French destroyer Fourche

Fourche was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

History
France
Name: Fourche
Namesake: Pitchfork
Builder: Établissement de la Brosse et Fouché, Nantes
Laid down: 1909
Launched: 21 October 1910
Completed: 1912
Fate: Sunk by U-15, 23 June 1916
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Bouclier-class destroyer
Displacement: 720–756 t (709–744 long tons)
Length: 72.3–78.3 m (237 ft 2 in–256 ft 11 in) (o/a)
Beam: 7.6–8 m (24 ft 11 in–26 ft 3 in)
Draft: 2.9–3.3 m (9 ft 6 in–10 ft 10 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 1,200–1,600 nmi (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph)
Complement: 80–83
Armament:

Design and description

The Bouclier class were designed to a general specification and varied significantly from each other in various ways.[1] Fourche had an overall length of 74–78.3 meters (242 ft 9 in–256 ft 11 in), a beam of 7.6–8 meters (24 ft 11 in–26 ft 3 in), and a draft of 2.9–3.1 meters (9 ft 6 in–10 ft 2 in). Designed to displace 800 metric tons (787 long tons), the ships displaced 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men.[1]

The ships were powered by a pair of Rateau steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The engines were designed to produce 13,000 shaft horsepower (9,700 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). Fourche handily exceed that speed, reaching 32.1 knots (59.4 km/h; 36.9 mph) during her sea trials. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,200–1,600 nautical miles (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at cruising speeds of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph).[2]

The primary armament of the Bouclier-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships.[1]

During World War I, a 45-millimeter (1.8 in) or 75-millimeter (3 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine guns, and eight or ten Guiraud-type depth charges were added to the ships. The extra weight severely overloaded the ships and reduced their operational speed to around 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).[1]

Construction and career

Fourche was ordered from Établissement de la Brosse et Fouché and was launched from its Nantes shipyard on 21 October 1910. The ship was completed in 1912.[3] During World War I, Fourche was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Otranto (40°09′N 18°48′E) by the Austro-Hungarian Navy submarine SM U-15 on 23 June 1916.[4]

References
  1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 203
  2. Couhat, pp. 101, 104
  3. Couhat, p. 104
  4. "Fourche". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 December 2012.

Bibliography
  • Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.

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