French Battleship Richelieu - Service

Service

Laid down in October 1935, Richelieu was floated out the Salou n°4 graving dock, on January 17, 1939 to be fitted out in the Laninon n°9 dock in the Brest Navy Yards. The 43 m bow section and the 8 m stern section, built separately, had to be assembled there, as the Salou building dock was only 200 m long. Thirty-nine months between laying down and launching was not an impressive performance, as two years only had been necessary for Strasbourg, or King George V and Prince of Wales which were laid down on January 1, 1937 and launched respectively in February and May 1939, or Vittorio Veneto and Littorio laid down on October 28, 1934, and launched on July 25 and August 22, 1937. This long delay was the consequence of the difficult social climate in France, in 1936, but also of the British Government representations, which urged a slowing down of construction, as following the 1922 Treaty of Washington and 1930 Treaty of London, France would have had to expect January 1, 1937, to outpass the 70,000 tons global tonnage limit for new battleships, including the Dunkerque class.

One year later, in January 1940, the last 380 mm barrel had been installed, as, in April 1940, the first three 100 mm turrets, and the starboard catapult. In April 1940, first speed trials were carried out, and during one hour 30 knots were maintained developing 123,000 shp. In late April and early May, the three last 100 mm turrets were embarked, the fire control directors for the main and secondary batteries fitted atop the towers,and the 152 mm guns installed in the after turrets.

On June 13, during the full power speed trials, 32 knots were maintained during three and half hours developing 155,000 shp, and 32.6 knots reached developing 175,000 shp. The day after, the gunnery trials were carried out, six shots being fired for each 380 mm and 100 mm guns, «without major damage», but the main battery replenishment system gave concern, as a quarter of an hour was necessary to hoist one shell and its powder charges from the magazine to the barrel.

On June 15, the French Admiralty placed Richelieu under Admiral de Laborde, Amiral Ouest, C. in-C. French Navy at Brest, with order to prepare to send the battleship to the Clyde. On July 18, in the early morning, new orders were received to provide a colonial withdrawal. Due to the advance of German troops, the battleship left Brest bound for Dakar on June 18, at 16.00, escorted by destroyers Fougueux and Frondeur. Richelieu had on board, for her main artillery, 250 shells but powder charges for only 48 rounds, and no munition of 152 mm On June 20, the escort was replaced off Cape St. Vincent (Portugal), by the destroyer Fleuret and Richelieu reached Dakar on June 23