History
of the Ship
Ten "De Bougainville"
class ships will be built between 1931 and 1940. Eight of them will
return to service before the Armistice of June 1940. The last two
will not be completed in time. These vessels, designated "avisos
for distant campaigns" were capable of a large range, and their
shallow draft should allow them to go up the rivers of Asia and
Africa. The Avisos of this class will be the first French surface
ships to be fitted with diesel engines.
The construction of the Aviso
"D'Entrecasteaux" was entrusted to Chantiers et Ateliers
de Provence de Port de Bouc in January 1930. The new ship launched
on June 21, 1931 will enter into service on May 6, 1933 after having
completed its tests. During the first launch, on June 7, 1931, the
new ship was the victim of a particularly annoying incident ...
Before the authorities and the brass band, the ship began to slide
before remaining frozen halfway on its holds ... These, usually
in pitchpin, resinous wood, have been replaced by oak wedges: the
tallow added on the wedges for the sliding of the Aviso proved to
be incompatible with the oak thus preventing any sliding of the
ship. .. It was not until June 21 to launch the "D'Entrecasteaux",
this time without fanfare or authorities!
Assigned to the Atlantic
Cruisers division, he went on a validation "cruise" in
the Pacific Ocean in 1933, then in Newfoundland in 1934.
When the conflict broke out
in September 1939, the Aviso D'Entrecasteaux was based in Casablanca.
Up to the Armistice, the Aviso participated in convoy escort missions
in the Atlantic.
After the Armistice, the
"D'Entrecasteaux" leaves Morocco to join Senegal in September
1940. From September 23 to 25, it will participate in the defense
of Dakar. During this battle, the Vichy Forces will face the Franco-British
Naval forces. The Free French thought they could rally the territories
then under Vichy governance, but the operation will not go as planned
... Negotiations and military operations fail, and Dakar will remain
in the hands of Vichy: Mers-El-Kébir is a event still too
present in the minds of sailors of the Vichy fleet ...
In May 1941, the Aviso "D'Entrecasteaux"
left for Toulon to return in a large refit after which it would
join Dakar.
In February 1942, he accompanied
a cargo ship and a French submarine to Madagascar. In this port,
it will undergo, on May 5, 1942, the attack of Madagascar by the
English. These, not wanting to reproduce the failure of the attack
on Dakar in September 1940, attacked without warning the Free French
... The Aviso "D'Entrecasteaux" tried to oppose the landing
of British troops by the precise fire from its guns, but pounded
by an English battleship, the French ship is severely hit and will
mourn the loss of 16 men.
It was bailed out in April
1943, and joined the Allied forces after repairs. After having sailed
in the Indian Ocean in 1944, it arrived in Bizerte in August 1944
before being placed in reserve. It was finally decommissioned on
October 19, 1948, then demolished on the spot, in Bizerte.
