Bouclier was the name ship of her class of a dozen destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Bouclier underway
History
France
Name	Bouclier
Namesake	Shield
Builder	Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand, Le Havre
Laid down	1909
Launched	29 June 1911
Completed	1911
Stricken	15 February 1933
General characteristics
Class and type	Bouclier-class destroyer
Displacement	692 t (681 long tons)
Length	72.32 m (237 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam	7.6–8 m (24 ft 11 in – 26 ft 3 in)
Draft	2.9–3.3 m (9 ft 6 in – 10 ft 10 in)
Installed power	4 water-tube boilers 13,000 shp (9,694 kW)
Propulsion	3 shafts; 3 steam turbines
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	1,200–1,600 nmi (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph)
Complement	80–83
Armament	2 × 100 mm (3.9 in) Mle 1893 guns 4 × 65 mm (2.6 in) Mle 1902 guns 2 × twin 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

The Bouclier class were designed to a general specification and varied significantly from each other in various ways.[1] Bouclier was the shortest ship in her class and had an overall length of 72.3 meters (237 ft 2 in), a beam of 7.6–8 meters (24 ft 11 in – 26 ft 3 in), and a draft of 2.9–3.1 meters (9 ft 6 in – 10 ft 2 in). Designed to displace 800 metric tons (787 long tons), Bouclier was also the lightest ship of her class and displaced 692 t (681 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men.[1]

Bouclier was powered by three Parsons direct-drive steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The engines were designed to produce 13,000 shaft horsepower (9,700 kW) which was intended to give the ships a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). Bouclier was the fastest ship of her class, reaching 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph) during her sea trials. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,200–1,600 nautical miles (2,200–3,000 km; 1,400–1,800 mi) at cruising speeds of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph).[2]

The primary armament of the Bouclier-class ships consisted of two 100-millimeter (3.9 in) Modèle 1893 guns in single mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and four 65-millimeter (2.6 in) Modèle 1902 guns distributed amidships. They were also fitted with two twin mounts for 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes amidships.[1]

During World War I, a 45-millimeter (1.8 in) or 75-millimeter (3 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine guns, and eight or ten Guiraud-type depth charges were added to the ships. The extra weight severely overloaded the ships and reduced their operational speed to around 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).[1]

Construction and career

Bouclier was ordered from Chantiers et Ateliers Augustin Normand and was launched from its Le Havre shipyard on 29 June 1911. The ship was completed later that year.[3] On 27 June 1922, Bouclier collided with the battleship Paris at Toulon, France. Both ships suffered severe damage.[4]

Bouclier was stricken on 15 February 1933.[1]

References

Bibliography

• Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.