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96-516: Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez ( French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ batist filibɛʁ wilome] ; 7 August 1763 – 17 May 1845) was a French Navy officer and nobleman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . Willaumez joined the French navy at the age of 14, and proved to be a competent sailor. Having risen to the rank of pilot , he started studying navigation, attracting

192-521: A British squadron and forced to beach herself to avoid capture; Éole and Valeureuse had been sold for scrap in Annapolis; Vétéran had found an unlikely shelter in Concarneau, normally far too shallow to harbour a ship of the line, where she was blockaded; Patriote later reached Brest, and Cassard , Lorient. The damage to British shipping was evaluated to 12 to 15 million francs. In May 1808, Willaumez

288-453: A British squadron comprising five ships of the line and seven frigates and corvettes, which sailed away with the advantage of the wind. He was then informed of the arrival of a squadron under Admiral Warren , and another under Admiral Strachan ; without marines to attack British colonies in the Caribbean and reckoning that no convoy would depart for Europe as long as he would be known to lurk in

384-644: A course to intercept. At eight, the 74-gun HMS Hercules came in range, hoisted the British flag, prompting Poursuivante to hoist the French colours, and opened fire at nine. After two hours of mutual cannonade, the ships were close to shore and at eleven, the wind fell, favouring the shallower and more manoeuvrable frigate, which quickly came in position to rake Hercule and delivered a devastating broadside at her stern. The damage and confusion on Hercule were such that, probably fearing to run aground, she effectively dropped out of action, allowing Poursuivante to reach

480-448: A critical role in establishing and securing the French colonial empire for over 400 years. The French Navy pioneered several innovations in naval technology, including the first steam-powered ship of the line , first seagoing ironclad warship , first mechanically propelled submarine , first steel-hulled warship, and first armoured cruiser . The French Navy consists of six main components:

576-758: A decade long, followed by the War of the Austrian Succession in the 1740s. Principal engagements of these wars include the Battle of Vigo Bay and two separate Battles of Cape Finisterre in 1747. The most grueling conflict for the Navy, however, was the Seven Years' War , in which it was virtually destroyed. Significant actions include the Battle of Cap-Français , the Battle of Quiberon Bay , and another Battle of Cape Finisterre . The Navy regrouped and rebuilt, and within 15 years it

672-620: A fleet of offshore and coastal patrol vessels, mine countermeasures vessels as well as auxiliaries and support ships. The French Naval Aviation is officially known as the Aéronautique navale and was created on the 19 June 1998 with the merging of Naval patrol aircraft and aircraft carrier squadrons. It has a strength of around 6,800 civilian and military personnel operating from four airbases in Metropolitan France. The Aéronavale has been modernized with 40 Rafale fighters which operate from

768-611: A four-month stay in Havana, Willaumez departed for Chesapeake Bay to rejoin Patriote , Éole and Valeureuse , which had taken refuge there after the hurricane. Adverse weather prevented him, and Willaumez instead sailed back to France, arriving in Brest in February 1807. The division had returned dispersed and lost several ships: Impétueux had managed to build a jury rudder, but had been intercepted by

864-912: A fourth Battle of Ushant (known in English as the Glorious First of June ), the Battle of Groix , the Atlantic campaign of May 1794 , the French expedition to Ireland , the Battle of Tory Island , and the Battle of the Nile . Other engagements of the Revolutionary Wars ensued in the early 1800s, including the Battle of the Malta Convoy and the Algeciras Campaign . The Quasi-War wound down with single-ship actions including USS Constellation vs La Vengeance and USS Enterprise vs Flambeau . When Napoleon

960-474: A gust of wind that broke her tops. Willaumez nevertheless pursued and safely reached Rochefort, despite a British division blockading Quiberon and another anchored at Basque Roads . In March 1805, Willaumez had been promoted to Rear-Admiral, and he took command of the light squadron of the Naval Army in Brest, under Vice-Admiral Ganteaume . Willaumez set is flag on the 74-gun Alexandre . During one sortie of

1056-518: A maritime force of patrol boats that falls under the operational command of the French Navy: During most of the Cold War, the Navy was organised in two squadrons based in Brest and Toulon, commanded by ALESCLANT ( Amiral commandant l'escadre de l'Atlantique ) and ALESCMED ( Amiral commandant l'escadre de la Méditerranée ) respectively. Since the post-Cold War restructuring process named Optimar '95,

