 Model ofAfricaine,sister ship ofCréole. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Aurore |
| Namesake | Aurora, the goddess ofdawn inRoman mythology |
| Builder | Arsenal de Toulon,Toulon, France |
| Laid down | 1 September 1936 |
| Launched | 26 July 1939 |
| Commissioned | 20 June 1940 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Aurore-classsubmarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 73.5 m (241 ft 2 in) |
| Beam | 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 100 m (328 ft) |
| Armament |
|
Aurore (Q192) was aFrench Navysubmarine, thelead ship of theAurore-class.[1] She served in the naval forces ofVichy France during the early years of World War II and wasscuttled in November 1942.
Laid down at theArsenal de Toulon inToulon,France, on 1 September 1936,[2]Aurore waslaunched on 26 July 1939.[2] She was stillfitting out whenWorld War II began with the Germaninvasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. She made her first static dive at the beginning of 1940,[2] then commencedsea trials,[2] with final equipment testing scheduled for 15 July 1940.[2]
Meanwhile, theBattle of France began with the German invasion of France on 10 May 1940, andItalyjoined the invasion on 10 June 1940. With theAllied defense of France collapsing,Aurore and the submarinesAréthuse,Argonaute,Atalante,L'Espoir,Iris,Naïade,La Sultane, andLa Vestale received orders on 18 June 1940 to get underway forFrench North Africa, but all of them remained at Toulon.[2]Aurore′s crew scrounged equipment — at one point hercommanding officer sent fourquartermasters toParis in a search for equipmentAurore needed — and on 20 June 1940 she was ready for sea and wasplaced in commission.[2] On 22 June 1940, however, France concluded anarmistice with Germany and Italy, and when it went into effect on 25 June 1940,Aurore still was at Toulon.[2]
After the armistice,Aurore became part of the naval forces ofVichy France. She continued equipment tests and training until 21 October 1940, when she was placed under guard in an unarmed and unfueled condition under the terms of the armistice, but permitted by the Italian Armistice Commission to maintain readiness to get underway on one week's notice.[2]
On 5 November 1940, the Italian Armistice Commission authorizedAurore and the submarineArchimède to transfer toDakar inSenegal to relieve the submarinesAjax andPersée there.[2]Aurore andArchimède were assigned along withAréthuse,La Sultane, andLa Vestale to the 1st Relief Submarine Group, and the five submarines departed Toulon on 17 December 1940 bound forOran inAlgeria under escort by thesloopCommandant Bory.[2] They arrived at Oran on 19 December 1940.[2]
Aréthuse,La Sultane, andLa Vestale remained at Oran, butAurore andArchimède continued their voyage, departing Oran under escort by thedestroyerAlbatros, passing through theStrait of Gibraltar and arriving atCasablanca inFrench Morocco, where they spentChristmas 1940.[2] Under escort by the destroyersL'Alcyon andSimoun,Aurore andArchimède then completed the final leg of their voyage, arriving at Dakar on 31 December 1940.[2]
At beginning of 1941,Aurore andArchimède were assigned along with six other submarines to the 2nd Section of the 2ndDivision of theFrench West Africa Submarine Group.[2] The submarine group conducted numerous training excursions and engaged in surveillance operations.[2]
On 25 January 1941,Aurore got underway from Dakar in company with the submarineCasabianca bound forConakry inFrench Guinea, a territory of French West Africa, arriving there on 27 January 1941.[2] They remained at Conakry until 17 February 1941, when they began their return voyage.[2] They arrived at Dakar on 20 February 1941.[2]
On 9 May 1941,Aurore departed Dakar in company withArchimède bound for Casablanca, where they arrived on 13 May 1941.[2]Aurore departed Casablanca with the submarineSidi Ferruch on 28 May 1941 to head forAgadir, French Morocco.[2]Aurore spent 22 to 30 July 1941 inSafi, French Morocco.[2] She underwent a refit from 8 to 20 October 1941.[2]
Aurore was assigned to the 4th Submarine Division along withLe Conquérant andLe Tonnant, and the three submarines arrived at Dakar on 18 November 1941.[2]Aurore later returned to Casablanca for repairs, which were accelerated in May 1942.[2] She rejoined her division at Dakar on 14 June 1942.[2] By 1 November 1942 she was in Toulon.[2]
Aurore was moored at Dock No. 2 of the Vauban Docks at Toulon when Germany and Italyoccupied theFree Zone (French:Zone libre) of Vichy France on 27 November 1942.[2] She was among the French vesselsscuttled at Toulon to prevent their seizure by Germany when German forces entered Toulon that day.[2]
Aurore′s wreck was refloated on 5 December 1942.[2] The Germans handed it over to French maritime authorities on 20 May 1944.[2] After World War II, it was scrapped in 1946.
