Light cruiser Émile Bertin

[Arghail 1,220]

Good Evening. I would like to present my pick for the French Navy top tier light cruiser.

 

 

The Light cruiser and mine-layer Émile Bertin

 

 

 

First and foremost, why the Émile Bertin?

 

  (Edited since the evolution of the Naval game mode). This light cruiser is a good entry ship as far as French cruisers are concerned. Although it suffers from a lack of armor, it has excellent speed for a cruiser this size, as well as decent firepower. Furthermore, it was overhauled after 1943, and got excellent AA defenses.

 

The Émile Bertin light cruiser

 

During the 1920's the French navy was rearming following the Washington treaty. Although the "Royale" already had the brand new Duguay-Trouin class of light cruisers, Their loadout configuration, with their 155mm canons and torpedoes were considered inadapted. They needed a new light cruiser, and one that could lay mine as well, given that their only mine-layer, the Pluton, was still being built, and couldn't possibly carry out that mission alone. That's how the CL-1 cruiser program " croiseur de 6000 tonnes mouilleur de mines" (6000t mine-layer cruiser) came to be. The program started in 1928, and the cruiser, baptized Émile Bertin to honor the memory of a famous 19th century naval engineer, was built starting 1931. Launched in 1933, she was armed and ready in 1934. During her speed trials the same year, she reached the impressive speed of 40 knots, or 74 km/h.

 

During the second half of the 1930's, the Émile Bertin is the lead-ship of the 6th and 4th light division of destroyers, and is accompanied by the destroyers Milan Epervier and Valmy (4th), and the  Bison, Lion and Vauban (6th). It also sailed alongside several other destroyers, as well as the famous Surcouf cruiser-submarine. She sailed mostly in the Atlantic, between France and Guadeloupe, as well as in the Mediteranean sea.

 

With the start of the war, the Émile Bertin is first used to convey men and money in and out of France, toward the colonies or toward the French islands. She first saw combat during the battle of Narvik, where she was dispached, along with several other cruisers and the Royal Navy to escort the convoys of men toward Norway. It was there that she saw combat for the first time, and got hit by a Junker 88 bomber, which dropped two 500kg bombs on her. One missed, the other hit, but fortunatly didn't explode, and pierced the entire ship before ending up below the waterline.

 

Back in France, the grim situation of the French army toward May, 20th 1940 pushes the government to extract the gold reserves of the French banks toward the French Carribean. Once again, The Émile Bertin's speed is perfect for the job, therefore she's chosen to convey 290t of golds toward Fort de France. Interesting to note that the British didn't want the Émile Bertin to leave for the Carribean and tried to tail her with the HMS Devonshire, which ultimately couldn't keep up with the ship.

 

Between 1940 and 1943, the Émile Bertin remains anchored in Fort-de France, in Martinique. Following the US pressure to leave the Vichy regime, the French navy officials want to scuttle the ship so it wouldn't fall in anybody's hand. Following a mutiny, this order is finally cancelled to prevent a bloodbath. After a quick trial at sea to be sure that the ship was still operational, she's sent to Philadelphia, where she's heavily modifed and modernized.

 

Back to north Africa in January 1944, she serves as an escort for numerous convoys, as well as intensive training to familiarize with the US navy formations and combat methods. Starting August, 1944, she's then used as a support ship to carry and support troop landings in Naples and Villefranche during Operation Dragoon, firing on blockhaus and bunkers alongside some of the Galissonnière cruisers. At the beginning of 1945, she's repaired and modernized again to join the Pacific fleet against the Japanese. The war ends however without her seeing any actions, and she's used to patrol the Indochina seas during the beginning of the Indochina war, even hosting a peace meeting between the French and Vietnamese delegations.

 

Converted into a school ship in 1949, she sailed one last time in 1951, after which she was stripped of its weaponry, and finally dismantled in 1961.

 

General Characteristics :

Tonnage:	5,886 tonnes (standard) 6,530 tonnes (max load) 8,480 tonnes (max overload)
Length:	177 m (581 ft) (overall)
Beam:	15.84 m (52.0 ft)
Draught:	5.44 m (17.8 ft)
Installed power:	102,000 shp (76,000 kW) 137,908 shp (102,838 kW) on trials
Propulsion:	Parsons SR geared steam turbines 6 Penhoët boilers
Speed:	Cruise speed : 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) Max speed : 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)
Range:	6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) 2,800 nautical miles (5,190 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) 1,100 nautical miles (2,040 km) at 33 knots (61 km/h)

 

Armament :

 

Original armament :

 

9 x 152mm guns

4 x 90mm guns

8 x 37 mm AA guns

8 x 13.2 mm Hotchkiss MGs

6 x TLT, 550mm torpedoes

 

Modernized armament :

 

9 x 152mm guns

10 x 90mm guns

16 x 40mm Bofor guns

20 x 20mm Oerlikon guns

 

Armor : 30mm armor for the ammo racks

 

Regarding the 152mm guns mle. 1930 :

 

Spoiler

 

 

fires a 55kg explosive shell (26960m range), or 54 et 58kg AP shells ( 26474m range), as well as a 47kg AA shell ( 24200m range). 6 shot per minutes.