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1152-502: A number of raids against the Haitian revolutionaries. On 27 June 1803, Poursuivante departed Les Cayes , bound for Cap-Haïtien , in the company of the sixteen-gun corvette Mignonne , under Jean Pierre Bargeau. In the early morning of 28 June 1803, Poursuivante spotted a large convoy of about fifty ships, with three ships of the line for escort; they were the 74-gun HMS Hercules , Cumberland and Goliath , which detached and set

1248-538: A rapid pace that it was superfluous. Isolated engagements between French and German ships took place in other theaters, but the war was over in a matter of weeks. The Navy continued to protect colonial safety and expansion under the French Third Republic . The Sino-French War saw considerable naval action including the Battle of Fuzhou , the Battle of Shipu , and the Pescadores Campaign . In Vietnam,

1344-483: A while in the hope that the convoy might still be yet to come, but in the night of 19 to 20 August, his fleet sustained a hurricane that damaged most of the ships. Foudroyant , having lost both her rudder and her masts, managed to limp back to Havana on jury rigging, but was intercepted and attacked by HMS Anson ; as she had retained her full firepower, Foudroyant drove her opponent away within half an hour despite her lack of manoeuvrability, and entered harbour. After

1440-484: A wide range of fighting vessels, including various aeronaval forces, attack and ballistic missile submarines , frigates , patrol boats and support ships, with aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle serving as the centerpiece of most expeditionary forces. The history of French naval power dates back to the Middle Ages , and had three loci of evolution: The first true French Royal Navy ( French : la Marine Royale )

1536-536: The Durance class are being replaced under the FLOTLOG project by up to four derivatives of Italy's Vulcano -class logistic support ship , with three being delivered from 2023 to 2027. A fourth potential ship is delayed until after 2030. Construction has started on the first of six Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarines ; commissioning of Suffren took place in 2020. These nuclear attack submarines are to be followed in

1632-546: The Georges Leygues class , but plans to buy a possible seventeen FREMMs were cut back to eleven and then to eight. The cancellation of the third and fourth Horizon destroyers meant that the last two FREMM hulls, which entered service between 2021 and 2023, are fitted out as FREDA air-defence ships to replace the Cassard class . DCNS has shown a FREMM-ER concept to meet this requirement, emphasising ballistic missile defence with

1728-500: The 2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security . The French Navy operates three amphibious assault ships , ten air defence and anti-submarine frigates , five general purpose frigates and has a commitment to six fleet submarines (SSNs). These vessels, with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle , constitute the French Navy's main ocean-going war-fighting force, while the four ballistic missile submarines ( SSBN ) of

1824-541: The 9th parallel south ; however, this tactic yielded disappointing results, and Willaumez regrouped his ships. He then decided to raid Barbados , and adverse winds and storms forced him to renounce and shelter in Martinique , where he arrived on 20 June. He replenished his water and food, and raided Montserrat . On 3 July his squadron captured a British schooner that the French took into service as Villaret . Three days later, on 6 July, off Saint Thomas , Willaumez spotted

1920-585: The Battle of Grenada , the invasion of Dominica , and three separate Battles of Ushant . Within less than a decade, however, the Navy was decimated by the French Revolution when large numbers of veteran officers were dismissed or executed for their noble lineage. Nonetheless, the Navy fought vigorously through the French Revolutionary Wars as well as the Quasi-War . Significant actions include

2016-582: The Battle of Navarino , and throughout the rest of the century they generally behaved in a manner that paved the way for the Entente Cordiale . Charles X sent a large fleet to execute the invasion of Algiers in 1830 . The next year, his successor, Louis Philippe I , made a show of force against Portugal at the Battle of the Tagus , and in 1838 conducted another display of gunboat diplomacy , this time in Mexico at

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2112-500: The Battle of Veracruz . Beginning in 1845, a five-year Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata was imposed on Argentina over trade rights. The Emperor Napoleon III was determined to follow an even stronger foreign policy than his predecessors, and the Navy was involved in a multitude of actions around the world. He joined in the Crimean War in 1854; major actions for the Navy include

2208-464: The Battle of Île Ronde , where he commanded the battery of the frigate and received a hand wound. In recognition of his conduct, the governor of Mauritius granted Willaumez command of the corvette Légère and tasked him to carry the documents of D'Entrecasteaux' expedition to France. Légère anchored in Brest two months later. In March 1795, Willaumez was promoted to Captain; in May, he was appointed to arm

2304-501: The Continental Army in the War of American Independence . The squadron comprised the 80-gun Duc de Bourgogne , under Ternay d'Arsac (admiral) and Médine ( flag captain ); the 74-gun Neptune , under Sochet Des Touches , and Conquérant , under La Grandière ; and the 64-gun Provence under Lombard , Ardent under Bernard de Marigny , Jason under La Clocheterie and Éveillé under Le Gardeur de Tilly , and

