History
of the Ship
The Galissonière is
the 3rd of six light cruisers of the Class of the same name. Their
construction is close to that of their recent predecessor: Emile
Bertin. The construction of the first of these new cruisers began
only two months after Emile Bertin. However, the new ship show a
clear improvement over Emile Bertin, and they will be, for foreign
navies, a fine example of French excellence. Thus, the square prow,
favorable to the drag and their truncated stern will be found in
foreign naval constructions. The launch of the cruisers La Galissonnière,
Jean de Vienne, La Marseillaise, Glory, Montcalm and Georges Leygues
spread between 1933 and 1936 with launches between 1935 and 1937.
Compared with Emile Bertin, the protection and robustness of these
6 new ships was improved as well as stability. The anti-aircraft
artillery consisted of excellent 90mm guns, completed after 1941
by the addition of 7 pieces of smaller caliber. They had, moreover,
of a consequent aeronautical equipment with the boarding of two
loire 130 in vast hangars in the back of the ship. They were slower,
however, and had reliability problems with their Parsons turbines.
On October 23, 1933, begins
construction of the Cruiser "La Marseillaise" at the Chantiers
de Saint-Nazaire and the ship is launched on July 17, 1935. In June
1935, the cruiser is ready for the first tests and the first sea
trip to take place December 8, 1935.
On October 11, 1937, "La
Marseillaise" made its long crossing for certification before
joining the port of Toulon. He is assigned to the 3rd DC (Division
of Cruisers) along with his fellow Jean de Vienne and La Galissonniere.
After the beginning of the
conflict, the cruiser will join North Africa to face a possible
threat of the Italian Fleet
With "La Galissonière",
it belongs, from January 1941, to the "Force of High Seas"
of Vichy based in Toulon. But the budget restrictions will dramatically
limit the sea trips ... One of the only exits will be made in July
1940, after the attack of Mers-El-Kebir by the English, to escort
the battleship Brittany, severely touched, en route to the port
of Toulon.
To escape from capture,
the cruiser "La Marseillaise" will be torched and
scuttled in the port of Toulon, November 27, 1942, The Cruiser
will burn until December 3 ... after the invasion of the free
zone by the Allemends. The wreck of the ship will be fired after
the war.
