Photographs and history of the French Battleship Suffren, The Suffren was a further development of the Charlemagne and Iena.  built at Brest and laid down on the 5th January 1899, launched 25th July 1899.  and completed October 1903. A major change with the chip was the re introduction of turrets for the secondary 6.4 inch guns. The Suffren, took part i the Dardanelle's campaign  and was hit 14 times on the 18th march 1915. One large shell hit below the waterline  and flooded some compartments. causing the Suffren to list. another shell. a 9.4 inch pierced the roof of a port casemate which burst putting three of the 6.4 inch guns out of action and causing a ammunition fire. it was lucky this did not cause a disastrous explosion if the stored ammunition had been in metal QF cases.  the  severe damage was repaired. On the 26th November 1916 on her way to Lorient for a refit. and while not being escorted she was torpedoed by U52 off the Portuguese coast. It is believed that a magazine exploded causing the Suffren to sink within seconds. causing the loss of all the crew.

Displacement: 12,527 tons,  Speed: 17.9 knots.  Crew: 714   Armament: Four 12 -inch / 40 cal <1893-96 guns mounted in pairs.,  ten 6.4 inch /45cal QF M1893-96,  Eight 3.9 inch,  twenty two 3 pdr.  Two 1 pdr. and two 18 inch torpedo tubes (submerged) and two Torpedo Tubes AW which were soon removed,. 

Suffren.

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Suffren at Toulon.

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Suffren.

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Suffren, c.1908

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Suffren.

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Suffren.

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Suffren pictured c.1905. 

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Suffren  1904

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