2400-759: The Fifth Republic ; it was last granted in 1869, during the Second Empire , but retained during the Third Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873. The title of amiral de la flotte was created so that Darlan would not have an inferior rank than his counterpart in the British Royal Navy , who had the rank of Admiral of the Fleet . The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . Unlike in

2496-562: The French Army and Air and Space Force , one does not prepend mon to the name of the rank when addressing an officer (that is, not mon capitaine, but simply capitaine ). The main military musical unit of the French Navy is the Military Band of the Toulon Fleet ( French : La musique des équipages de la flotte de Toulon ), founded on 13 July 1827. The Bagad Lann Bihoue , based on

2592-749: The Naval Action Force , the Submarine Forces ( FOST and ESNA ), French Naval Aviation , the Navy Riflemen (including Naval Commandos ), the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion , and the Maritime Gendarmerie . As of 2021, the French Navy employed 44,000 personnel (37,000 military and 7,000 civilian), more than 180 ships, 200 aircraft, and six commandos units; as of 2014, its reserve element numbered roughly 48,000. It operates

2688-616: The Norwegian Campaign , the Dunkirk evacuation and, briefly, the Battle of the Mediterranean . However, after the fall of France in June 1940, the Navy was obligated to remain neutral under the terms of the armistice that created the truncated state of Vichy France . Worldwide, some 100 naval vessels and their crews heeded General Charles de Gaulle 's call to join forces with the British, but

2784-827: The Royal Navy until the end of the war. In the Pacific theatre as well, Free French vessels operated until the Japanese capitulation; Richelieu was present at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender . The Navy later provided fire support and troop transport in the Indochina War , the Algerian War , the Gulf War , and the Kosovo War . Since 2000, the Navy has given logistical support to

2880-546: The Troupes de la marine , the former of which maintained two drums (tambour) and a fife . France's financial problems have affected all branches of her military. The 2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security cancelled the long-planned new aircraft carrier and a possible fourth Mistral -class amphibious assault ship . The backbone of the fleet will be the Aquitaine -class FREMM anti-submarine frigates , replacing

2976-592: The War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) as well as the global War on Terror . In 2011, it assisted Opération Harmattan in Libya. The chief of the naval staff is Vice-admiral d’escadre Arnaud de Tarlé , and as of 2014 the Navy has an active strength of 36,776 military personnel and 2,909 civilian staff. The Navy is organised into four main operational branches: In addition, the National Gendarmerie of France maintain

Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez - Misplaced Pages Continue

3072-538: The War of American Independence under Captain Lapérouse , and constituted the vanguard of the French squadron that came to support the Continental Army, arriving at Boston on 11 June 1780. On 7 October 1779, Amazone captured the 20-gun HMS Ariel . On 2 May 1780, she departed Brest with the 7-ship and 3-frigate Expédition Particulière under Admiral Ternay , escorting 36 transports carrying troops to support

3168-530: The bagad bands in Bretagne , is currently the sole pipe band in the service of the French Navy, which uses bagpipes and bombards , and thus is affiliated to the band. In Canada , French naval music has affected the traditions of Canadian navy bands . French navy bands in the country date back to the era of New France . Musical units were primarily attached to the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and

3264-689: The siege of Petropavlovsk and the Battle of Kinburn . The Navy was heavily involved in the Cochinchina Campaign in 1858, the Second Opium War in China, and the French intervention in Mexico . It took part in the French expedition to Korea and the Shimonoseki campaign . In the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the Navy imposed an effective blockade of Germany, but events on land proceeded at such

3360-475: The 2030s by the incremental introduction of a new class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) whose construction began in 2024. The first MM40 Exocet Block 3 missile was test-fired in 2010 to be produced. Naval versions of the SCALP EG land-attack cruise missile are under development, along with a planned Aster Block 1NT with greater capabilities against ballistic missiles. In October 2018,

3456-529: The 20th century as the naval arms race between Germany and Great Britain grew in intensity. It entered World War I with relatively few modern vessels, and during the war few warships were built because the main French effort was on land. While the British held control of the North Sea, the French held the Mediterranean, where they mostly kept watch on the Austro-Hungarian Navy . The largest operations of

3552-679: The 28-gun HMS Brilliant , under Henry Blackwood . At 6, the French frigates put to sail and started firing on Brilliant ; Régénérée was closing in to her opponent when Vertu , which had sailed large, touched the wind; Régénérée imitated her manoeuver, but lost her mizzen and bowsprit, allowing Brilliant to flee. Vertu gave chase, but could not overhaul her opponent and returned to Tenerife. There, Régénérée replaced her rigging, and both frigates eventually arrived in Rochefort on 5 September. Promoted to Chef de Division in January 1799, Willaumez

