French submarine Circé (1907)

This article is about the submarine launched in 1907. For the submarine of the same name launched in 1925, see Circé-class submarine.

History
France
Name	Circé
Namesake	Circe
Builder	Arsenal de Toulon
Laid down	1905
Launched	19 September 1907
Completed	1909
Identification	Pennant number: Q47
Fate	Sunk by U-47, 20 September 1918
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Circé-class submarine
Displacement	361 t (355 long tons) (surfaced) 498 t (490 long tons) (submerged)
Length	47.13 m (154 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam	4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
Draft	3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
Installed power	630 PS (460 kW; 620 bhp) (diesels) 360 PS (260 kW; 360 bhp) (electric motors)
Propulsion	2 × shafts; 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) (surfaced) 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) (submerged)
Range	2,160 nmi (4,000 km; 2,490 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 44 nmi (81 km; 51 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	40 m (130 ft)
Complement	2 officers and 20 crewmen
Armament	4 × external 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo launchers (2 × forward, 2 × aft)

Circé was the name ship of her class of two submarines built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

Construction and career

On 29 April 1915, Circé made several attempts to penetrate the harbour of Cattaro. Finally she gained entrance, but found no targets and had to retire. On 31 March 1917 in the Adriatic, she launched a torpedo towards the German submarine UC-35, but missed.

On 24 May 1917, under command of Lt. Hélion De Cambourg, she succeeded in sinking the German submarine SM UC-24. This was one of the few kills (if not the only) by a French submarine during World War I.

On 20 September 1918, Circé under command of Lt. Henri Viaud was on anti-submarine patrol in the Southern Adriatic Sea, off Cattaro, when she was torpedoed by the Austro-Hungarian Navy submarine U-47 at 04:00, while recharging her batteries. Only one survivor, second-in-command Eugène Lapeyre, was picked up.

Bibliography

• Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allen. 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 0-85177-245-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
• Garier, Gérard (2002). A l'épreuve de la Grande Guerre. L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 3–2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-81-5.
• Garier, Gérard (1998). Des Émeraude (1905–1906) au Charles Brun (1908–1933). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France (in French). Vol. 2. Bourg-en-Bresse, France: Marines édition. ISBN 2-909675-34-3.

External links

• La Circé on sous-marin.france
• Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Circe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
• Wrecksite
• Testimony of the only survivor Eugène Lapeyre