French aviso Coucy

Sister ship Tahure in 1939
History
France
NameCoucy
BuilderAteliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët, Saint-Nazaire
Laid down1918
Launched1919
Commissioned1920
Out of service1946
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics (as built)
Displacement850 long tons (864 t) standard
Length75 m (246 ft 1 in) o/a
Beam8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
Draught3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Installed powerGuyot du Temple boilers 3,000 shp (2,200 kW)
PropulsionParsons steam turbines, 2 shafts
Speed22 knots (25 mph; 41 km/h)
Range3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement103
Armament

Coucy was an aviso of the Arras class, also known as the Amiens class, that served in the Second World War. Ordered by the French Navy at the end of the First World War, the ships were designed as fast escort with a primary armament of two 138.6-millimetre (5 in) guns and depth charges. Launched in 1919, Coucy was deployed to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1920 to operate off the coast of Canada and Newfoundland. The vessel subsequently served as a training ship with the École navale (Naval School) during the 1930s, training engineers and midshipmen for the French Navy. During the Second World War, the aviso was towed to Plymouth and served with the Free French Naval Forces. In 1946, Coucy was sold and broken up.

Design and development

Main article: Arras class aviso

Coucy was a member of the Arras or Amiens class, a class of thirty fast avisos or sloops, designed to serve as escort ships and ordered under the 1916 and 1917 French Navy construction plans. The ships were similar in layout to three-island merchant ships with a high bow, which meant that they sailed well in high seas, keeping their crew dry. They were considered roomy and comfortable ships, although the weight of their armament and superstructure meant that they rolled heavily.[1]

The aviso had a length of 72 m (236 ft 2.6 in) between perpendiculars and 74.9 m (245 ft 8.8 in) overall, with a beam of 8.7 m (28 ft 6.5 in) and draught of 3.2 m (10 ft 6.0 in). Normal displacement was 850 long tons (860 t). Power was provided by two Guyot du Temple water-tube boilers feeding two sets of Parsons geared steam turbines rated at 5,000 shaft horsepower (3,700 kW). These drove two shafts and exhausted through two funnels. Design speed was 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph), and a total of 200 long tons (200 t) of fuel oil was carried, which gave a design range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).[1][2] The ship had a complement of four officers and 99 other crew.[3]

Coucy had a main armament consisting of two single 138.6-millimetre (5 in) 55 calibre Modèle 1910 guns.[3] Each could typically fire a 39.5-kilogram (87 lb) shell at a rate of five or six rounds per minute.[4] They were mounted on the centreline, one forward and the other aft of the superstructure.[5] A single 75 mm (3 in) 62.5 calibre anti-aircraft gun and four 8 mm (0.31 in) 80 calibre Modèle 1914 Hotchkiss machine guns were also carried.[3] The anti-aircraft gun was derived from a 1897 field gun and could typically fire a 7.4-kilogram (16 lb) shrapnel shell at a rate of 20 rounds per minute.[6] For anti-submarine warfare, the aviso was fitted with two throwers for twenty depth charges.[3]

Construction and career

Laid down by Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët at their shipyard in Saint-Nazaire in 1918, Coucy was launched in June 1919 and completed in 1920.[7][3] The first ship of the name in the French fleet, the vessel left Brest on 21 June to travel to Newfoundland and Canada, stationed at Saint Pierre and Miquelon.[8][9] On 5 February 1921, the warship accompanied the cruisers Gueydon and Marseillaise on a voyage back to Brest.[10]

On 9 July 1930, the vessel was part of the École navale (Naval School) focused on training midshipmen.[11][12] On 14 March 1932, quartermaster Marc Jacquelet fell from a buoy to which the vessel was mooring. He died shortly afterwards in hospital.[13] On 8 September, the vessel joined other members of the training flotilla visiting Antwerp.[14] After a refit, the ship was transferred within the school to train engineers from 28 December 1936.[15]

As France prepared for the Second World War, Coucy was, along with sister ship Épinal, was based at Brest.[16] After the Battle of France, the vessel was towed to Plymouth after running aground and was transferred by the British to the Free French Naval Forces.[17] The aviso served as a depot ship. After the war, in 1946, Coucy was sold to be broken up.[18]

Citations

  1. ^ a b Smigielski 1985, p. 214.
  2. ^ "Les Bâtiments construits pendant la guerre" [Construction during the war]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 2058. 2 September 1922. p. 410 – via Gallica.
  3. ^ a b c d e Labayle Couhat 1974, p. 165.
  4. ^ Friedman 2011, p. 226.
  5. ^ Labayle Couhat 1974, p. 166.
  6. ^ Friedman 2011, p. 227.
  7. ^ Labayle Couhat 1971, p. 99.
  8. ^ Le Conte 1932, p. 57.
  9. ^ "Correspondences des ports" [Port correspondences]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 1946. 10 July 1920. p. 328 – via Gallica.
  10. ^ "Notre Escadre de l'Atlantique" [Our Atlantic Squadron]. Le Républicain des Hautes-Pyrénées (in French). No. 1211. 6 February 1921. p. 1 – via Gallica.
  11. ^ "Correspondences des ports" [Port correspondences]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 2464. 14 June 1930. p. 330 – via Gallica.
  12. ^ "Correspondences des ports" [Port correspondences]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 2567. 4 June 1932. p. 294 – via Gallica.
  13. ^ "Tragique Accident" [Tragic Accident]. Le Sud: Journal Républicain du Matin (in French). 15 March 1932. p. 2 – via Gallica.
  14. ^ "Les Cours, les Ambasades, le Monde et le Ville" [Courts, Embassies, the World and the City]. Figaro (in French). No. 253. 6 September 1932. p. 2 – via Gallica.
  15. ^ "Correspondences des ports" [Port correspondences]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 2806. 2 January 1937. pp. 2–3 – via Gallica.
  16. ^ "Correspondences des ports" [Port correspondences]. Le Yacht: Journal de La Marine (in French). No. 2912. 14 January 1939. p. 14 – via Gallica.
  17. ^ Bertrand 1982, p. 100.
  18. ^ Labayle Couhat 1974, p. 169.

Bibliography

  • Bertrand, Michel (1982). La marine française au combat, 1939-1945: Des combats de l'Atlantique aux F.N.F.L. [The French Navy in Combat, 1939-1945: From the Atlantic Battles to the F.N.F.L.] (in French). Paris: Charles-Lavauzelle. ISBN 978-2-70250-002-6.
  • Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations; An Illustrated Directory. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
  • Le Conte, Pierre (1932). Répertoire des Navires de Guerre Français [Directory of French Warships] (in French). Cherbourg: Pierre Le Conte, La Villarion, rue des Bastions. OCLC 1400324432.
  • Labayle Couhat, Jean (1974). French Warships of World War I. Shepperton: Ian Allen. ISBN 978-0-71100-445-0.
  • Labayle Couhat, Jean (1971). French Warships of World War II. Shepperton: Ian Allen. ISBN 978-0-71100-153-4.
  • Smigielski, Adam (1985). "France". In Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
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