3648-585: The 40-gun frigates Valeureuse and Volontaire . Its mission was to sail to the Cape of Good Hope, replenish its water and provisions, harass British interests wherever opportune, and return no later than 15 months after. In the first days of the cruise, the division captured a number of prizes, before making a two-day port call at the Canary Islands to replenish its food. Willaumez detached Volontaire to ferry his prisoners to Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Arrived at

3744-408: The 74-gun Pluton , on which he perfected techniques of rigging and cargo arrangement. He then ferried the corvette Bergère from Brest to Rochefort, in spite of the British blockade, and took command of the 40-gun frigate Régénérée . Régénérée was part of a two-corvette and four-frigate naval division under Rear-Admiral Sercey , tasked to sail to Mauritius and prey on British merchantmen in

3840-520: The Allies invaded French North Africa . But the confrontations were set aside once the Germans occupied Vichy France . The capital ships were a primary goal of the occupation, but before they could be seized they were scuttled by their own crews . A few small ships and submarines managed to escape in time, and these joined de Gaulle's Free French Naval Forces , an arm of Free France that fought as an adjunct of

3936-554: The Americas; Port des Galets and Dzaoudzi in the Indian Ocean; and Nouméa and Papeete in the Pacific. In addition, the navy shares or leases bases in foreign locales such as Abu Dhabi , Dakar and Djibouti . Although French naval doctrine calls for two aircraft carriers , the French only have one, Charles de Gaulle . Originally a planned order for French aircraft carrier PA2

Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-547: The Cape of Good Hope, Willaumez learnt from the captain of a captured ship that Cape Town had been seized by the British in the Battle of Blaauwberg , in January 1806. With food supplies now unavailable and many of his men suffering from scurvy, Willaumez set sail for Brazil, where he arrived in early April 1806. After a 17-day port call in São Salvador da Bahia , Willaumez set sail for Cayenne. There, he divided his squadron into three divisions, which he dispersed from Cayenne to

4128-437: The French Ministry of Defence launched an 18-month study for €40 million for the eventual future replacement of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle beyond 2030. A decision to build the new carrier was taken by President Emmanuel Macron in 2020 and once it enters service it is anticipated to remain in service until beyond 2080. Construction of the new carrier is to begin in around 2025 with service entry anticipated in

4224-424: The French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels. Until 2005, only commissioned officers had an anchor on their insignia, but enlisted personnel are now receiving them as well. Commanding officers have titles of capitaine , but are called commandant (in the army, both capitaine and commandant are ranks, which tends to stir some confusion among

4320-461: The French Navy was a golden anchor , which, beginning in 1830, was interlaced by a sailing rope ; this symbol was featured on all naval vessels, arms, and uniforms. Although anchor symbols are still used on uniforms, a new naval logo was introduced in 1990 under Naval Chief of Staff Bernard Louzeau, featuring a modern design that incorporates the tricolour —by flanking the bow section of a white warship with two ascending red and blue spray foams—and

4416-419: The French fleet, Alexandre had a duel with the 110-gun HMS  Hibernia . In late 1805, eleven ships were readied to set sail in two squadrons, one under Rear-Admiral Leissègues , and the other under Willaumez; the squadrons departed on 13 December and separated on 15. Willaumez' comprised the 80-gun flagship Foudroyant , the 74-gun Vétéran , Cassard , Impétueux , Éole and Patriote , and

4512-469: The Indian Ocean. During the campaign, she captured nineteen of the 23 prizes captured by the squadron and took part in the action of 8 September 1796 , where she suffered two killed and six wounded. With dwindling support from the colony of Mauritius, Sercey had to send Régénérée and Vertu , under Captain Magon , back to France. The frigates departed the Indian Ocean theatre in September sailing from Mauritius to Rochefort and escorting two merchantmen of

4608-419: The Napoelonic Wars, Willaumez served at the Council of Naval Constructions and was made a member of the peerage of France . He authored a dictionary of naval terms, sponsored a collection of ship models and commissioned the Roux family to paint portraits of all the ships on which he had served, a collection known as the Album de Willaumez . Willaumez was born to an infantry captain who died without fortune at

