1913 PROVENCE, was almost a relic of a bygone age by the time of the fall of
France in 1940, having already been in service for 25 years, but there were momentous events still to come.
THE BRETAGNE CLASS
The three ships of the class Bretagne and Lorraine were the others were authorised under the 1912 construction programme to replace the pre Dreadnoughts Carnot, Charles Marte! and Libert. Provence was the first of the class to be completed, in June 1915, having been laid down at the Lorient Naval Dockyard on 1 May 1912 and launched on 20 April 1913. Her hull form was that of the Courbet, the first French Dreadnought, but Provences guns were of heavier calibre, although she carried two fewer.
PROVENCE AT WAR
During World War I, Provence was active as the French flagship in the Mediterranean. In 1919, she was the scene of a mutiny while stationed at Toulon. She was extensively refitted at Brest in 1935-36, when her composite coal/oil-fired boilers were replaced by oil-fired units, and her gun mounts were modified, increasing their maximum range from 14,500m (15,865yds) to 18,000m (19,695yds). Provence was serving with the Atlantic Fleet when France fell. She was badly damaged during the British attempt to destroy the French warships at Mers-el-Kebir to prevent them from falling into German hands, but was brought back to Toulon, where she was scuttled by her crew on 27 November 1942. She was raised the following year and her guns were removed for use in coastal batteries. She was then scuttled again, to be raised once more and broken up in 1949.
TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Battleship
Machinery: Four shafts driven by geared turbines totalling 29,000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 166m (544.5ft); beam, 26.9m (88.25ft)
Draught: 9.8m (32.2ft)
