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Montcalm file photo [17370]

Montcalm

CountryFrance
Ship ClassLa Galissonnière-class Light Cruiser
BuilderSociété Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France
Laid Down15 Nov 1933
Launched26 Oct 1935
Commissioned15 Nov 1937
Decommissioned1 May 1957
Displacement7,600 tons standard; 9,120 tons full
Length587 feet
Beam57 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryFour Indret boilers, Parsons single reduction geared turbines, 2 shafts
Power Output84,000 shaft horsepower
Speed34 knots
Range7,000nm at 12 knots, 6,800nm at 14 knots, 5,500nm at 18 knots, 1,650nm at 34 knots
Crew540
Armament3x3x152mm guns, 4x2x90mm AA guns, 6x4x40mm guns, 2x2x550mm torpedo tubes
Armor105mm main belt, 30mm end bulkheads, 120mm sides, 38mm deck, 100mm turrets, 95mm tower
AircraftFour GL-832 aircraft, later two 130 aircraft
Catapult1

Contributor:

ww2dbaseCommissioned into service in Nov 1937, cruiser Montcalm was initially based in Brest, France, then briefly transferred to Saigon, French Indochina, and finally returning to the French Atlantic Fleet in mid-1938. In Jul 1938, she hosted King George VI of the United Kingdom. In 1939, she participated in the World's Fair in New York, New York, United States. When the European War broke out in Sep 1939, she patrolled the Atlantic Ocean and escorted French merchant ships. In Apr 1940, she became the flagship of the French Scandinavian Force, and shortly after assisted in the evacuation of British and French troops from Norway. Between May and Sep 1940, she made port calls at Algiers, French Algeria; Toulon, France; and Dakar, French West Africa. On Sep 18, sailing with two other French cruisers, she departed Dakar for Libreville, but the force was intercepted by Allied warships (mostly British warships, with one Australian cruiser); Montcalm was able to disengage and returned to Dakar to help defend the port. In Apr 1941, she sortied to recapture the French transport ship Fort de France. In Nov 1942, as French forces in North Africa joined the Allies, Montcalm, too, switched sides. She was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for refitting, which lasted from Feb to Aug 1943, and then performed patrolled out of Dakar. In Jun 1944, she provided naval support to the Allied invasions of Normandie and Côte d'Azur (French Riviera) in France. Her final action in WW2 saw her bombarding German positions along the French southern coast in Mar 1945. After the war, she remained in service with the French Navy and saw at least one tour of duty off French Indochina. She was placed in reserve in 1957. In 1959, she was towed to Toulon to serve as an accommodation hulk for the submarine school. She was scrapped in 1970.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: May 2013

Light Cruiser Montcalm Interactive Map

Photographs

French cruisers Georges Leygues, La Galissonnière, and Montcalm, 1942; seen in US Navy publication ONI 203

Montcalm Operational Timeline

15 Nov 1933 The keel of Montcalm was laid down by Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée at La Seyne-sur-Mer, France.
26 Oct 1935 Montcalm was launched at La Seyne-sur-Mer, France.
15 Nov 1937 Montcalm was commissioned into service.
9 Sep 1940 Montcalm departed Toulon, France.
14 Sep 1940 Montcalm arrived at Dakar, French West Africa.
18 Sep 1940 Montcalm departed Dakar, French West Africa.
18 Sep 1940 HMS Cumberland deployed in pursuit of French warships Gloire, Georges Leygues and Montcalm with HM Australian Cruiser Australia (Note: These ships sailed from Dakar without detection. French ships were later intercepted by HM Cruisers Cornwall and Delhi. The cruiser Gloire was persuaded to go into Casablanca but the other ships went back to Dakar).
1 May 1957 Montcalm was decommissioned from service.
31 Dec 1969 Montcalm was renamed Q457 in preparation for scrapping.




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More on Montcalm
Event(s) Participated:
» British Attacks on the French Fleet
» Normandy Campaign, Phase 1
» Invasion of Southern France

Light Cruiser Montcalm Photo Gallery
French cruisers Georges Leygues, La Galissonnière, and Montcalm, 1942; seen in US Navy publication ONI 203


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