4704-422: The Navy cut its teeth in the Anglo-French War (1627–1629) , the Franco-Spanish War (1635–59) , the Second Anglo-Dutch War , the Franco-Dutch War , and the Nine Years' War . Major battles in these years include the Battle of Augusta , Battle of Beachy Head , the Battles of Barfleur and La Hougue , the Battle of Lagos , and the Battle of Texel . The 1700s opened with the War of the Spanish Succession , over

4800-432: The Navy helped wage the Tonkin Campaign which included the Battle of Thuận An , and it later participated in the Franco-Siamese conflict of 1893 . The 19th century French Navy brought forth numerous new technologies. It led the development of naval artillery with its invention of the highly effective Paixhans gun . In 1850, Napoléon became the first steam-powered ship of the line in history, and Gloire became

4896-452: The Navy were conducted during the Dardanelles Campaign . In December 1916, during the Noemvriana events, French warships also bombarded Athens, trying to force the pro-German government of Greece to change its policies. The French Navy also played an important role in countering Germany's U-boat campaign by regularly patrolling the seas and escorting convoys. Between the World Wars, the Navy modernized and expanded significantly, even in

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4992-454: The South of Cuba. A few days later, he spotted a British privateer, which he captured and had to scuttle by fire because his lack of food did not allow him to sail her to Charlestown. A gust of wind having dismasted Poursuivante , Willaumez was forced to make a port call in Baltimore and overhaul his frigate. When ready, he departed the Chesapeake, avoided the British blockade and crossed the Atlantic, reaching Rochefort on 28 May 1804. There, he

5088-415: The Spanish Royal Company of the Philippines to Europe. En route, the two frigates and two merchantmen stopped at Îles de Los to effect repair and gather water; they anchored at Tamara, Vertu disassembling her masts and yards to restore her rigging, while Régénérée sailed to the nearby island of Factori. On 24 April, the 32-gun HMS Pearl , under Captain James Ballard, attacked Vertu ; one hour into

5184-409: The Thales Sea Fire 500 AESA radar. Industrial considerations mean that the funds for FREMMs 9-11 are now being spent on five more exportable Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention ( FDI , "intermediate size frigates" ) from 2024 to supplement, and ultimately replace, the La Fayette class, three of which are being upgraded with new sonars to operate into the early 2030s. With respect to support ships,

5280-503: The age of 68, leaving six orphan children. Jean-Baptiste being the older, he took upon himself to teach his younger brothers, all of whom would die in the service of the French Navy. In 1777, at the age of 14, he enlisted as an apprentice pilot boy on the 74-gun Bien-Aimé , under Captain de Bougainville , in the squadron under Admiral du Chaffault . The year after, he was appointed to the 56-gun Flamand , bound for Mauritius, as an apprentice helmsman. Upon his arrival, he transferred to

5376-502: The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle . Seamen must be at least 17 but no more than 30 years old, with no minimum level of schooling. Petty officers must be at least 17 but no more than 30 years old, with at least a high school diploma giving access to university studies. Petty Officer Candidate begin training with five months at the Petty Officer School of Maistrance at Brest . Contract officers serve on an initial eight-year contract, renewable up to 20 years. The rank insignia of

5472-414: The area, Willaumez decided to position his forces to intercept the convoy from Jamaica. However, in the night of 1 August, the 74-gun Vétéran , under Prince Jérôme Bonaparte , disappeared. Willaumez fruitlessly searched the missing ship in several directions until he became certain that she was en route for France, and returned to his station; the convoy, however, had already passed. Willaumez lingered

5568-404: The attention of his superiors up to Louis XVI himself. Willaumez eventually became an officer and served under Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux in his expedition to rescue Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse and explore the Indian Ocean and Oceania . After the French Revolution , Willaumez rose in rank and served in Saint-Domingue during the Haitian Revolution , where he commanded

5664-433: The battle, Régénérée , attracted by the cannonade, intervened and forced Pearl to flee. Régénérée chased Pearl for 36 hours before abandoning the pursuit. On 10 May 1798, the ships departed for Europe. Arrived at Tenerife , the merchantmen were put under the care of the governor, as they considerably retarded the travel of the frigates. On 27 July, as the frigates prepared to pursue their journey, they were observed by

5760-423: The bulk of the fleet, including all its capital ships, transferred loyalty to Vichy French Navy (Marine de Vichy). Concerned that the German Navy might somehow gain control of the ships, the British mounted an attack on Mers-el-Kébir , the Algerian city where many of them were harbored. The incident poisoned Anglo-French relations, leading to Vichy reprisals and a full-scale naval battle at Casablanca in 1942 when

