List of escorteurs of France

The escorteurs of the French Navy were light naval warships used for convoy protection during and after the Second World War.

The earliest escorteurs in the French Navy were purchased from the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy. After the war, these were supplemented by former German and Italian vessels transferred to French control as war reparations.

After the war, the term escorteur replaced that of torpilleur [fr] and contre-torpilleur [fr] traditionally used by the French Navy. However, in the 1970s, the designation of escorteur ceased to be used and was replaced with that of frigate, destroyer, aviso or patroller.

Second World War ships[edit]

Royal Navy:
- River-class frigate (Free French Naval Forces)
  - L'Aventure (F707) (ex-HMS Braid) 1944–1961
  - L'Escarmouche (F709) (ex-HMS Frome) 1944–1961
  - Tonkinois^[1] (F711) (ex-HMS Moyola) 1944–1961
  - Croix de Lorraine (F710) (ex-HMS Strule) 1944–1961
  - La Surprise (F708) (ex-HMS Torridge) 1944–1964
  - La Découverte (F712) (ex-HMS Windrush) 1944–1961
- Flower-class corvettes (Free French Naval Forces)
  - Alysse (ex-HMS Alyssum K100) 1941–1942
  - Roselys (ex-HMS Sundew) 1941–1947
  - Aconit (ex-HMS Aconite) 1941–1947
  - Lobelia (ex-Lobelia) 1941–1947
  - Mimosa (ex-Mimosa) 1941–1942
  - Commandant Détroyat (Ex-HMS Coriander) 1941–1947
  - Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves (ex-HMS Lotus) 1942–1947
  - Renoncule (ex-HMS Renonculus) 1941–1947
  - Commandant Drogou (ex-HMS Chrysanthemum) 1941–1947
United States Navy (USN):
- Cannon-class destroyer escort:
  - Sénégalais (F702)^[2] (ex-USS Corbesier (DE-106)) 1944–1964
  - Algérien (F701)^[3] (ex-USS Cronin (DE-107)) 1944–1964
  - Tunisien (F706)^[4] (ex-USS Crosley (DE-108)) 1944–1960
  - Marocain (F705)^[5] (ex-USS Marocain (DE-109)) 1944–1960
  - Hova (F704)^[6] (ex-USS Hova (DE-110)) 1944–1964
  - Somali (F703)^[7] (ex-USS Somali (DE-111)) 1944–1956
- PC-461-class submarine chaser (or coastal patroller):
  - Eveillé (ex-USS PC-471) 1944–1959
  - Rusé (ex-USS PC-472) 1944–1959
  - Ardent (ex-USS PC-473) 1944–1945
  - Indiscret (ex-USS PC-474) 1944–1960
  - Résolu (ex-USS PC475) 1944–1951
  - Emporté (ex-USS PC-480) 1944–1959
  - Effronté (ex-USS PC481) 1944–1953
  - Enjoué (ex-USS PC-482) 1944–1945
  - Tirailleur (ex-USS PC-542) 1944–1958
  - Volontaire (ex-USS PC-543) 1944–1964
  - Goumier (ex-USS PC-545) 1944–1965
  - Franc Tireur (ex-USS PC-545) 1944–1953
  - Vigilant (ex-USS PC-550) 1944–1959
  - Mameluck (ex-USS PC-551) 1944–1958
  - Carabinier (ex-USS PC-556) 1944–1958
  - Dragon (ex-USS PC-557) 1944–1959
  - Voltigeur (ex-USS PC-559) 1944–1970
  - Attentif (ex-USS PC-562) 1944–1953
  - Spahi (ex-USS PC-591) 1944–1959
  - Fantassin (ex-USS PC-621) 1944–1961
  - Grenadier (ex-USS PC-625) 1944–1958
  - Lansquenet (ex-USS PC-626) 1944–1958
  - Cavalier (ex-USS PC-627) 1944–1951

Post-war ships[edit]

War reparations[edit]

Ex-Regia Marina:
- Capitani Romani-class light cruiser:
  - Châteaurenault (ex-Italian cruiser Attilio Regolo)^{[note 1]}) 1948–1969
  - Guichen (ex-Italian cruiser Scipione Africano) 1948–1961
- Oriani-class destroyer:
  - French destroyer D'Estaing (ex-Italian destroyer Alfredo Oriani) 1948–1954
- Sloop :
  - Francis Garnier (F730) (ex-Italian sloop Eritrea) 1946–1966
Ex-Kriegsmarine:
- Type 1934A-class destroyer:
  - Desaix^{[note 2]} (ex-German destroyer Z5 Paul Jacobi) 1946–1954
  - Kléber (D603)^{[note 3]} (ex-German destroyer Z6 Theodor Riedel) 1946–1957
- Type 1936A-class and 1936A (Mob)-class destroyer
  - Marceau (D601) (ex-German destroyer Z31) 1946–1958
  - Hoche (D602) (ex-German destroyer Z25) 1946–1958
  - Léopard (ex-German destroyer Z23) 1945–1951 (Refloated for spares, then scrapped)
  - Q-128 (ex-US destroyer DD-939, ex-German destroyer Z39) 1947–1958
- Type 35 torpedo boat:
  - Bir Hacheim (ex-German torpedo boat T11)
- Type 37 torpedo boat:
  - Baccarat (ex-German torpedo boat T20)
  - Dompaire (ex-German torpedo boat T14)
- Elbing-class torpedo boat:
  - L'Alsacien (ex-German torpedo boat T23)
  - Le Lorrain (ex-German torpedo boat T28)

