Elan-class minesweeping sloop

La Capricieuse
Class overview
Name:	Élan class
Builders:	Arsenal de Lorient Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes Ateliers et Chantiers de Provence, Port-de-Bouc
Operators:	French Navy  Free French Naval Forces  Regia Marina  Kriegsmarine  Royal Navy
Built:	1936–1940
In commission:	1939–1965
Completed:	13
Lost:	4
General characteristics
Displacement:	630 tonnes (620 long tons) or 647 tonnes (637 long tons) standard 890 tonnes (876 long tons) to 900 tonnes (886 long tons) full
Length:	78.30 m (256 ft 11 in) o/a 73.81 m (242 ft 2 in) p/p
Beam:	8.70 m (28 ft 7 in)
Draught:	3.28 m (10 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:	2 × Sulzer diesel engines, 4,600 hp (3,430 kW), 2 shafts
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range:	10,000 nautical miles at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) 5,200 nautical miles at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) 3,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) Fuel capacity: 95 or 105 tonnes
Complement:	88 in peacetime; 104 or 106 at war
Armament:	1 × single M1892 or M1932 100 mm/45 gun or 1 × twin M1926 90 mm/50 guns 1 × quad 13.2 mm/76 AA gun 2 × twin 13.2 mm/76 AA guns 2 depth charge throwers 1 depth charge rack

The Élan class was a class of French minesweeping avisos (Avisos dragueur de mines). Originally designed as minesweepers, they were never used in that role, instead being used mostly as escort vessels. Built between 1936 and 1940, the first came into service just before the outbreak of World War II.

After the fall of France in June 1940, four of the class were in British ports after taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation, and were seized by the British. Three — Commandant Duboc, Commandant Dominé, and La Moqueuse — subsequently served in the Free French Naval Forces (FNFL), while La Capricieuse remained in British service until the end of the war.

The remaining ships remained under the control of Vichy France. Four — Élan, Commandant Delage, La Boudeuse and La Gracieuse — were based in French Morocco. Élan was interned in Turkey from June 1941 until released in December 1944 to serve with the FNFL. The others were captured by the Allies after the invasion of North Africa in November 1942, and were turned over to the FNFL.

Five of the class were based at Toulon. After the German occupation of southern France in November 1942, one ship — Commandant Bory — joined the FNFL. The Commandant Rivière and La Batailleuse were captured by the Germans and transferred to Italy, while two — L'Impétueuse and La Curieuse — were scuttled by their crews, along with the rest of the French Fleet, but later salvaged and also transferred to Italy. One was sunk in Italian service, and after the Italian armistice, the remaining three were taken over by the Germans, and later scuttled.

The nine ships of the class that survived the war remained in French Navy service until scrapped between 1953 and 1963.

Built at the Arsenal de Lorient, the ship was laid down in August 1936, launched on 27 July 1938 and commissioned in 1939. From mid-1940 she was under the control of Vichy France and based in French Morocco. She was interned in Turkey from June 1941 until she was released in December 1944 to serve with Free French Naval Forces (FNFL). She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 26 March 1958, and was then sold and scrapped.

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Wikipedia