5856-405: The coastal schooner Fourmi . When Fourmi was condemned, he transferred to the Louise , on which he was wrecked on the reef off Tamarin . Willaumez eventually returned to France on the corvette Les Amis . Arrived at Lorient, and finding no ship in need for his services, Willaumez went to Brest, where he was quickly enlisted as aid-pilot on the 90-gun Ville de Paris , which in late 1780

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5952-413: The concentration of French ships constituted a tempting target for the British. They eventually attacked with fireships at the Battle of the Basque Roads . In 1811, Willaumez was ordered to Holland to command a division in the fleet under Admiral de Winter . However, his declining health forced him to request his transfer back to France after one year. In 1819, after the Bourbon Restoration , Willaumez

6048-418: The course of the exploration, he also named the Willaumez Peninsula after him. D'Entrecasteaux died of scurvy on 21 July 1793 and his ships sailed to Java, where they were interned by the Dutch, who were then at war with France. Willaumez was detained for some time before he was able to sail to Mauritius, where he enlisted on the frigate Prudente , under Jean-Marie Renaud . On Prudente , he took part in

6144-428: The destruction by fire of the 120-gun ship Trocadéro . In 1837, he was made a pair de France , and retired. In 1844, Louis-Phillipe made him a Count, a title that Willaumez transmitted to then Captain Bouët , who from then on assumed the name of Bouët-Willaumez. During the Empire, Willaumez advocated the construction of strong, sixty-gun frigates, capable of carrying food for ten months and water for four, mounting

6240-415: The engagements of this time were the Battle of the Basque Roads , the Battle of Grand Port , the Mauritius campaign of 1809–11 , and the Battle of Lissa . After Napoleon's fall in 1815, the long era of Anglo-French rivalry on the seas began to close, and the Navy became more of an instrument for expanding the French colonial empire . Under King Charles X , the two nations' fleets fought side by side in

6336-448: The entire garrison of Fort Dauphin transferred to Swiftsure and thrown overboard by her crew. Rochambeau then ordered all French ships to carry out such executions; only Willaumez refused, stating that "The officers of the French Navy are not executioners. I will not obey." After 18 months, Willaumez transferred his flag on the frigate Poursuivante , on which he served successively at the Western and Southern stations, and carried out

6432-402: The face of limitations set by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty . New additions included the heavy and fast Fantasque class "super- destroyers ", the Richelieu -class battleships, and the submarine Surcouf which was the largest and most powerful of its day. From the start of World War II , the Navy was involved in a number of operations, participating in the Battle of the Atlantic ,

6528-441: The first seagoing ironclad warship nine years later. In 1863, the Navy launched Plongeur , the first submarine in the world to be propelled by mechanical power. In 1876, Redoutable became the first steel-hulled warship ever. In 1887, Dupuy de Lôme became the world's first armoured cruiser . During the latter part of the century, French officers developed the so-called Jeune École (Young School) theory that emphasized

6624-516: The frigate Astrée , bound for the Indies. In this period, Willaumez took upon himself to study navigation and astronomy, for which he displayed such passion that the chief of the station, Saint-Riveuil, offered him a sextant and a chronometer. Willaumez also received a Reflecting circle from Louis XVI inscribed " Donné par le roi à M. Willaumez, premier pilote ". Astrée was called back to France, ferrying Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux , governor of Mauritius. When, upon his arrival, Entrecasteaux

6720-468: The frigate Poursuivante against the Royal Navy during the action of 28 June 1803 . In 1806, Willaumez led a French squadron in the Atlantic campaign of 1806 , sailing to Brazil and the West Indies and attacking British merchant shipping. However, the insubordination of Prince Jérôme Bonaparte led to Willaumez missing the chance to attack a valuable British convoy. Eventually, the 1806 Great Coastal hurricane damaged and dispersed his squadron, which

6816-416: The frigates Surveillante under Villeneuve Cillart , Amazone under La Pérouse , and Bellone . Amazone , which constituted the vanguard of the fleet, arrived at Boston on 11 June 1780. From October to November 1780, she sailed from Rhode Island to Lorient, and from there to the Caribbean. In the action of 29 July 1782 , HMS Santa Margarita briefly captured Amazone , off Cape Henry , but

6912-538: The inscription " Marine nationale ". Cardinal Richelieu personally supervised the Navy until his death in 1643. He was succeeded by his protégé, Jean Baptiste Colbert , who introduced the first code of regulations of the French Navy and established the original naval dockyards in Brest and Toulon . Colbert and his son, the Marquis de Seignelay , between them administered the Navy for twenty-nine years. During this century,

