Marine Nationale Order of Battle, January 1st, 1948
The Marine Nationale is divided into three major and one minor fleet organizations based on geography: the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific Fleets, and the Indian Ocean Flotilla. Another strategic-level command, the Force d'Action Navale, is assigned to a geographical command by order of the Commander-in-Chief; as a matter of practice it is headquartered in the Mediterranean. Due to differing mission priorities as well as effective command and control, the Pacific Fleet is subdivided into East and West, each incorporating a defined overall operations area, although both exist under the same overall command.
Major units of the Navy are deployed as follows:
Atlantic Fleet
Headquarters: Brest, France, Europe
Force opérationnelle Atlantique Nord: Brest
2nd Composite (Carrier and Battle) Squadron:
Paris (F),
Justice,
St. Cyr
3rd Division de Croiseurs:
Duquesene (F),
Gloire
9th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Barfleur,
La Rochelle,
Cap Lézard,
Baie de Chesapeake,
Navarin,
Fou-Tchéou,
Grand Port,
Bévéziers
4th Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Sfax,
Casabianca,
Caroline,
Ouessant,
Galétée,
Minerve (homeported in Lorient)
5th Replenishment Squadron:
Cap Gris Nez,
Cap Corse,
Rambouillet
Force opérationnelle Atlantique Sud: Dakar
5th Division de Porte-avions:
Zélé,
Héros
5th Division de Croiseurs:
Redoubtable,
Renommée
13th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
L'Inflexible,
L'Inébranlable,
L'Infatigable,
L'Implacable
2nd Flotilla Escorteurs:
Le Breton,
Le Normand,
Le Boulonnais,
Le Lorrain,
Le Vendéen,
Le Bordelais,
Le Gascon,
Le Savoyard
2nd Service Squadron:
Dakar
1st Région Maritime: Dunkerque
10th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
2nd Submarine Flotilla:
Q192,
Q193,
Q194,
Q195
4th Vedette-torpilleur Flotilla: 6x
La Combattante II-type Vedette-torpilleurs (unit forming)
2nd Région Maritime: Brest
3rd Flotilla Escorteurs:
Canche,
Authie,
Touques,
Douve,
Couesnon (all scrapping)
10th Submarine Flotilla:
Monge,
Henri Poincaré,
Pascal,
Pasteur,
Pégase,
Persée
2nd Minesweeper Flotilla: 8x
Aubepine-class minesweepers
5th Région Maritime: Lorient
11th Submarine Flotilla:
Q196,
Q197,
Q198,
Q199
6th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
Casablanca Station:
6th Submarine Flotilla (Casablanca):
Q200,
Q201,
Q202,
Q203
Dakar Station:
4th Aviso Division:
Roxane,
Laurette (
Emilia-class patrol boats)
Abidjan Station:
5th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
3rd Aviso Division:
Frasquita,
Véronique (
Emilia-class patrol boats)
5th Submarine Flotilla:
Q186,
Q187,
Q188,
Q189,
Q190,
Q191
Martinique Station
3rd Frigate Division:
Sans Peur
* * * * *
Pacific Fleet
Headquarters: Saigon, Indochina, Asia
8th Submarine Flotilla:
Vénus,
Sirène,
Fresnel,
Créole,
Bayadère,
Favorite
9th Submarine Flotilla:
Daphné,
Diane,
Doris,
Eurydice,
Flore,
Junon
1st Gunboat Flotilla:
Emilia,
Leïla,
Pasquin,
Carmen,
Parséis,
Cathérine,
Marie,
Bettina (
Emilia-class patrol boats)
3rd Minesweeper Flotilla: 8x
Noumea-class minesweepers
4th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
8th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-81-class submarine chasers
14th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-81-class submarine chasers
