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Fourche was one of a dozen Bouclier-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Sister ship Bouclier underway
History
France
Name	Fourche
Namesake	Pitchfork
Builder	Établissement de la Brosse et Fouché, Nantes
Laid down	1909
Launched	21 October 1910
Completed	1912
Fate	Sunk by U-15, 23 June 1916
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Bouclier-class destroyer
Displacement	720–756 t (709–744 long tons)
Length	72.3–78.3 m (237 ft 2 in – 256 ft 11 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	2 shafts; 2 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] Fourche had an overall length of 74–78.3 meters (242 ft 9 in – 256 ft 11 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), the ships displaced 720–756 t (709–744 long tons) at normal load. Their crew numbered 80–83 men.[1]

The ships were powered by a pair of Rateau 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). Fourche handily exceed that speed, reaching 32.1 knots (59.4 km/h; 36.9 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

Fourche was ordered from Établissement de la Brosse et Fouché and was launched from its Nantes shipyard on 21 October 1910. The ship was completed in 1912.[3] During World War I, Fourche was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Otranto (40°09′N 18°48′E) by the Austro-Hungarian Navy submarine SM U-15 on 23 June 1916.[4]

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.

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