7008-624: The latter 2030s. French frigate Amazone (1778) Amazone was a 32-gun Iphigénie -class frigate of the French Navy . She was the second ship of the French Navy to receive a copper sheathing in 1778. She served in the War of American Independence under Captain Lapérouse , and later in the French Revolutionary Wars . Amazone was commissioned in July 1778, in time for the Anglo-French War that had broken out in June. She took part in

7104-474: The navy's Strategic Oceanic Force provide the backbone of the French nuclear deterrent . In addition the French Navy operates six light surveillance frigates and, as of 2024, five avisos (originally light corvettes now reclassified as patrol vessels). They undertake the navy's offshore patrol duties, the protection of French naval bases and territorial waters , and can also provide low-end escort capabilities to any oceangoing task force. The Navy also operates

7200-643: The new 30-pounder long gun rather than the 36- and 24-pounders that dated from before the French Revolution. In 1822, the project was adopted by Jean Tupinier , resulting in the Surveillante -class frigates and similar developments during the Bourbon Restoration . In his Dictionnaire de marine , Willaumez thus defined the term Marine : Sublime art, masterpiece of the courage of mankind, too complex to be entirely submitted to calculation, and that

7296-477: The next day, the French squadron under Vaudreuil appeared and recaptured Amazon . Having stayed alone on the quarterdeck of Amazon , and twice seriously wounded, Willaumez was praised by the Admiral and promoted to first pilot. In 1784, returned to France, Willaumez enlisted as first officer on the 700-ton merchantman Tharon , on which he made two trips to Saint Domingue. On the second time, he saved his ship, which

7392-448: The public). The two highest ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral ( admiral ), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking vice-amiral ( vice admiral ). The only amiral de la flotte ( Admiral of the Fleet ) was François Darlan after he was refused the dignity of amiral de France ( Admiral of France ). Equivalent to the dignity of Marshal of France , the rank of amiral de France remains theoretical in

7488-403: The safety of Môle-Saint-Nicolas . Goliath captured Mignonne after a brief chase and the exchange of a few token shots. Poursuivante had ten men killed and fifteen wounded. Her hull had sustained several shots and her rigging was much damaged. As Cap-Haïtien lacked the resources to repair the frigate, Willaumez was authorised to sail her back to France. He then left harbour and sailed around

7584-585: The squadron counted six ships of the line, six frigates and two corvettes, and was to ferry 3000 soldiers. Willaumez was given command of the Southern station of Saint-Domingue, and although he had no troops at his disposal there, he managed to maintain order. He also gained the trust of the black population, to the extent that General Laplume entrusted him two millions francs to carry to Port-au-Prince. In November 1802, after General de Rochambeau replaced Charles Leclerc , he started executing blacks by drowning; he had

7680-462: The squadrons joined forces with his: The Lorient squadron was becalmed and could not depart until after Willaumez had left, leading to the Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne ; and the Rochefort squadron was too affected by sickness to sail. Displeased with Willaumez' performance, Napoléon removed him from command of the fleet and kept him in subordinate roles from then on. The arrival of a large British squadron blockaded Willaumez himself in Rochefort, where

7776-726: The two components have been divided into the Naval Action Force (commanded by ALFAN) and the Antisubmarine Group (commanded by ALGASM). As of 2014, the largest French naval base is the military port of Toulon . Other major bases in metropolitan France are the Brest Arsenal and Île Longue on the Atlantic, and Cherbourg Naval Base on the English Channel. Overseas French bases include Fort de France and Degrad des Cannes in

7872-477: The use of small, cheap torpedo boats to destroy expensive battleships, coupled with long-range commerce raiders to attack an opponent's merchant fleet. The first seaplane , the French Fabre Hydravion , was flown in 1910, and the first seaplane carrier , Foudre , was christened in the following year. Despite that innovation, the general development of the French Navy slowed down in the beginning of

7968-507: Was appointed to command a nine-ship, three-frigate and three-corvette squadron. It departed on 21 February 1809, with orders to make its junction with the division of Lorient that was blockaded in its harbour, attach these ships, attack the British squadron blockading Rochefort, attach the Rochefort squadron under Admiral Bergeret and, by then totaling 18 ships, sail to the Caribbean to rescue Martinique and Guadeloupe. Willaumez led his division to Lorient and Rochefort as instructed, but none of

8064-567: Was appointed to command the Patriote , he took Willaumez with him. When D'Entrecasteaux was tasked to investigate the fate of Lapérouse 's expedition and given command of the Recherche , Willaumez, promoted to Ensign in 1791, followed him, and was tasked with navigation and chronometers . During the campaign, D'Entrecasteaux promoted him to Lieutenant, and appointed Knight of the Order of Saint Louis . In

