 Naïade′ssister shipSirène | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Naïade |
| Namesake | Naiad, a type of female spirit, ornymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies offresh water inGreek mythology |
| Builder | Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire,Saint-Nazaire, France |
| Laid down | 28 November 1923 |
| Launched | 20 October 1925 |
| Commissioned | 6 May 1927 |
| Fate |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Sirène-classsubmarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 64 m (210 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Speed |
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| Range | 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 7.5 kn (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) |
| Complement | 41 |
| Armament |
|
Naïade (Q124) was aFrench NavySirène-classsubmarinecommissioned in 1927. She participated inWorld War II, first on the side of theAllies from 1939 to June 1940, then in the navy ofVichy France. She wasscuttled in November 1942.
TheSirène-class submarines had adisplacement of 609 long tons (619 t) surfaced and 757 long tons (769 t) submerged. They had an endurance of 3,500nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 7.5knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph), with a maximum surface speed of 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph), and a submerged speed of 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph). Their armament was seventorpedo tubes (three forward, two amidships, and two aft) and carried 13torpedoes. As with all French submarines of this period, the midships torpedo tubes were fitted externally in trainable mounts. The submarines had a single75 mm (3 in) and two 8 mm machine guns. Submarines of theSirène class were manned by crews of 41 men.
Laid down atAteliers et Chantiers de la Loire inSaint-Nazaire, France, on 28 November 1923[1] with thepennant number Q124,Naïade waslaunched on 20 October 1925.[1] She ran her officialtrials on 7 June 1926[2] and wascommissioned on 6 May 1927.
In the years beforeWorld War II, three ofNaïade's crewmen disappeared while she was at sea. The first two disappeared on 30 March 1929 and the third on 21 May 1935.[2]
World War II began with the Germaninvasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, and when France entered the war on 3 September,Sirène was a unit of the 19th SubmarineDivision atToulon, France, with the submarinesSirène,Galatée, andArgonaute.[3] With the outbreak of war, the division was placed under the command of themaritime prefect of the 3rd Region.[2][4] French naval forces at Toulon primarily were concerned with opposing Italian forces in the event thatItaly entered the war onGermany's side.
TheBattle of France began when German ground forces advanced into France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg on 10 May 1940. Italy declared war on France on 10 June 1940 andjoined the invasion of France that day. The Battle of France ended in France's defeat andarmistice with Germany and Italy, which went into effect on 25 June 1940 whileNaïade was at Toulon.[2]
After the armistice went into effect,Naïade became part of the naval forces ofVichy France, but was disarmed and placed under guard at Toulon under the terms of the armistice.[2] The 19th Submarine Division was dissolved on 1 September 1940.[3] Its submarines were integrated into the 5thSquadron of the 1stSubmarine Force.[4] Unable get underway when Germany and Italyoccupied theFree Zone (French:Zone libre) of Vichy France on 27 November 1942,Naïade was among the French vesselsscuttled at Toulon to prevent their seizure by Germany when German forces entered Toulon that day.[1][2]
The Germans seizedNaïade and handed her over to the Italians, who refloated her on 13 March 1943.[2] She was sunk in aUnited States Army Air Forces raid on 17 April 1943.[2] The Italians again refloated her on 17 July 1943.[2]
After Italysurrendered to the Allies in September 1943, the Germans took control ofNaïade. She was sunk again in a U.S. Army Air Forces raid on theToulon arsenal on 24 November 1943.[2] At the beginning of December 1943, the Germans decided to scrap her.[2] She was refloated in 1945[2] and subsequently scrapped.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1935 | |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1943 | |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1943 | |
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