French submarine Amazone (1916)

The French submarine Amazone was an Armide-class diesel-electric attack submarine built for the Greek Navy before and during World War I. It was built in the Schneider-Creusot shipyards between 1913 and 1916, but was seized during the war by the French Government before it could be sold, on 3 June 1915. Amazone operated in the Adriatic Sea during the course of World War I and was stricken from the Navy list in July 1932.

Amazone
Amazone, date unknown
History
Greece
Name: X
Builder: Schneider-Creusot shipyards, France
Laid down: 1913
Launched: August 1916
Fate: Requisitioned by the French Navy, 30 May 1917
France
Name: Amazone
Completed: June 1917
Acquired: 30 May 1917
Fate: Stricken and sold for scrap in July 1932.
General characteristics
Type: Submarine
Displacement:
Length: 56.2 m (184 ft 5 in)
Beam: 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Draught: 3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × diesel engines, 2,200 hp (1,641 kW)
  • 2 × electric motors, 900 hp (671 kW)
Speed:
  • 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h) (surfaced)
  • 11 knots (20 km/h) (submerged)
Range:
  • 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h)
  • 160 nautical miles (300 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h) (submerged)
Complement: 31
Armament:

Design

The Amazone was 56.2 m (184 ft 5 in) long, with a beam of 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in) and a draught of 3 m (9 ft 10 in).[1][2] It had a surfaced displacement of 457 tonnes (450 long tons) and a submerged displacement of 670 tonnes (659 long tons).[1][2] Propulsion while surfaced was provided by two 2,200 hp (1,641 kW) diesel motors built by Schneider-Carels and two 900 hp (671 kW) electric motors.[2][3] The submarine's electrical propulsion allowed it to attain speeds of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) while submerged and 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) on the surface.[3] Its surfaced range was 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h), with a submerged range of 160 nautical miles (300 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h).[1][3]

The submarine was armed with four 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes and a 75 mm (3.0 in) L/34 M1897 deck gun.[2] The crew consisted of 31 officers and seamen.[4][3]

Construction and service
Amazone's namesake, an Amazon

Amazone was ordered by the Greek Navy in 1913,[5] based on a design by Maxime Laubeuf.[2][3] The ship, which was initially designated X,[6] was confiscated by the French Government on 30 May 1917 during World War I.[2]

Amazone was built in the Schneider shipyard in Chalon-sur-Saone.[2][7] It was laid down in 1913,[4] launched in August 1916,[2][4] and completed in June 1917.[4] It was named after the mythological creatures, the Amazons.[8]

After its launching, Amazone served on the Adriatic Sea until 1918,[4] when it was assigned to the 3rd Submarine Flotilla, based in Moudros, Greece.[4] On 20 April 1928, she was renamed Amazone II to release the name for a new submarine, Amazone.[9] Amazone II was struck from the Naval Register in July 1932.[2][4][9]

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References
  1. Couhat, p. 160
  2. Gardiner, p. 212
  3. Fontenoy, p. 86
  4. Couhat, p. 162
  5. Gorgin, Ivan. "X submarines – Hellenic Navy (Greece)". www.navypedia.org.
  6. Gardiner, p. 387
  7. Jane, p. 98
  8. Smith, Gordon. "French Navy, World War 1". www.naval-history.net.
  9. Gorgin, Ivan. "Armide submarines (1916–1917) – French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org.

Citations
  • Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0445-5.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
  • Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
  • John Moore (1990). Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. London.
  • Perepeczko, Andrzej (2014). Od Napoleona do de Gaulle'a. Flota francuska w latach 1789–1942. Oświęcim. ISBN 978-83-7889-372-1.
  • Lipiński, Jerzy (1999). Druga wojna światowa na morzu. Warsaw. ISBN 978-83-902554-7-7.
  • J. Gozdawa-Gołębiowski; T. Wywerka Prekurat (1994). Pierwsza wojna światowa na morzu. Warszawa.
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