History & Modifications
Clemenceau:
Clemenceaus design was modified by the addition of three 6" guns and the removal of the aircraft and
catapults, although the new features were not actually added as she was only about 10% complete in
June 1940 when she was captured by the Germans. She was floated out to clear the dry dock, but was
sunk in an Allied air raid on 27th August 1944.
Gascoigne:
Gascoignes design was highly modified, including the placing of the second 15" turret aft. She
was cancelled before construction began.
Jean Bart:
Jean Bart was nearly 80% complete in June 1940, but managed to escape under her own power to
Casablanca. The forward 15" turret was not operable until late 1942, and the other one not added
until after the war.
In 1942 she was operating with Vichy French forces and was in action during the Operation Torch
landings in North Africa. Three bombs from US aircraft, and five 16" shells from the battleship
Massachusetts caused heavy damage.
Postwar, in 1946, proposals were made to either convert her to an aircraft carrier or complete her
with a single 15" turret. Public opinion persueded the government to complete her fully as her sisters,
albeit with modifications. Sea trials began on 16th January 1949, and she proved capable of making
32kts on 176030shp. She was completed in May 1955 when the armament consisted of 8 x 15" in quad
turrets, 9 x 6" in triple turrets, 24 x 3.9" in twin mountings, 28 x 57mm in twin mountings and 20 x
20mm in single mountings. Surface search and fire control radars were also added. To allow for the
extra weight, torpedo bulges were added, increasing the beam to 116' 3" / 9.20m. The aircraft were
not fitted.
She was with French and British forces during the Suez crisis to provide fire support. In January 1961
and used as an accomodation ship at Toulon until being scrapped in 1970.
Richelieu:
Richelieu was almost complete in June 1940, and was sent to Dakar on the French surrender. On 8th July
1940 she was damaged by a British torpedo, but was repaired in time to oppose the combined British and
Free French assault at Dakar in September 1940.
In 1942 she joined the Allies and went to America for a refit which was completed in October 1943. The
aircraft and catapults were removed, and the 37mm and 13.2mm guns were removed. They were replaced by
56 x 40mm in quad mountings and 48 x 20mm in single mountings.
From 1944 until the end of the war she joined the British Eastern Fleet. In 1956 she was placed in
reserve, and decommissioned in 1959, from when she was used as an accomodation ship at Brest until
being scrapped in 1964.