Chevalier Paulmoored to abuoy, about 1934
History
France
Name	Chevalier Paul
Namesake	Chevalier Paul
Ordered	1 February 1930
Builder	Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée,La Seyne-sur-Mer
Cost	56,500,000 Francs
Laid down	28 February 1931
Launched	21 March 1932
Completed	20 July 1934
In service	24 August 1934
Fate	Sunk by aircraft, 16 June 1941
General characteristics
Class & type	Vauquelin-classdestroyer
Displacement	2,441 t (2,402long tons) (standard) 3,120 t (3,070 long tons) (deep load)
Length	129.3 m (424 ft 3 in)
Beam	11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)
Draft	4.97 m (16 ft 4 in)
Installed power	4du Temple boilers 64,000 PS (47,000 kW; 63,000 shp)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 gearedsteam turbines
Speed	36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Crew	12 officers, 224 crewmen (wartime)
Armament	5 × single138.6 mm (5.5 in) guns 4 × single37 mm (1.5 in)anti-aircraft guns 2 × twin13.2 mm (0.52 in)anti-aircraft machineguns 1 × triple, 2 × twin 550 mm (21.7 in)torpedo tubes 2 chutes and 2 throwers for 36depth charges 40mines

Chevalier Paul was one of sixVauquelin-class large destroyers (contre-torpilleurs) built for theFrench Navy (Marine Nationale) during the 1930s. The ship entered service in 1934 and spent most of her career in the Mediterranean. During theSpanish Civil War of 1936–1939, she was one of the ships that helped to enforce thenon-intervention agreement. When France declared war on Germany in September 1939, all of theVauquelins were assigned to the High Sea Forces (Forces de haute mer (FHM)) which was tasked to escort French convoys and support the other commands as needed.Chevalier Paul was briefly deployed to Scotland in early 1940 to support theAllied forces in theNorwegian Campaign, but returned to the Mediterranean in time to participate inOperation Vado, a bombardment of Italian coastal facilities after Italy entered the war in June.

The ship was assigned to theVichy French FHM when it was reformed after theArmistice of 22 June 1940. She attempted to ferry ammunition toFrench Lebanon after it was invaded by the Allied forces in June 1941, but was sunk off the coast ofFrench Syria by British aircraft with almost all of her crew surviving.

TheVauquelin-class ships were designed as improved versions of the precedingAigle-class destroyers. They had anoverall length of 129.3 meters (424 ft 3 in), abeam of 11.8 meters (38 ft 9 in),^[1] and adraft of 4.97 meters (16 ft 4 in). The ships displaced 2,441metric tons (2,402long tons) atstandard^[2] and 3,120 metric tons (3,070 long tons) atdeep load. They were powered by two gearedsteam turbines, each driving onepropeller shaft, using steam provided by fourdu Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 64,000metric horsepower (47,000 kW; 63,000 shp), which would propel the ships at 36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). During hersea trials on 3 March 1934,Chevalier Paul'sParsons turbines provided 70,575 PS (51,908 kW; 69,610 shp) and she reached 39.1 knots (72.4 km/h; 45.0 mph) for a single hour. The ships carried enoughfuel oil to give them a range of 3,000nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). Their crew consisted of 10 officers and 201 crewmen in peacetime and 12 officers and 220 enlisted men in wartime.^[3]

The main armament of theVauquelin-class ships consisted of five138.6-millimeter (5.5 in) Modèle 1927 guns in singleshielded mounts, onesuperfiring pair fore and aft of thesuperstructure and the fifth gunabaft the aftfunnel. Theiranti-aircraft armament consisted of four37-millimeter (1.5 in) Modèle 1927 guns in single mounts positionedamidships and two twin mounts for13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) Hotchkiss Modèle 1929anti-aircraft machine guns on theforecastle deck abreast thebridge. The ships carried two above-water twin mounts for 550-millimeter (21.7 in)torpedo tubes, one pair on eachbroadside between the pairs of funnels as well as one triple mount aft of the rear pair of funnels. A pair ofdepth charge chutes were built into their stern; these housed a total of sixteen 200-kilogram (440 lb) depth charges, with eight more in reserve. They were also fitted with a pair of depth-charge throwers, one on each broadside abreast the aft funnels, for which they carried a dozen 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges. The ships could be fitted with rails to drop 40 Breguet B4 530-kilogram (1,170 lb)mines.^[4]

The depth-charge throwers were removed in 1936 and more 200-kilogram depth charges were carried in their place. The Navy reconsidered its anti-submarine warfare tactics after the war began in September and intended to reinstate the depth-charge throwers, although these were an older model than the one previously installed;Chevalier Paul had not received hers before her loss. As an interim measure, a pair of rails were installed on the stern for 35-kilogram (77 lb) depth charges. Each rail could accommodate three depth charges and ten more were stored in themagazine. During the ship's late 1940–early 1941 anti-aircraft refit, the mainmast was replaced by a platform for a single 37-millimeter twin-gun mount and two of her single 37-millimeter mounts were transferred to the platform while the other two single mounts were removed. The Hotchkiss machine guns were repositioned in front of the bridge and a pair ofBrowning 13.2-millimeter AA machine guns were installed on new platforms between the funnels. Her aft torpedo mount was removed to compensate for the additional weight.Chevalier Paul was scheduled to receive a British Alpha 128ASDIC system, but was sunk before it could be installed.^[5][6]

Chevalier Paul, named afterChevalier Paul, was ordered on 1 February 1930 fromForges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée as part of the 1929 Naval Program, at a cost of 56 millions ofFrancs.^[7] She waslaid down at theirLa Seyne-sur-Mershipyard on 28 February 1931,launched on 21 March 1932,commissioned on 1 June 1934 and entered service on 24 August 1934. Her entry into service was delayed when one of hergearboxes was transferred to the destroyerAigle.^[8]