Allied fleet ships[edit]

United States Navy (USN):
- Cannon-class destroyer escort:
  - Berbère (F723)^[8] (ex-USS Clarence L. Evans (DE-113)) 1952–1969
  - Arabe (F717)^[9] (ex-USS Samuel S. Miles (DE-183)) 1950–1958
  - Kabyle (F718)^[10] (ex-USS Riddle (DE-185)) 1950–1959
  - Bambara (F719)^[11] (ex-USS Swearer (DE-186)) 1950–1959
  - Malgache (F724)^[12] (ex-USS Baker (DE-190)) 1952–1969
  - Sakalave (F720)^[13] (ex-USS Wingfield (DE-194)) 1950–1959
  - Touareg (F721)^[14] (ex-USS Bright (DE-747)) 1950–1958
  - Soudanais (F722)^[15] (ex-USS Cates (DE-763)) 1950–1959
- Tacoma-class frigate (French: Classe Tacoman):
  - Laplace (F713) (ex-USS Lorain (PF-93)) 1947–1950
  - Mermoz (F714) (ex-USS Muskegon (PF-24)) 1947–1950
  - Brix (F715) (ex-USS Manitowoc (PF-61)) 1947–1958
  - Verrier (F716) (ex-USS Emporia (PF-28)) 1947–1958
- PC-461-class submarine chaser (or coastal patroller):
  - Phnom Penh (ex-USS PC-796) 1949–1955
  - Hue (ex-USS PC-797) 1950–1955
  - Luang Prabang (ex-USS PC-798) 1949–1955
  - Kum Kang San (ex-USS PC-799) 1950–
  - Flamberge (ex-USS PC-1086) 1951–1956
  - Intrépide (ex-USS PC-1130) 1951–1956
  - Trident (ex-USS PC-1143) 1951–1956
  - Mousquet (ex-USS PC-1143) 1951–1955
  - Glaive (ex-USS PC-1146) 1951–1956
  - Ardent (ex-USS PC-1167) 1951–1956
  - Inconstant (ex-USS PC-1171) 1951–1956
  - Légionnaire^[16](ex-USS PC-1226) 1944–1958
  - Lancier (ex-USS PC-1227) 1944–1960
  - Hussard (ex-USS PC-1235) 1945–1965
  - Sabre (ex-USS PC-1248) 1944–1959
  - Pique (ex-USS PC-1249) 1944–1959
  - Cimeterre (ex-USS PC-1250) 1944–1963
  - Coutelas (ex-USS PC-1560) 1944–1963
  - Dague (ex-USS PC-1561) 1944–1964
  - Javelot (ex-USS PC-1562) 1944–1951

French-built ships[edit]

Fleet Escorts – (Escorteurs d'escadre)[edit]

Classe T 47 (Surcouf class)
- Surcouf (D621) 1955–1972
- Kersaint (D622) 1956–1984
- Cassard (D623) 1956–1974
- Bouvet (D624) 1956–1982
- Dupetit-Thouars (D625) 1957–1988
- Chevalier Paul (D626) 1957–1971
- Maillé-Brézé (D627) 1957–1988
- Vauquelin (D628) 1956–1986
- D’Estrées (D629) 1957–1985
- Du Chayla (D630) 1957–1991
- Casabianca (D631) 1957–1984
- Guépratte (D632) 1957–1985
Classe T 53
- Duperré (D633) 1957–1972
- La Bourdonnais (D634) 1958–1976
- Forbin (D635) 1958–1981
- Tartu (D636) 1958–1979
- Jauréguiberry (D637) 1958–1977
Classe T 56 [fr] – single ship modified for ASW testing
- La Galissonnière (D638) 1962–1990

Fast Escorts – Escorteurs rapides[edit]