2nd Amphibious Operations Squadron:
Montebello,
Crocodile,
Jacara,
Gazelle,
Gerboise, 4x CDIC-200 (
C1,
C2,
C7,
C8)
2nd Vedette-torpilleur Flotilla: 12x Typ-36 Vedette-torpilleurs (ex-German Schnelleboot)
Indochinese River Defense Force
4x Vedette FOM 8m
4x Vedette FOM 11m
Force opérationnelle Indochine (Cam Ranh Bay)
French 5th Composite (Carrier and Battle) Squadron:
Liberté (F),
Lyon,
L'Ocean
French 1st Division de Croiseurs: CA
Téméraire (F), CA
Indochine,
Nouvelle-Calédonie,
Saint Louis
Russian 13th Cruiser Squadron:
Kiev (F),
Tver,
Arkhangelsk,
Stavropol,
Magadan,
Perekop
French 10th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Mogador,
Hoche,
Desaix,
Marceaux
French 11th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Jaguar,
Chacal,
Lion,
Guépard,
Leopard,
Lynx,
Panthère,
Tigre
2nd Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Ajax,
Archimède,
Argo,
Africaine,
Astrée,
Aurore
French 3rd Replenishment Squadron:
Romainville and
Villeneuve-Saint-Georges
French 4th Replenishment Squadron:
Cap de la Chèvre and
Cap Ferrat
Force opérationnelle Pacifique (Nouvelle-Calédonie)
2nd Division de Croiseurs:
Jean Bart,
Jeanne d'Arc
7th Flotilla de Croiseurs:
Sénégal (F),
Martinique,
Niger,
Guadeloupe
7th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Forbin,
Dupetit-Thouars,
Chevalier Paul,
Vauquelin,
D'Estrées,
d'Estaing,
Guépratte,
Duperré
2nd Frigate Division:
Polynésie,
Fidji
1st Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Andromède,
Antigone,
Andromaque,
Artémis,
Armide,
Agosta
2nd Replenishment Squadron:
Cap Blanc Nez,
Cap Sizun
1st Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
* * * * *
Mediterranean Fleet
Headquarters: Toulon, France, Europe
1st Battle Squadron:
Richelieu (F),
Courbet
3rd Battle Squadron:
France (F),
Republique
4th Flotilla de Croiseurs:
Emile Bertin (F),
Primauguet,
Montcalm,
Tourville
1st Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Maillé-Brézé,
La Bourdonnais,
Jurien,
Tartu,
de Sercey,
Allemand,
Cosmao,
La Gravière
5th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Cimeterre,
Dague,
Cognée,
Arquebuse,
Glaive,
Poignard,
Pique,
Épieu
6th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Étendard,
Flamberge,
Hallebarde,
Harpon,
Claymore,
Carabine,
Épée,
Trident
6th Replenishment Squadron:
La Vestale,
La Sultane
3rd Région Maritime: Toulon
3rd Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Dumont d'Urville,
D'Entrecasteaux,
La Grandière,
D'Iberville,
Rigault de Genouilly (last three undergoing sea trials)
1st Submarine Flotilla:
Q204,
Q205,
Q206,
Q207,
Q208,
Q209
1st Minesweeper Flotilla: 10x
Cantal-class minesweepers
1st Vedette-torpilleur Flotilla: 12x Typ-36 Vedette-torpilleurs (ex-German Schnelleboot)
3rd Vedette-torpilleur Flotilla: 12x
La Combattante II-type Vedette-torpilleurs
2nd Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
4th Région Maritime: Bizerte
3rd Submarine Flotilla:
Thetis,
Nymphe,
Atalante,
Calypso,
Naiade,
Circé
7th Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
Forces Légères d'Attaque: Bizerte
1st Flotilla de Croiseurs (Minelaying):
De Grasse,
Georges Leygues,
Dupleix,
Jean de Vienne
3rd Flotilla de Croiseurs:
Roland (F),
Olifant,
Turpin,
Roncevaux
8th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Le Fantasque,
Le Malin,
L'Indomptable,
Le Triomphant
