| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Argonaute |
| Namesake | A member of theArgonauts, a band of heroes inGreek mythology |
| Builder | Chantiers Schneider et Cie,Chalon-sur-Saône,France |
| Laid down | 19 December 1927 |
| Launched | 23 May 1929 |
| Commissioned | 1 June 1932 |
| Fate | Sunk 8 November 1942 |
| General characteristics[1] | |
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 63.4 m (208 ft) |
| Beam | 6.4 m (21 ft) |
| Draught | 4.24 m (13.9 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 41 |
| Armament |
|
Argonaute (NN6) was anArgonaute-classsubmarine commissioned into service in theFrench Navy in 1932. She saw service inWorld War II, first on the side of theAllies from September 1939 to June 1940, then in the forces ofVichy France. She was sunk in November 1942.
Argonaute was ordered as part of the 1926 program.[2]Laid down byChantiers Schneider et Cie atChalon-sur-Saône,France, on 19 December 1927[2][3] with thepennant number NN6, she waslaunched on 23 May 1929.[2][3] She wascommissioned on 1 June 1932[2][3] atToulon, France.[2]
Argonaute served at the school of navigation from 1939 to 1940.[2] During her service there,World War II began withNazi Germany′sinvasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, and France entered the war on 3 September 1939. TheBattle of France began when German ground forces advanced into France, theNetherlands,Belgium, andLuxembourg on 10 May 1940, andItaly declared war on France on 10 June 1940 andjoined the invasion. The Battle of France ended in France's defeat andarmistice with Germany and Italy, which went into effect on 25 June 1940. On that day,Argonaute was based at Toulon as part of the 19th Submarine Division with the submarinesGalatée,Naïade, andSirène.[2]
After the June 1940armistice,Argonaute served in the naval forces ofVichy France. She was placed under guard in an unarmed and unfueled status in accordance with the terms of the armistice on 17 December 1940.[2]
Argonaute was reactivated in June 1941.[2] By December 1941 she was based atOran inAlgeria as part of the 12th Submarine Division with the submarineDiane.[2]
On 8 November 1942,Allied forces landed inFrench North Africa inOperation Torch. At 02:50 that morning,Argonaute and the 5th Submarine Division submarinesActéon andFresnel received orders tosortie to resist the invasion.[2]Argonaute departed at 03:15.[2] Heading east from Oran, she sighted the Britishaircraft carrierHMS Furious during the afternoon of 8 November.[2] Before she could attackFurious, the BritishdestroyerHMS Achates sighted her at 15:17.[2] EitherAchates[2] or the destroyerHMS Westcott[4] or both[3] sankArgonaute at 15:31 with the loss of her entire crew of 43.[2] A large amount of debris came to the surface after the sinking.[2]
Under French Navy Order No. 146 SC/2 of 9 July 1943, theofficers and crew ofArgonaute received the following citation: "Fully committed to their vessel against vastly superior enemy forces during the events inNorth Africa in November 1942, [they] showed a total spirit of sacrifice, gloriously lost fighting."[2]
By decree of 24 July 1944 (published in theJournal officiel de la République française of 1 August 1944),Argonaute′s finalcommanding officer,Lieutenant de Vaisseau Henri Véron, posthumously was named a Knight of theLegion of Honour.[2] He also posthumously was awarded theCroix de Guerre 1939–1945 with palm.[2]
