French cruiser Châteaurenault (D 606)

Chateaurenault (D 606) was a French Capitani Romani-class light cruiser, acquired as war reparations from Italy in 1947 which served in the French Navy from 1948 to 1961. She was named in honour of François Louis de Rousselet, Marquis de Châteaurenault. In Italian service, the ship was named Attilio Regolo after Marcus Atilius Regulus the Roman statesman and general who was a consul of the Roman Republic in 267 BC and 256 BC.

For other ships with the same name, see French cruiser Châteaurenault.
Chateaurenault, the former Attilio Regolo
History
Italy
NameAttilio Regolo
Ordered1937
BuilderO.T.O., Livorno
Laid down28 September 1939
Launched28 August 1940
Commissioned15 May 1942
FateCeded to France as war reparations, 1947
History
France
NameChateaurenault
NamesakeFrançois Louis de Rousselet, Marquis de Châteaurenault
Commissioned1948
Decommissioned1961
Stricken1975
FateScrapped, 1979
General characteristics
TypeLight cruiser
Displacement
  • 3,750 long tons (3,810 t) standard
  • 5,420 long tons (5,510 t) full load
Length142.2 m (466 ft 6 in) overall
Beam14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draught4.1 m (13 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft geared turbines
  • 4 boilers
  • 110,000 hp (82,000 kW)
Speed41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph)[1]
Range4,350 nmi (8,060 km; 5,010 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement418
Sensors and
processing systems		Gufo radar
Armament

History

Italian service

Attilio Regolo was commissioned in August 1942 in Livorno. She was torpedoed by the submarine HMS Unruffled on 7 November 1942, and remained in drydock for several months with her bow shattered.[2] She was interned in Port Mahon in the island of Menorca, Spain, after the armistice on 9 September 1943.[3]

French service

After the Peace Treaty on 10 February 1947, she and her sister ship Scipione Africano were transferred to France as war reparations (Scipione Africano was renamed Guichen). The ships were extensively rebuilt for the French Navy by La Seyne dockyard with new anti-aircraft-focused armament and fire-control systems in 1951–1954 with the following changes:

  • Armament
    • 6 – 105 mm guns (three twin turrets of German origin)
    • 10 – 57 mm guns (5 twin turrets)
    • 12 – 550 mm torpedo tubes
  • Sensors: Radar DRBV 20 A, DRBV 11, DRBC 11, DRBC 30, Sonar
  • Crew: 353

The ships were decommissioned in 1961.[4]

Citations
  1. "Pompeo Magno—Incrociatore leggero". Almanacco storico navale. Marina Militare.
  2. Bragadin, Marc'Antonio (1957). The Italian Navy in World War II. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute. p. 241. ISBN 0-405-13031-7.
  3. Tomlin, p. 241
  4. Bishop (2002), p. 489.

References
  • Bishop, Chris (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Taks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. Sterling Publishing. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.
  • Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-141-6.
  • Preston, Antony (1989). Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II. New York, New York: Military Press. ISBN 0-51767-963-9.
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