Preceded by Argonaute-class Built 1931–1938 | Succeeded by Aurore-class | |
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Name Minerve-class submarines Builders Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes
Arsenal de Cherbourg, Cherbourg
Chantiers Worms, Rouen
Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre Operators French Navy
Free French Naval Forces | ||
Minerve-class submarines were a class of submarine built for the French Navy prior to World War II.
The class were based on the French Admiralty 630 series design, but with more power and better armament. The class had six internal 550 mm torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and three 400 mm tubes mounted externally on a moveable triple mount.
Minerve and Junon were seized by the British in July 1940, following the battle of France, and handed over to the Free French Forces in September the same year, and served throughout the war. Minerve was wrecked off Chesil Beach in September 1945, while Junon returned to France and served until 1954.
The other four boats remained under Vichy control until November 1942 when, following the German occupation, Pallas and Céres were scuttled at Oran, and Vénus scuttled at Toulon, while Iris sailed for the neutral port of Cartagena, Spain, and was interned there until after the end of the war. She was returned to France in November 1945, and remained in service until 1950.