French submarine Monge (Q67)

French submarine Monge
History
France
Name: Monge
Namesake: Gaspard Monge
Ordered: 24 August 1905
Builder: Arsenal de Toulon
Laid down: 8 October 1905
Launched: 31 December 1908
Commissioned: 2 August 1910
Fate: Sunk in action, 29 December 1915
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type: Pluviôse-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 404 t (398 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 553 t (544 long tons) (submerged)
Length: 51.12 m (167 ft 9 in) (o/a)
Beam: 4.96 m (16 ft 3 in)
Draft: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) (surfaced)
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (submerged)
Range:
  • 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) (surfaced)
  • 27 nmi (50 km; 31 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) (submerged)
Complement: 2 officers and 23 crewmen
Armament:
  • 1 × twin 450 mm (17.7 in) Drzewiecki drop collar
  • 4 × external 450 mm torpedo launchers (2 × facing forward, 2 × aft)

French submarine Monge (Q67) was a Laubeuf type submarine[1] of the Pluviôse class, built for the French Navy prior to World War I.[2]

Design and construction

Monge was ordered by the French Navy as part of its 1905 programme and was laid down at the Toulon Naval Yard in October of that year. She was launched on 31 December 1908 and commissioned 2 August 1910. Monge was equipped with Du Temple boilers and reciprocating steam engines for surface propulsion, and CGE Nancy electric motors for power while submerged. She carried eight torpedoes, two internally and six externally.[2] Monge was named for Gaspard Monge, the 18th century French mathematician and Minister of Marine.[3]

Service history

At the outbreak of the First World War Monge was part of the French Mediterranean Fleet and sailed with that force to the Adriatic tasked with bringing the Austro-Hungarian Fleet to battle or blockading it in its home ports.

On 29 December 1915, while on patrol off Cattaro, under the command of Lt. Roland Morillot, Monge sighted the cruiser Helgoland and a destroyer escort. She closed to attack, but was spotted and rammed by Helgoland. She surfaced and was abandoned, her commander staying aboard to ensure she sank. For this action Morillot was honoured by having a submarine, the captured German UB-26, renamed after him.[3][4]

Notes

  1. Jane p199
  2. 1 2 Conway p209
  3. 1 2 Castel
  4. Sieche

Bibliography

External links

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