| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Oréade |
| Namesake | Oread, a mountainnymph inGreek mythology |
| Operator | French Navy |
| Builder | Ateliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime,Le Trait, France |
| Laid down | 15 August 1929 |
| Launched | 23 May 1932 |
| Commissioned | 15 December 1933 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Diane-classsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 64.4 m (211 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) |
| Draft | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 80 metres (262 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 38 men |
| Armament |
|
Oréade (Q164) was aFrench NavyDiane-classsubmarinecommissioned in 1933. DuringWorld War II, she operated on theAllied side until 1940, when she became part of the naval forces ofVichy France. She was sunk in November 1942.
Construction ofOréade began on 18 December 1928,[1] and herkeel waslaid down atAteliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime inLe Trait,France, on 15 August 1929.[1] She waslaunched on 23 May 1932.[1] Afterfitting out, she wascommissioned fortrials on 15 August 1932.[1] Her official trials began on 2 December 1932,[1] and her final equipping and armament took place atCherbourg, France,[1] from 1 October to 10 November 1933.[1] She was placed in full commission on 15 December 1933.[1]
On 28 November 1934, the submarineEurydice got underway from Cherbourg to conduct exercises withOréade andOréade′ssister shipOrphée.[2]
When World War II began on 1 September 1939 with the Germaninvasion of Poland,Oréade was part of the 18th SubmarineDivision — a part of the 2nd SubmarineSquadron in the 6th Squadron — along with hersister shipsAmphitrite,Méduse, andLa Psyché, based atOran inAlgeria.[1] France entered the war on the side of theAllies on 3 September 1939.Oréade subsequently patrolled in theAtlantic Ocean in the vicinity of theCanary Islands.[1] She underwent a refit at Oran in December 1939.[1]
German ground forces advanced into France on 10 May 1940, beginning theBattle of France, andItaly declared war on France on 10 June 1940 andjoined the invasion. The Battle of France ended in France's defeat and anarmistice with Germany and Italy on 22 June 1940. When the armistice went into effect on 25 June 1940,Oréade still was based at Oran.[1]
After France′s surrender,Oréade served in the naval forces ofVichy France. In the succeeding months she spent time atBizerte inTunisia in August 1940;Toulon, France, in October 1940;Casablanca inFrench Morocco in December 1940; andDakar inSenegal in February 1941. During July 1941, she visited firstAgadir and then Casablanca in French Morocco.[1]
In January 1942Oréade conducted defensive patrols off ports in French Morocco,[1] and during the month she spent 7 to 19 January atSafi, French Morocco, withLa Psyché.[1] The two submarines visitedPort Lyautey, French Morocco, from 13 to 17 February 1942.[1]
Oréade was disarmed at Casablanca in March 1942[1] in accordance with the terms of the 1940 armistice. She returned to active service in September 1942.[1] Still part of the 18th Submarine Division, she got underway from Oran on 30 October 1942 bound for Casablanca.[1]
WhenOperation Torch, the Allied invasion ofFrench North Africa, began on the morning of 8 November 1942,Oréade was moored at Casablanca.[1] TheNaval Battle of Casablanca began that morning, andbomb-armedUnited States NavyTBF Avengertorpedo bombers from theaircraft carrierUSS Ranger (CV-4) and theescort carrierUSS Suwannee (CVE-27) attacked the harbor at 07:10.[1] After taking bomb damage,Oréadecapsized and sank, suffering four dead and six wounded.[1] Hercommanding officer was among the wounded, and he died of his wounds later in the day, raisingOréade's death toll to five.[1]
Hostilities between Allied and French forces in French North Africa ceased on 11 November 1942, and French forces inAfrica subsequently joined the Allies as part of the forces ofFree France.Oréade was refloated on 10 June 1943[1] and placed in "specialreserve" on 29 September 1943 at Casablanca.[1] She was condemned on 26 March 1946.[1]