When theVauquelins entered service they were assigned to the 5th and the newly formed 6th Light Divisions (Division légère (DL)) which were later redesignated as scout divisions (Division de contre-torpilleurs).Chevalier Paul and hersister shipsTartu andCassard were assigned to the 5th DL of the group of large destroyers (Groupe de contre-torpilleurs (GCT) of the 3rd Squadron (3^e Escadre), based inToulon. On 27 June 1935, all of theVauquelins, exceptCassard, participated in anaval review conducted by theNavy Minister (Ministre de la Marine)François Piétri in theBaie de Douarnenez after combined maneuvers by the 1st and 2nd Squadrons.^[9]

After the start of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, thecontre-torpilleurs and destroyers in the Mediterranean were assigned to assist French citizens in Spain and to patrol the surveillance zones assigned to France on a monthly rotation beginning on 24 September as part of the non-intervention agreement. The GCT reverted to its previous designation of the 3rd Light Squadron on 15 September. As of 1 October 1936Chevalier Paul,Tartu andVauquelin were assigned to the 5th Light Division whileKersaint,Maillé Brézé andCassard belonged to the 9th, both of which were assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. In May–June 1938 the Mediterranean Squadron cruised theEastern Mediterranean; the squadron was redesignated at the Mediterranean Fleet (Flotte de la Méditerranée) on 1 July 1939.^[10]

On 27 August 1939, in anticipation of war withNazi Germany, the French Navy planned to reorganize the Mediterranean Fleet into the FHM of three squadrons. When France declared war on 3 September, the reorganization was ordered and the 3rd Light Squadron, which included the 5th and 9th Scout Divisions with all of theVauquelin-class ships, was assigned to the 3rd Squadron which was transferred toOran,French Algeria, on 3 September. On 5 April 1940, the 5th Scout Division withChevalier Paul,Tartu andMaillé Brézé was assigned to Force Z in anticipation of an Allied invasion of Norway; their mission was to escort convoys between Scotland and Norway. TheGerman invasion on 9 April preempted the Allies andChevalier Paul did not begin her escort duties until mid-April when she covered Convoy FP-1 transporting the 5th Demi-Brigade of Mountain Infantry (5^e Demi-Brigade de Chasseurs alpins) to participate in theNamsos Campaign on 19 April. On 24–27 April, the ship escorted Convoy FP-2 conveying the 27th Demi-Brigade of Mountain Infantry toHarstad, Norway, to join theBattle of Narvik. On 3–4 May she joinedTartu, the destroyerMilan and the British destroyersHMS Sikh andHMS Tartar in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept a German convoy. The 5th Scout Division returned to Toulon on 27 May in anticipation of the Italians joining the war as the Mediterranean Fleet was prepared to attack them. After they declared war on 10 June, the fleet planned to bombard installations on the Italian coast.Chevalier Paul and the rest of the 5th Scout Division were among the ships ordered to attack targets inVado Ligure on 14 June. The destroyer was tasked to bombard the Petroleaoil tanks. Two ItalianMAS boats on patrol attempted to attack the French ships, but only one was able to launch a torpedo before they were driven off with light damage by the French defensive fire. Damage assessments afterward revealed that little damage had been inflicted despite expending over 1,600 rounds of all calibers.^[11]

TheVichy French government reestablished the FHM on 25 September after it negotiated rules limiting the force's activities and numbers with theItalian andGerman Armistice Commissions.Chevalier Paul,Tartu andVauquelin were assigned to the FHM on 15 November. After the Allies invaded Lebanon and Syria on 8 June 1941, AdmiralFrançois Darlan,Minister of War and National Defense in the Vichy government, orderedChevalier Paul to carry ammunition for the French ships inBeirut, French Lebanon, departing on 11 June. He had requested permission from the Germans and Italians to do so via radio message which theBritish decoded and alerted them to the ship's mission and route. She passed theGreek island ofKastellorizo on 15 June and hugged the coast ofTurkey to try to avoid detection or interception by British forces onCyprus, but a British reconnaissance aircraft found her at 18:15 on 15 June. SixFleet Air ArmFairey Swordfishtorpedo bombers of815 Naval Air Squadron attacked her 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) off the Syrian coast at 03:00 the next morning andtorpedoed her at the cost of one Swordfish shot down.^[12]

Chevalier Paul radioed for help, and the Vichy French destroyersValmy andGuépard departed Beirut an hour later to come to her aid, but were almost immediately intercepted by theNew Zealandlight cruiserLeander and the destroyersHMS Jervis andHMS Kimberley and forced to retire to Beirut. After French aircraft drove off the Allied ships,Valmy andGuépard again set out to assistChevalier Paul, but they were too late, the ship sank at 06:45 off the coast of Syria.Valmy andGuépard rescued all of her crew, except seven missing men, and the crew of the downed Swordfish.^[13]

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015).French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing.ISBN 978-1-84832-198-4.
• O'Hara, Vincent (2009).Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 978-1-59114-648-3.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005).Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988).Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
• Lassaque, Jean (2000).Les contre-torpilleurs de 2700 tonnes du type « Vauquelin » : 1931-1942 (in French). Nantes: Marines.ISBN 978-2-909675-57-2.OCLC 52812635.

• Vauquelin-class destroyers
• 1932 ships
• Ships built in France
• Maritime incidents in June 1941
• World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea
• Ships sunk by British aircraft
• Destroyers sunk by aircraft

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