French destroyer Surcouf
Surcouf was a of the French Navy. She was the fourth French ship named in honour of privateer and slave trader Robert Surcouf.
Design and construction
Laid down in February 1951 at Lorient and launched in October 1953, Surcouf was commissioned into the French Navy in 1955. She was the first of twelve T 47-class destroyers. With a standard displacement of 2,750 tons and a length of, the ship had a beam of and a draught of. Her armament consisted of six guns which were mounted in three twin turrets, six guns in twin mounts and four single-mounted guns. There were four banks of three torpedo tubes, capable of launching both anti-submarine homing and anti-ship torpedoes. Surcouf had two shafts, geared turbines, and four boilers, which were capable of producing and a top speed of . At, Surcouf had a range of. The ship had a complement of 347 personnel.Major modification
In the early 1960s, Surcouf was converted to a command ship to become a flotilla leader. In order to install an operations centre and housings for an admiral and his staff, the forward 57 mm mount was removed and the two aft torpedo platforms were removed so that housing quarters could be constructed. The overhaul was conducted at the arsenal of Brest between 11 June 1960 and 4 October 1961.Operational service
Following her commissioning in November 1955, Surcouf homeport was Toulon, being assigned to the First Destroyers Flotilla, at the head of the Fourth Destroyer Division. In 1956 she alternated between naval exercises and Algerian coastal surveillance. From October to December Surcouf took part in Operation Musketeer during the Suez Crisis.On 10 April 1959 her assignment and homeport were changed. Surcouf was attached to the Tenth Destroyer Division of the Light Fleet based at Brest. On 26 March 1960, Surcouf was involved in a collision with the cargo ship Léognan off Groix, suffering significant damage but no loss of life.
After her conversion into a flotilla leader Surcouf was assigned to the main fleet, based at Toulon, where she was the flagship of the admiral commanding the 1st FEE.
In March 1962, during the Battle of Bab El Oued, Surcouf was sent to shell the OAS-held Bab el-Oued quarter of Algiers along with her sister ship. After suggestions from the naval command, the bombardment was called off as impractical. The destroyers kept their station close to the shore as a deterrent. Along with three other destroyers, both vessels ferried troops to Algiers on 2 March to counter the OAS rebellion.