* * * * *
Indian Ocean Flotilla
Headquarters: Djibouti, French Somaliland, Africa
Commander:
4th Division de Croiseurs:
Oliver,
Durendal
1st Aviso Division:
Grisélidis,
Vivette (
Emilia-class patrol boats)
2nd Aviso Division:
Le Dancaïre,
Micaëla (
Emilia-class patrol boats)
1st Frigate Division:
Sans Reproche
4th Flotilla Escorteurs:
Meuse,
Sambre,
Sormonne,
Chiers,
Othain
7th Submarine Flotilla:
Phénix,
Poncelet,
Prométhée,
Psyché,
Hermione,
Gorgone
1st Service Squadron: repair ship
Acheron, submarine tender
Jules Verne
3rd Submarine Chaser Flotilla: 10x
CSM-01-class submarine chasers
2nd Vedette Flotilla: 8x Patrouilleur léger Type 1941
* * * * *
Force de Action Naval
Headquarters: Toulon, France, Europe
Force de porte-avions rapides
1st Division de Porte-avions:
Vengeur (F),
Pacificateur
2nd Division de Porte-avions:
Pluton (F),
Vauban
4th Division de Porte-avions:
Bucentaure (F),
Conquirant
5th Flotilla de Croiseurs:
Algerie,
Tunisie,
Corse,
Leban
6th Flotilla de Croiseurs:
Volta,
Rhin,
Chari,
Fier
2nd Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Sabre,
Baliste,
Dehorter,
Javeline,
Bouclier,
Rapière,
Sagaie,
Casque
12th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Aigle,
Vautour,
Albatros,
Gerfaut,
Milan,
Épervier,
Bison,
Valmy
3rd Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Protée,
Clorinde,
Cornélie,
Alma,
Achille,
Actéon
Force de Raid
4th Battle Squadron:
Dunkerque (F),
Strasbourg
4th Flotilla Torpillieurs:
Surcouf,
Kersaint,
Cassard,
Bouvet
1st Groupe Amphibie
1st Amphibious Operations Squadron:
Châteaurenault,
Destrées,
Condorcet,
Bazaine
3rd Amphibious Operations Squadron (Legere):
Fantassin,
Tirailleur,
Voltigeur,
Mameluck,
Spahi,
Chasseur,
C3,
C4,
C5,
C6,
C9,
C10
4th Amphibious Operations Squadron:
Caiman,
Alligator,
Daman,
Addax
1st Groupe de soutien de la flotte
Fleet Oilers:
Seine,
Marne,
Risle,
Ource,
Aube,
Essone
Gasoline Tankers:
Inkerman
Destroyer Tenders:
La Seybouse,
La Chelif
Dry Stores Cargo Ships:
Titan,
Japet
Ammunition Ships:
Bougainville
Large Repair Ships:
Garonne
Small Repair Ships:
Gémeaux,
Règle
Oceanic Tugs:
Cephee,
Eridan
2nd Groupe de soutien de la flotte
Fleet Oilers
Durance,
Somme,
Var,
Oise,
Rance,
Loire
Gasoline Tankers:
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre
Destroyer Tenders:
Le Drâa,
La Medjerda
Dry Stores Cargo Ships:
Rhéa,
Téthys
Ammunition Ships:
Chaîne des Puys
Large Repair Ships:
Mékong
Small Repair Ships:
Ophiuchus,
Paon
Oceanic Tugs:
Cassiopee,
Andromede
Groupe d'escorte
3rd Division de Porte-avions:
Gambetta (F),
Clemenceau
1st Flotilla Escorteurs:
Zephir,
Méduse,
Cléopâtre,
Désirée,
Bellone,
Aréthuse,
Égyptienne,
Piémontaise
5th Flotilla Escorteurs:
Le Picard,
L'Alsacien,
Le Audois,
Le Brestois,
Le Corse,
Le Calaisien,
Le Basque,
Le Dijonnais
6th Flotilla Escorteurs:
Le Dieppois,
Le Champenois,
Le Indrien,
L'Calvadosien,
L'Agenais,
L'Costalorien,
Le Avignonnais,
Le Yvelinois
* * * * *
Indochinoise Patrouille Navale
Headquarters: Hanoi, Indochina, Asia
Frigate Flotilla:
Tran Nhat Duat (F),
Trieu Thi Trinh
Gunboat Flotilla:
Song Me Kong,
Song Hau,
Song Huong,
Song Hong,
Song Lo,
Song Da
Support Flotilla:
Tam Sat (tug),
Hát Giang (tug),
Trung Trac (survey),
Thich Anh Hung (civil support)
Northern Naval Zone - Hai Phong
2nd Corvette Division:
Dong Da,
Tuy Dong
