Is this Méduse?

[rstern]

Friends,
In digitizing my photo collection I came across the attached shot
of what is described as a French submarine grounded near Casablanca
during the Torch landings in November 1942. A quick look at my sources
indicate the French lost 5 subs at or near Casablanca during that month. The
only one specifically described as being driven ashore was Méduse. Is
this a photo of Méduse?

Thanks,
rob

[Dreadnought]

Hi Rob,

Can't ID photo for you I'm afraid, but apparently today the wreck lies in just two metres of water.

Méduse was a French Navy Submarine of the Diane Class. D, built in 1928.

As I understand it, on the 8th November 1942, there were 11 French submarines in Casablanca. Three were sunk in the harbor and eight got out. Méduse was damaged off Casablanca and beached near Mazagan, north off Cape Blanco in position 33º25'N, 08º40'W on the 10th November. She was then wrecked after being bombed again by an aircraft from the American light cruiser USS Philadelphia.

Orphee made it back into Casablanca and survived. Le Tonnant made it to Cadiz and was scuttled by her crew. Amazone and Antiope made it to Dakar. Three have never been fully accounted for. They were Sidi-Ferruch, Conquerant, and Sybille. According to some sources, one of these three was depth-charged and bombed by US destroyers and aircraft.

[Le Breton]

It's french submarines MEDUSE

Link for another pictures

http://meduse.monsite.wanadoo.fr/page3.html

http://meduse.monsite.wanadoo.fr/page2.html


LE CONQUERANT sunk par PBY from VP 52 13/11/1942
SIDI FERRUCH sunc by aircraft from USS SUWANNE 11/11/1942
LA SIBYLE lost 9/11/1942 sunk by ????????

[culverin]

Sidi Ferruch.
Her exact fate is open to question, as stated earlier.
Crucially, so is the date of her loss but i understand the French accept it as the 13 November.
Her ascribed loss to planes from USS Suwannee, CVE27, on the the 11th is improbable and unproven.
What is not in doubt is her demise at the hands of aerial attack, probably a PBY on the 13th.

[kleinst]

Hello,

Yes it's a picture of the Meduse.

You can find a story of the Amphitrite, a submarine of the same class, lost in Casablanca.

http://marine1939.blogspot.com/2012/01/le-sous-marin-amphitrite.html

:)

[astraltrader]

Are you Mr Wilfried Langry by any chance?? :confused: