World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseCommissioned in mid-1932, French cruiser Dupleix was part of the 1st Light Division of the French Navy 1st Squadron. In 1937, she was modernized. Between 14 Oct 1939 and late Jan 1940, she operated out of Dakar, French West Africa. In Oct 1939, she led an attack that saw the capture of German freighter Santa Fé. On 14 Jun 1940, as a part of the French 3rd Squadron (4 heavy cruisers and 11 destroyers in total), she bombarded Genoa, Italy, damaing oil storage tanks and military facilities. She remained in port at Toulon in southern France from mid-1940 until late-1942 without seeing much action. In Nov 1942, when Germany occupied Vichy France, capitaine de vaisseau Jacques Moreau followed orders from above and began to scuttle the ship to prevent German capture. German troops were able to rush aboard the ship before the valves were opened to flood the ship, but the crew was able to set off demolition charges, which would detonate her torpedoes at 0830 hours; the subsequent fire burned for ten days and caused extensive damage. In Jul 1943, the Italians raised Dupleix for repairs, and ultimately put her back in service as a training ship. After the Italian surrender in the fall of 1943, Dupleix was taken over by the Germans and was used as a floating anti-aircraft gun platform. In Apr 1944, she was returned to Vichy France. In Aug 1944, she was subjected by aerial attacks by aircraft and was sunk. Her wreck was broken up for scrap in 1951.

Heavy Cruiser Dupleix Interactive Map

Photographs

Dupleix Operational Timeline