1st Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
Kon Tum,
Phu Tho,
Tra Vinh,
Tien Giang,
Quang Binh,
Dong Nai,
Dien Bien,
Ha Giang,
Lai Chau,
Binh Duong (
CSM-81-class)
2nd Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
Son La,
Soc Trang,
Vinh Phuc,
Cao Bang,
Nam Dinh,
Ha Tinh,
Ben Tre,
Vinh Long,
Thai Binh,
Dong Thap (
CSM-81-class)
6th Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
Cam Ranh,
Da Nang,
Thi Nai,
Vung Tau,
Qhi Nhon,
Nha Trang (
Cam Ranh-class)
1st Torpedo Boat Flotilla:
Vedette Rapide 23m-class MTBs
MTB-01,
MTB-02,
MTB-03,
MTB-04
3rd Patrol Flotilla: 4x
Patrouilleur léger Type 1941 patrol boats
2nd Motor Minesweeper Flotilla:
HQ-09,
HQ-10,
HQ-11,
HQ-12,
HQ-12,
HQ-14,
HQ-15,
HQ-16
Central Naval Zone - Cam Ranh
3rd Corvette Division:
Tay Cay,
Can Don
3rd Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
An Giang,
Quang Tri,
Kien Giang,
Ba Ria-Vung Tau,
Gia Lai,
Yen Bai,
Hau Giang,
Binh Dinh,
Hoa Binh,
Ninh Binh (
CSM-81-class)
1st Motor Minesweeper Flotilla:
HQ-01,
HQ-02,
HQ-03,
HQ-04,
HQ-05,
HQ-06,
HQ-07,
HQ-08
Southern Naval Zone - Vung Tau
1st Corvette Division:
Chi Lang,
Van Kiep
4th Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
Hung Yen,
Thai Nguyen,
Tay Ninh,
Nghe An,
Binh Phuoc,
Bac Lieu,
Lam Dong,
Quang Ninh,
Dak Lak,
Hain Duong (
CSM-81-class)
5th Submarine Chaser Flotilla:
Dak Nong,
Bac Ninh,
Ca Mau,
Bac Kan,
Phu Yen,
Long An,
Lao Cai,
Tuyen Quang,
Thanh Hoa,
Quang Nam (
CSM-81-class)
Riverine Warfare Force / Indochina Marine Corps
34x
Bateau de Patrouille Blindé (62t class)
8x Vedette FOM 8m river patrol boats
8x Vedette FOM 11m river patrol boats
4x EDA-55 landing craft
8x EA-13 landing craft
Cam Ranh Bay Service Flotilla
8x Bateau de Service 8.6m
8x Bateau de Service 12.2m
8x Bateau de Service 20m
8x Patrouilleur de Port 15m
* * * * *
Other Units
Forces Sous-Marines: Brest, France, Europe
5th Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Emeraude,
Opale,
Rubis,
Saphir,
Topase,
Turquoise
6th Fleet Submarine Flotilla:
Grenat,
Agate,
Améthyste,
Jaspe,
Obsidienne,
Perle
4th Submarine Flotilla:
Roland Morillot,
Charles Drujon (training unit)
École Navale:
Belle Poule,
Étoile
Battleship
Lorraine: based in Toulon as training and reserve ship
Submarine
Gymnote: Toulon (experimental ship)
Gunboat
Parséis: La Rochelle (experimental ship; temporarily detached from 1st Gunboat Flotilla in Indochina)
Transports
Camerone and
Tuyen Quang: based in Arzew, used as transports by French Foreign Legion
Aircraft Transports
Furet and
Dromedaire: based in Toulon, used to transport aircraft to external territories
Oil Tankers
Vendémiaire,
Brumaire,
Frimaire,
Nivôse,
Pluviôse,
Ventôse,
Germinal,
Floréal,
Prairial,
Messidor,
Thermidor,
Fructidor: based in Oran
Coastal tankers
Cerisoles and
Malakoff: based in Marseilles
Coastal tankers
Le Chesnay and
Ris-Orangis: based in Bizerte
Coastal tanker
Châtenay-Malabry: based in Dakar
Oceanic Tugs
Caméléon and
Lyre: based in Brest
Oceanic Tugs
Sagittaire and
Verseau: based in Suva, Fidji
Oceanic Tugs
Bélier and
Capricorne: based in Toulon
Medium Tugs
Étangs de Sologne and
Étangs des Dombes: based in Toulon
Medium Tugs
Étang de Biscarosse and
Étang de Berre: based in Bizerte
Water Tanker
Drosse: based in Toulon
Ocean Research Ships
Pourqui Pas,
Le Suroit,
Ingénieur Elie Monnier,
CNRS-1,
Géographe,
Naturaliste based in Toulon