French destroyer Brestois

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Brestois.

History
France
Name	Brestois
Builder	Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes
Laid down	17 May 192615 June 1928
Launched	18 May 1927
Completed	15 June 1928
Fate	Sunk 8 November 1942
General characteristics
Class and type	L'Adroit-class destroyer
Displacement	1,380  t (1,360 long tons) (standard)
Length	107.2 m (351 ft 8 in)
Beam	9.9 m (32 ft 6 in)
Draft	3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Installed power	3 du Temple boilers 31,000  PS (22,800  kW; 30,576  shp)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	3,000  nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Crew	9 officers, 153 crewmen (wartime)
Armament	4 × single 130 mm (5.1 in) guns 2 × single 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns 2 × triple 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes 2 chutes and 2 throwers for 22 depth charges

The French destroyer Brestois was one of 14 L'Adroit-class destroyers built for the French Navy during the 1920s.

Design and description

The L'Adroit class was a slightly enlarged and improved version of the preceding Bourrasque class. The ships had an overall length of 107.2 meters (351 ft 8 in), a beam of 9.9 meters (32 ft 6 in), and a draft of 3.5 meters (11 ft 6 in). The ships displaced 1,380 metric tons (1,360 long tons) at standard load and 2,000 metric tons (2,000 long tons) at deep load. They were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three du Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 31,000 metric horsepower (22,800  kW ; 30,576  shp ), which would propel the ships at 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ships carried 386 metric tons (380 long tons) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). ^[1]

The main armament of the L'Adroit-class ships consisted of four Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of a pair of Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 guns. The ships carried two above-water triple sets of 550-millimeter (21.7 in) torpedo tubes. A pair of depth charge chutes were built into their stern; these housed a total of sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges. In addition two depth charge throwers were fitted for which six 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges were carried. ^[2]

Construction and career

Brestois was laid down on 17 May 1926, launched on 18 May 1927 and completed on 15 June 1928. She capsized following damage by gunfire from the ships of United States Navy Task Force 34 off Casablanca, French Morocco, on 8 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Casablanca. ^[3]

Notes

1. Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 3
2. Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 3
3. Le Masson p126

References

• Cernuschi, Enrico & O'Hara, Vincent P. (2013). "Toulon: The Self-Destruction and Salvage of the French Fleet". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2013. London: Conway. pp. 134–148. ISBN   978-1-84486-205-4.
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-146-7.
• Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015). French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84832-198-4.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   0-87021-326-1.