 

 

 

 

Regarding the 90mm guns Schneider mle. 1926

 

Spoiler

 

 

Fires 18kg explosive shells at over 15540m at a rate of 12 to 15 shots per minutes.

 

 

Regarding the 37mm mle. 1925 guns:
 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Fires a 700g shell at over 5000m at a rate of 20 shots per minute.

 

 

Regarding the 550mm Torpedo launchers :

 

Spoiler

 

Fires from 2 x 3 mle 1928T torpedo tubes. The torpedoes have a range of 9000m at 39 knts, 15000m at 35 knts.

Type |  Year |  Usage | Propulsion |  Diameter |  weight | length |  Speed |  Range |  Immersion |  Vector | 24Q  1924 Surface  pres. air    550mm 1720kg  7,12m  35 knts  15km       N/A  surf. ship

 

Regarding the Hotchkiss M1929 13.2mm Mgs :

 

Spoiler

 

Specs (navy version on the Émile Bertin)
Weight	37.5 kg (83 lbs) single gun, stripped
Length	1.67 metres (5 ft 6 in)
Barrel length	1 metre (3 ft 3 in)
Cartridge	13.2 x 96 mm
Caliber	13.2 mm (122g bullets)
Action	gas
Rate of Fire	700 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	800 m/s (2,625 ft/s)
Feed system	30-round belt

Max range : 6500m (2500m practical range), air target 1500m

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos :

 

Plans :

Spoiler

 

 

Photos :

 

Spoiler

Under Construction :

During her Launch in 1933

Speed trials (1934/35)

In Calais, 1938 :

In Toulon, 1938

The Émile Bertin escorting ships toward Namsos during the war, 1940

After modernization in the USA



In Indochina :

Anchored with the Suffren and the Jean Bart in 1963

 

Sources :

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cruiser_Émile_Bertin

http://forummarine.forumactif.com/t4844-france-croiseur-leger-emile-bertin

https://warshipsworld.com/2017/07/18/croiseur-emile-bertin/

LASSAQUE Jean, Le croiseur Emile Bertin 1933-1959, éditions Marine, 2004
 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Arghail

[leroyonly 4,311]

Open for discussion. 

[Arghail 1,220]

Thank you.

[Lucky_B 357]

+1. Very noce 

 

What about a 'both versions' option in the question n° 2 of the poll ?

[Arghail 1,220]

6 hours ago, Lucky_B said:

+1. Very noce 

 

What about a 'both versions' option in the question n° 2 of the poll ?

 

Well, given that there is only one Émile Bertin, I think that would be a bit curious. That said, I think you're right, and I can make a "modernisation available in the modifications" option.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Arghail

[Arghail 1,220]

EDIT : Added the specs for the 13.2mm Hotchkiss mle. 1929 machineguns.

[Arghail 1,220]

Here's a photo of the Emile Bertin in 1947, which shows quite well the new radar installations and modifications from 1945.

 

[Admiral_Aruon 2,264]

all for it, though i'd rather have the 1943 refit as a separate ship. so +2 i guess

[WayOfTheWolk 1,573]

Here is some additional information on the Emile Bertin. The source goes as follows:

Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean. French Cruisers. Seaforth Publishing. 2013

 

 

 

[Milocat 4,856]

I would love to see this light cruiser.  +1.

[sam_dom 87]

The Wartime history of the Emile Bertin are glorious .
Despite a secondary role , the ship was a useful tool for the final victory against axis

 

• The ship was designed like a Destroyer Leader , whive a maximun speed of 40,2 knots .

During the 30's the ship was the "Pride of the french navy  ",  this is the most photographed cruiser of the 30's !


Pride of the french navy ..OK ...,but  viewed "questionable " by the french navy herself , this is the reason why the La Galissonnière class was built instead .
The need of a true "light cruiser " was stronger than bride , the La Galissonnière was a mutch balanced design , a more capable design.

This is the battle award of the cruiser
-Norway
- Fall of France & the battle for the french gold
- Operation Dragoon
-  Indochina

• The 1943 refit

The US navy has a lot of pain for refit the cruiser  .
Some key elements were removed
- The third anchor 
- The AA remote control systhem ( for another one )
- The torpedo
- Lifeboat ( inflatable lifeboat  )
- The conning tower & bridge
The cruiser received  some Destroyer stuff , like ASW warfare , radar or telecom



1945 a last refit .
The french navy tryed to refit the cruiser like a cruiser
New barrel for the 152 mm turret
New 90 mm AA gun
New radar
The ASW warfare is scrapped

Edited July 28, 2019 by sam_dom

[Arghail 1,220]

Topic cleaned, additional infos from Private_Wolk as well as new schematics and photos added.

[sam_dom 87]

On 04/04/2019 at 12:02, Arghail said:

Here's a photo of the Emile Bertin in 1947, which shows quite well the new radar installations and modifications from 1945.

 

Vue du dessus
 

before the war
 

Edited August 23, 2020 by sam_dom