Georges Leygues 1936

[john sefton]

GEORGES LEYGUES. Light Cruiser. French Navy. Built by A C de St Nazaire. Penhoet. Laid down 1933. Launched 24th March 1936. Completed 4th December 1937. Displacement 7600tn(stand) 8214tn(normal) 9100tn(full load) L564'3"pp. 588' 11 " (oa) B57'4". D17'7". 2 shaft Parsons general turbines. 4 Indirect boilers. 8400shp. 3kn. Main Armament Nine 6"/50 Mod 30 (3x3) Eight 3.5"/50 AA (4x2) Eight 37mm AA (4x2) Twelve 13.2mm AA. Four 21.7" TT (2x2) Carries 4 Aircraft. Complement 540(peace) 764(war). In 1940 she was stationed in the Mediterranean. To prevent the aborted coup of De Gaulle. In September she fought against the combined British (RESOLUTION) and Free French Fleet. In September 1943 she came with other French Navy ships stationed in Africa, Alexandria and the Antilles, under the Command of Admiral Lemonniet in Algiers, under the name of FMA (Marine Force Africa) which was joined but not amalgamated with FNFL (Free French Naval Forces of De Gaulle). Renamed FNGB (French Naval Forces Great Britain). She was Modernised in the US (Asdic - AA) Employed in patrol in the Atlantic (she sank the German ship PORTLAND) and then in the landings in Corsica and Italy. In April 1945, with her sister ship MONTCALM she sailed from Oran to Scapa Flow under the Command of Admiral Jaujard and became part of the Western Task Force, USA Zone with USS ARKANSAS. On 6th June 1945 she was stationed about 7 miles off Port en Bessin and shelled the off-shore defences, then German troops and tank concentrations until 10th June. In July 1945 she was sent to the Mediterranean, taking part in Operations Anvil/Dragon (landing in Provence) In 1956 she took part in the Suez operations. Taken out of service in 1957 - Gambia 1994. 2d. SG1852 (Andre Beaudel. LB25/19. T Broadley)