French cruiser Jules Michelet
Encyclopedia
The Jules Michelet was an armoured cruiser of the French Navy
, laid down in 1904 and completed in 1908. It was a development of the Léon Gambetta class
of armoured cruisers, and was the sole representative of its type. It served during the First World War being eventually sank as a target in 1937.
of armoured cruisers. It was slightly longer and heavier than the previous class, and while it had a similar machinery layout, with 28 boilers supplying vertical triple expansion steam engines which drove three propeller shafts, the engines delivered 1500 ihp more power, allowing the ship to reach a design speed of 22.5 knots (12.2 m/s). The ship was fitted with four funnels.
The main armament was four 193 mm (7.6 in) guns in twin turrets, one each fore and aft, while secondary armament was 12 164 mm (6.5 in) guns, eight of which were in single turrets and the remaining four in casemate
s. Although Jules Michelet had four fewer 164 mm guns than the Leon Gambetta class, with single turrets instead of twin turrets, both the main and secondary guns were more powerful models than those carried in the earlier ships. A tertiary anti-torpedo-boat battery of twenty four 47 mm guns was mounted in casements, while the ship's armament was completed by two submerged 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes.
The ship was launched in August 1905 and completed in November 1908, reaching a speed of 22.9 knots (12.5 m/s) in trials.
, killing four and wounding 21. These explosions were blamed on defective powder. It undertook a tour of the West Indies in 1912–13.
On the outbreak of the First World War, Jules Michelet was part of the French Mediterranean Fleet
,
spending the whole of the war in the Mediterranean
. Jules Michelet took place in the blockade
of the Strait of Otranto
to stop the Austro-Hungarian Navy
from venturing into the Mediterranean, and took place in the evacuation of the Serbia
n army in 1915.
Twelve of Jules Michelets 47 mm guns were removed during the war, replaced by four anti-aircraft guns of similar size. Following the signing of the Armistice of Mudros
, ending the participation of Turkey in the First World War, Jules Michelet was deployed through the Dardanelles
into the Black Sea
in November 1918.
Jules Michelet entered reserve in 1929 and was disarmed in 1930 and used as a barracks ship at Toulon. The ship was later used as a target ship
for aircraft and submarines, being sunk by the French Circé class submarine Thetis in 1937.
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, laid down in 1904 and completed in 1908. It was a development of the Léon Gambetta class
Léon Gambetta class cruiser
The Léon Gambetta class was a class of armoured cruiser of the French Navy which were commissioned in 1903. They were named after notable French Republican statesmen...
of armoured cruisers, and was the sole representative of its type. It served during the First World War being eventually sank as a target in 1937.
Description
The Jules Michelet was laid down in June 1904 as a modified version of the Leon Gambetta classLéon Gambetta class cruiser
The Léon Gambetta class was a class of armoured cruiser of the French Navy which were commissioned in 1903. They were named after notable French Republican statesmen...
of armoured cruisers. It was slightly longer and heavier than the previous class, and while it had a similar machinery layout, with 28 boilers supplying vertical triple expansion steam engines which drove three propeller shafts, the engines delivered 1500 ihp more power, allowing the ship to reach a design speed of 22.5 knots (12.2 m/s). The ship was fitted with four funnels.
The main armament was four 193 mm (7.6 in) guns in twin turrets, one each fore and aft, while secondary armament was 12 164 mm (6.5 in) guns, eight of which were in single turrets and the remaining four in casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s. Although Jules Michelet had four fewer 164 mm guns than the Leon Gambetta class, with single turrets instead of twin turrets, both the main and secondary guns were more powerful models than those carried in the earlier ships. A tertiary anti-torpedo-boat battery of twenty four 47 mm guns was mounted in casements, while the ship's armament was completed by two submerged 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes.
The ship was launched in August 1905 and completed in November 1908, reaching a speed of 22.9 knots (12.5 m/s) in trials.
History
On 27 June 1912, Jules Michelet suffered two gun explosions during firing practice at ToulonToulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, killing four and wounding 21. These explosions were blamed on defective powder. It undertook a tour of the West Indies in 1912–13.
On the outbreak of the First World War, Jules Michelet was part of the French Mediterranean Fleet
French Mediterranean Fleet
CECMED is a French Armed Forces regional commander. He commands the zone, the region and the Mediterranean maritime arrondissements. He is usually an admiral of the French Navy, and is under the direct authority of the French Chief of the Defence Staff...
,
spending the whole of the war in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Jules Michelet took place in the blockade
Otranto Barrage
The Otranto Barrage was an Allied naval blockade of the Otranto Straits between Brindisi in Italy and Corfu on the Albanian side of the Adriatic Sea in World War I. The blockade was intended to prevent the Austro-Hungarian Navy from escaping into the Mediterranean and threatening Allied operations...
of the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto
The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. Its width at Punta Palascìa, east of Salento is less than . The strait is named after the Italian city of Otranto.- History :...
to stop the Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
from venturing into the Mediterranean, and took place in the evacuation of the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n army in 1915.
Twelve of Jules Michelets 47 mm guns were removed during the war, replaced by four anti-aircraft guns of similar size. Following the signing of the Armistice of Mudros
Armistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
, ending the participation of Turkey in the First World War, Jules Michelet was deployed through the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
into the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
in November 1918.
Jules Michelet entered reserve in 1929 and was disarmed in 1930 and used as a barracks ship at Toulon. The ship was later used as a target ship
Target ship
A target ship is a vessel — typically an obsolete or captured warship — used for naval gunnery practice or for weapons testing.-Rationale:Sinking redundant warships is an effective way of testing new weapons and warships in as realistic a manner as possible. Whilst practice torpedoes are fired...
for aircraft and submarines, being sunk by the French Circé class submarine Thetis in 1937.