Type E50 (Le Corse-class) frigate:
- Le Corse (F761) 1955–1975
- Le Brestois (F762) 1956–1975
- Le Boulonnais (F763) 1955–1976
- Le Bordelais (F764) 1955–1976
Type E52 (Le Normand-class) frigate:
- Le Normand (F765) 1956–1983
- Le Picard (F766) 1956–1979
- Le Gascon (F767) 1957–1977
- Le Lorrain (F768) 1957–1976
- Le Bourguignon (F769) 1957–1976
- Le Champenois (F770) 1957–1975
- Le Savoyard (F771) 1957–1980
- Le Breton (F772) 1957–1976
- Le Basque (F773) 1957–1979
- L'Agenais (F774) 1958–1985
- Le Béarnais (F775) 1958–1979
Type E52B:
- L'Alsacien (F776) 1960–1981
- Le Provençal (F777) 1959–1981
- Le Vendéen (F778) 1960–1982

Sloop Escorts – Avisos escorteurs[edit]

Commandant Rivière-class frigate
- Victor Schœlcher (F725)^{[note 4]} 1962–1988
- Commandant Bory (F726)^{[note 5]} 1964–1996
- Amiral Charner (F727)^{[note 6]} 1962–1990
- Doudart de Lagrée (F728)^{[note 7]} 1963–1991
- Balny (F729)^{[note 8]} 1970–1994
- Commandant Rivière (F733)^{[note 9]} 1962–1984
- Commandant Bourdais (F740)^{[note 10]} 1963–1990
- Protet (F748)^{[note 11]} 1962–1992
- Enseigne de vaisseau Henry (F749) [fr] 1963–1996

Coastal Escorts – Escorteurs côtiers[edit]

Le Fougueux-class [fr]
- Le Fougueux (P641) 1954–1975
- L'Opiniâtre (P642) 1954–1975
- L'Agile (P643) 1954–1976
L'Adroit-class [fr] :
- L'Adroit (P644) 1957–1979
- L'Alerte (P645) 1957–1979
- L'Attentif (P646) 1957–1978
- L'Intrépide (P630) 1958–1976
- L'Ardent (P635) 1958–1979
- L'Etourdi (P637) 1958–1976
- L'Enjoué (P647) 1958–
- Le Hardi (P648) 1958–1977
- L'Effronté (P638) 1959–
- Le Frondeur (P639) 1959–1977
- Le Fringant (P640) 1959–1982

Notes[edit]

^ named for Marcus Atilius Regulus
^ named for Louis Desaix
^ named for Jean-Baptiste Kléber
^ after Victor Schœlcher (1804–1893)
^ after Victor Bory
^ after Léonard Charner (1797–1869)
^ after Ernest Doudart de Lagrée (1823–1868)
^ after Adrien-Paul Balny d'Avricourt (1849–1873)
^ after Henri Rivière (1827–1883)
^ after Edmé Bourdais (1820–1861)
^ after Auguste Léopold Protet (1808–1862)

Citations[edit]

^ Renamed La Confiance in 1953.
^ Sénégalais, Senegalese
^ Algérien, Algerians
^ Tunisien, Tunisians
^ Marocain, Moroccans
^ Hova, Hova
^ Somali, Somalis
^ Berbère, Berbers
^ Arabe, Arabs
^ Kabyle, Kabyle
^ Bambara, Bambara
^ Malgache, Malagazy
^ Sakalava, Sakalava
^ Tuareg, Tuareg
^ Soudanais, Sudanese
^ Le Légionnaire, French Foreign Legion

References[edit]

Francis Garnier sur site netmarine
Escorteur d'escadre Surcouf netmarine.net
Escorteur rapide Le Corse
Escorteur rapide Le Normand – site netmarine
Escorteur rapide L'Alsacien – site netmarine
Aviso-escorteur Commandant Rivière – site netmarine
Le Fougueux (P641) fougueux.nl
EC L'Enjoué www.escorteursrapides.net
Jean Moulin, Rober Dumas, Les Escorteurs d'escadre, Marines éditions Nantes, 1997 ISBN 2-909675297

[8] r Marcus Atilius Regulus

[9] r Louis Desaix

[10] r Jean-Baptiste Kléber

[20] ter Victor Schœlcher (1804–1893)

[21] ter Victor Bory

[22] ter Léonard Charner (1797–1869)

[23] ter Ernest Doudart de Lagrée (1823–1868)

[24] ter Adrien-Paul Balny d'Avricourt (1849–1873)

[25] ter Henri Rivière (1827–1883)

[26] ter Edmé Bourdais (1820–1861)

[27] ter Auguste Léopold Protet (1808–1862)

[1] Renamed La Confiance in 1953.

[2] Sénégalais, Senegalese

[3] Algérien, Algerians

[4] Tunisien, Tunisians

[5] Marocain, Moroccans

[6] Hova, Hova

[7] Somali, Somalis

[11] Berbère, Berbers

[12] Arabe, Arabs

[13] Kabyle, Kabyle

[14] Bambara, Bambara

[15] Malgache, Malagazy

[16] Sakalava, Sakalava

[17] Tuareg, Tuareg

[18] Soudanais, Sudanese

[19] Le Légionnaire, French Foreign Legion

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