 1941, collided with a cargo ship. She had a major refit at HM Dockyard in Devonport by May–July and was prepare to depart for the Pacific Ocean, sailing out on 31 July, crossing the Atlantic and then the Panama Canal. While she was underway on 16 August, she was recognised and reported by a Japanese observer, his report intercepted by US intel (Magic). She arrived on the West Coat at San Diego on 25 August for minor repairs and head for French Polynesia, Tahiti, on 5 September. Le Triomphant transported Georges Thierry d’Argenlieu, the Free French High Commissioner for the Pacific, during this voyage and reached Papeete harbour on 23 September. The ship spent the next She stayed there for a month to reaffirm the Free French authority there, and sailed to British Fiji, then back to Papeete on 22 October.

Le Triomphant San Diego April 1941, note her dark hull and fake break wave

After this mission, the British Admiralty wanted her back to the Mediterranean and be at Suez no later than 13 December. The destroyer was visiting Australia and New Zealand at the time. When leaving Wellington, she was damaged by a violent and sudden gust of wind, and this forced her into repairs in Sydney. She was there when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. By mid-December, she escorted the troopship SS Ormiston to Nouméa in New Caledonia for the start of US missions against the Solomons. She mostly spent her time in eventful escort missions. By late February 1942, with the Japanese invasion of Nauru was feared, Le Triomphant evacuated the small military contingent and the European-Chinese workers from the island and resumed her earlier duties before a refit at the Garden Island Dockyard, Sydney on 19 March. This was long due to the heavy workload there and took until 20 January 1943. She returned to escort duties, mostly between Sydney and Melbourne and rescued survivors of the BHP Shipping iron ore carrier SS Iron Knight off Cape Howe, on 8 February. From 10 February and 23 May, she performed 19 escort missions. She was in Williams town Dockyard, Melbourne to have a new port propeller installed on 26 May and resumed escort missions from 17 June under Captain Paul Ortoli as Auboyneau was relieved and promoted. She would have another overhaul in Sydney from 8 September to 7 November, reclassified as a light cruiser like her sisters on 28 September.

On 24 November, she embarked a five-man liaison team from the RAN in Melbourne, departed Fremantle for the Mediterranean, escorting underway the US oil tanker SS Cedar Mills. However, an accident while refuelling at damaged the oil transfer gear, and she could only carry 170 metric tons (170 t), so Cedar Mills started towing Le Triomphant. The transfer gear was repaired on 1 December and she proceeded to fill her tanks. On 2/3 December both were struck by a typhoon, Le Triomphant being badly damaged, taking on a 15 degree list with her forward boiler and engine rooms flooded. Cedar Mills towed her again on 5 December and she was relieved by HMS Frobisher she brought her to Diego Suarez in French Madagascar on 19 December for temporary repairs until 21 February 1944. Next she made a long trip to Boston for permanent repairs for a year, from 12 April. Underway she stopped at Algiers to be was inspected by General Charles de Gaulle and the Navy high commissioner Louis Jacquinot. After repairs and upgrades she was ordered back to the Indian Ocean in 1945, entering the British Eastern Fleet starting in Colombo on 27 May. She had escort missions and a refit in Diego Suarez in July, and covered the British occupation of Singapore in early September together with the French battleship Richelieu.

After the war ended she was the warship sent in French Indochina, entering Saigon on 3 October 1945, alternating with Le Fantasque for gunfire support to the French garrison at Nha Trang, supporting French forces off the Gulf of Tonkin until February 1946. On 6 March, she escorted a convoy to Haiphong from the Chinese, which engaged them for 20 minutes before a cease-fire was negotiated. Le Triomphant was lightly damaged, with 8 killed and 39 wounded. She was in a naval review in Ha Long Bay on 24 March, and she left for home on 9 April, arrived at Toulon on 16 May. She was placed in reserve, refitted at Bizerte on February-November 1947 and relieved Le Malin the next year in the 10th Light Cruiser Division. Likewise, she was placed in reserve at Bizerte on 1 November 1949 and the stricken and sold for scrap in December 1957.

L’Indomptable

L’Indomptable was laid down at Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne on 25 January 1932, launched on 7 December 1933 and completed on 10 February 1936. She was assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron in Brest but on 12 May 1936, she collided with the submarine Pasteur at the mouth of the Gironde in an exercise. Repairs were fast. She took part in the review for Pdt. Albert Lebrun for the Naval Academy on 30 May 1936. By 1 October with Le Triomphant and Le Malin she was in the 8th Light Division and took par tin the cruise to French West Africa. On 27 May, she was in a parade for MoN Alphonse Gasnier-Duparc.
In 1939 as part of Force de Raid she made the 2–6 September fake report sortie, then sorties against German commerce raiders and blockade runners and on 21–30 October, escorted the Convoy KJ 4. On 25 November, she escorted the Strasbourg to Brest. She was sent to Mers-el-Kébir on 5–9 April, and back to Brest after the German invasion of Norway. On 23/24 April 1940, her unit made a raid to the Skaggerak, and fought two patrol boats, damaged and two S-boats. German bombers in the morning made several near-misses, and Le Triomphant’s propeller shafts were damaged. With Le Malin she was ordered back to Mers-el-Kébir on 9 May, but were sent to Algiers, making a sortie in the Western Mediterranean on 12–13 June, before escorting convoys evacuating personal from mainland France to French North Africa, and cruisers in a second sortie off Italy on 23–24 June. As the British attack developed on Mers-el-Kébir on 3 July, she sortied with the cruisers meeting Strasbourg after she escaped.
She was assigned to the Forces de haute mer on 25 September, making a single training sortie into the Western Mediterranean on 16–18 October, but she was in Toulon on 27 November 1942, when the German launched an invasion of the free zone and attempted to seize the port. She was scuttled by her crew and the axis performed a salvaging, but she was never repaired. Furthermore, she was renamed SG9, badly damaged in an Allied bombing raids on 4 February, 7 March and 29 April 1944 before the invasion, reclassified as a constructive total loss. Her bow was salvaged in July 1945 to replace the one Le Malin lost in a collision with Le Terrible. She was scrapped in 1950.