French sloop La Moqueuse

La Moqeuse was an Élan-class minesweeping sloop (Avisos dragueur de mines) built for the French Navy during the late 1930s that served in World War II and the Cold War.

History
France
Name	La Moqeuse
Ordered	26 January 1937
Builder	Arsenal de Lorient
Laid down	26 September 1939
Launched	25 January 1940
Commissioned	24 February 1940
In service	18 June 1940
Stricken	30 October 1965
Fate	Scrapped,
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Élan-class minesweeping sloop
Displacement	895 t (881 long tons) (deep load)
Length	77.5 m (254 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam	8.92 m (29 ft 3 in)
Draught	3.13 m (10 ft 3 in) (deep load)
Installed power	3,430 kW (4,600 bhp)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 diesel engines
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Complement	106 (wartime)
Armament	1 × single 100 mm (3.9 in) gun 1 × quadruple, 2 × twin 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machineguns 1 × depth charge rail, 2 × throwers; 40 depth charges

Description

The Élan class had a (standard displacement) of 630 tonnes (620 long tons) and displaced 895 tonnes (881 long tons) at deep load.^[1] The vessels were 77.5 m (254 ft 3 in) long overall and 73.81 m (242 ft 2 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 8.92 m (29 ft 3 in) and a draught of 3.13 m (10 ft 3 in) at deep load.^[2] They were powered by two Sulzer diesel engines rated at a total of 3,430 kilowatts (4,600 bhp), each driving one propeller shaft which gave them a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a maximum range of 10,000 nmi (18,520 km; 11,508 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).^[3] They were fitted with an auxiliary rudder built into the bow.^[4] The ships had a complement of 88 in peacetime and 106 during wartime.^[5]

The main battery of the Élan class was intended to consist of two 100-millimetre (3.9 in) guns in a single twin-gun mounting on the aft superstructure, but the mount was not yet available and a single 100 mm gun of an unknown type was installed aboard La Moqueuse.^[6][7] Anti-aircraft defense was provided by eight 13.2 mm (0.52 in) Hotchkiss Mle 1929 machineguns. One quadruple mount was positioned forward of the bridge and two twin mounts were located on the forward superstructure between the bridge and the funnel, one on each broadside. The ships were intended to be fitted with a depth charge rack at the stern and four throwers amidships, but shortages of the latter meant that only two throwers were generally carried, one on each side. The Elans initially carried 40 depth charges weighing 100 kg (220 lb) apiece.^[8] The vessels were designed for minesweeping, though never saw service in that capacity.^[1]

Construction and career

La Moqueuse was ordered from the Arsenal de Lorient on 26 January 1937 and was laid down on 26 September 1938. The ship was launched on 25 January 1940 and entered service on 18 June.^[9]