8160-557: Was based on the design of the British Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carrier recently constructed and launched for the British Royal Navy. However, the French programme had been delayed several times for budgetary reasons and the result was priority being given to the more exportable FREMM project. In April 2013 it was confirmed that the second aircraft carrier project would be abandoned due to defence cuts announced in

8256-474: Was being overhauled. Weary of his inactivity during the work on Ville de Paris , Willaumez requested a transfer on a departing ship, and was appointed as a pilot to the frigate Amazone , under La Pérouse , in January 1781. Cruising in the Bay of Biscay , Amazone captured the twelve-gun privateer lugger Pitt ; Willaumez was given command of a prize crew and sailed her to Lorient. He then rejoined Amazone , which

8352-457: Was crowned Emperor in 1804, he attempted to restore the Navy to a position that would enable his plan for an invasion of England. His dreams were dashed by the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British all but annihilated a combined Franco-Spanish fleet, a disaster that guaranteed British naval superiority throughout the Napoleonic Wars . Still, the Navy did not shrink from action: among

8448-528: Was eager to join the fray when France intervened in the American Revolutionary War . Though outnumbered everywhere, the French fleets held the British at bay for years until victory. After this conflict and the concomitant Anglo-French War (1778–1783) , the Navy emerged at a new height in its history. Major battles in these years include the Battle of the Chesapeake , the Battle of Cape Henry ,

8544-561: Was either sunk or limped back to France. In May 1808, Willaumez attempted to regroup warships scattered in Brest , Lorient and Rochefort into an eighteen-ship squadron to defend the French West Indies ; adverse weather and the poor state of the squadron thwarted the plan and he ended up being blockaded in Rochefort, leading to a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of the Basque Roads and falling out of favour with Napoleon . After

8640-555: Was escorting a convoy to America. Upon her arrival, Amazone was attached to the fleet of Admiral de Grasse , and took part in the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782. On 29 July, while sailing at the entrance of Chesapeake Bay , Amazone , then under Lieutenant de Moniguyot, met the British frigate HMS Santa Margarita ; in the ensuing battle, Amazon lost her main mast, her foremast, struck her colours with half her crew dead or wounded. On

8736-647: Was established in 1624 by Cardinal Richelieu , chief minister to King Louis XIII . During the French Revolution , la Marine Royale was formally renamed la Marine Nationale . Under the First French Empire and the Second French Empire , the navy was designated as the Imperial French Navy ( la Marine impériale française ). Institutionally, however, the navy has never lost its short familiar nickname, la Royale . The original symbol of

8832-532: Was ever only enriched, and shall ever only be enriched, with the help of the experience and observations of seamen of good judgement. French Navy Founded in the 17th century, the French Navy is one of the oldest navies still in continuous service, with precursors dating back to the Middle Ages. It has taken part in key events in French history, including the Napoleonic Wars and both world wars, and played

8928-584: Was in danger of being wrecked at the entrance of the Loire. The year after, he returned to the French Royal Navy and embarked as first pilot on the aviso Sylphe ; there again, he saved his ship when she sprang a leak after sailing off harbour, and sailed her to Rochefort. In Rochefort, Willaumez transferred on the fluyt Lionne , which sailed to the Caribbean. In 1786, he enlisted on the Forte , and transferred on

9024-560: Was intercepted by a British ship of the line, which he battled for thirty minutes before breaking off and finding shelter at Île-d'Aix . Willaumez had been made a Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour in February. He was promoted to Officer in June, and congratulated by Navy minister Decrès. In August 1804, Willaumez was appointed to command the 74-gun Algésiras . Departing from Lorient in December bound for Rochefort, Algésiras suffered

9120-573: Was ordered to Saint-Malo to lead a campaign of his own design with a three-frigate and one-corvette division. However, the expedition could not depart and Willaumez returned to Paris, where, along with Fleurieu , he documented D'Entrecasteaux' expedition. In 1801, at the Peace of Amiens , Willaumez was appointed to command the 74-gun Duguay-Trouin , part of a squadron under Rear-Admiral Latouche-Tréville in Villaret de Joyeuse 's fleet bound for Saint-Domingue;

9216-469: Was promoted to Vice-Admiral. In 1825, he published a dictionary of naval terms, and later presided over the Council of Constructions of the Navy. He also commissioned a collection of ship models. He was promoted Grand-Officier of the Order of the Legion of Honour in 1828. In January 1834, Willaumez became the president of the Council of Constructions. In 1836, he led an enquiry, along with Baron Rolland , into

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