Minerve-class submarine

Minerve class submarines were a class of submarines built for the French Navy prior to World War II.

The class were based on the French Admiralty 630 series design, but with more power and better armament. The class had six internal 550 mm torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and three 400 mm tubes mounted externally on a moveable triple mount.

Minerve and Junon were seized by the British in July 1940, following the battle of France, and handed over to the Free French Forces in September the same year, and served throughout the war. Minerve was wrecked off Chesil Beach in September 1945, while Junon returned to France and served until 1954.

The other four boats remained under Vichy control until November 1942 when, following the German occupation, Pallas and Céres were scuttled at Oran, and Vénus scuttled at Toulon, while Iris sailed for the neutral port of Cartagena, Spain, and was interned there until after the end of the war. She was returned to France in November 1945, and remained in service until 1950.

Submarines of the class

 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Minerve
 * Built : Arsenal de Cherbourg, Cherbourg
 * Laid down : 17 August 1931
 * Launched : 23 October 1934
 * Commissioned : 15 September 1936
 * Fate : Wrecked, 19 September 1945


 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Junon
 * Built : Chantiers et Ateliers Normand, Le Havre
 * Laid down : 9 June 1932
 * Launched : 15 September 1935
 * Commissioned : 20 September 1937
 * Decommissioned : 6 December 1954
 * Fate : Scrapped, 1960


 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Vénus
 * Built : Chantiers Worms, Rouen
 * Laid down : 27 June 1932
 * Launched : 6 April 1935
 * Commissioned : 15 November 1936
 * Fate : Scuttled at Toulon, 27 November 1942


 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Iris
 * Built : Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes
 * Laid down : 1 July 1932
 * Launched : 23 September 1934
 * Commissioned : 15 September 1936
 * Fate : Struck, 1 February 1950


 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Pallas
 * Built : Chantiers et Ateliers Normand, Le Havre
 * Laid down : 19 October 1936
 * Launched : 25 August 1938
 * Commissioned : 12 June 1939
 * Fate : Scuttled at Oran, 9 November 1942


 * FRENCH SUBMARINE Céres
 * Built : Chantiers Worms, Rouen
 * Laid down : 8 August 1936
 * Launched : 9 December 1938
 * Commissioned : 15 July 1939
 * Fate : Scuttled at Oran, 9 November 1942