TheLa Galissonnière class was designed as an enlarged and improved version of the precedingEmile Bertin. The ships had anoverall length of 179.5 meters (588 ft 11 in), abeam of 17.48 meters (57 ft 4 in), and adraft of 5.28 meters (17 ft 4 in). They displaced 7,722metric tons (7,600long tons) atstandard load and 9,460 t (9,310 long tons) atdeep load. Their crew consisted of 557 men in peacetime and 612 in wartime.[2]
La Galissonnière was at first assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron in theMediterranean until October 1937, when she formed the 3rd Cruiser Division atToulon, together with her sister shipsJean de Vienne andMarseillaise.
At the outbreak of World War II,La Galissonnière carried out patrol duties off theTunisian coast until mid-November 1939, when she started a major refit atBrest until the end of February 1940. She then was based at Toulon until the French surrender in June.
From January 1941, she was part of the Vichy "High Seas Force" at Toulon. Two of the three cruisers from the 3rd Cruisers Division – she andMarseillaise – never went to high sea due to lack of fuel, except in November 1940, to cover the return to Toulon of the battleshipProvence, severely damaged by British gunfire in July 1940 duringOperation Catapult. However,La Galissonnière was effectively disarmed and inactive.
When the Germansoccupied Vichy France, she wasscuttled on 27 November 1942 to prevent her capture by the Germans and Italians.[3] The cruiser shared thedrydock withDunkerque, and her captain moved her forward and opened the sea valves so that she would sink and block the gates.
La Galissonnière capsized alongside the heavily damagedStrasbourg
Allocated to the Kingdom of Italy after some political delays, she was subsequently raised by theRegia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) on 3 March 1943, repaired and renamedFR 12.[4] BesidesLa Galissonnière, Italy also obtained two light cruisers, 11 destroyers, 11 escort ships, nine submarines, and 10 minesweepers.[5]
A refit began, but this had not finished at time of theItalian armistice (nearly 60% of the ship was rebuilt). The intention to incorporate the former French ship into theRegia Marina was, however, undermined by Italy's chronic oil fuel shortages.
France
Italy
French Navy
Regia Marina
