View source for French submarine Amazone (Q161)

{{other ships|French submarine Amazone}}
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|Ship country=France
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|Ship name=''Amazone''
|Ship namesake=[[Amazons|Amazon]], a female warrior in [[Greek mythology]]
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|Ship laid down=14 January 1929
|Ship launched=28 December 1931
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|Ship commissioned=12 October 1933
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|Ship fate=Condemned 26&nbsp;April&nbsp;1946
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|Ship class={{sclass|Diane|submarine|||1930|2}}
|Ship type=submarine
|Ship displacement=*{{Convert|571|LT|t|0|lk=on}} (surfaced)
*{{Convert|809|LT|t|0|lk=on}} (submerged)
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*submerged 9 knots
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'''''Amazone'' (Q161)''' was a [[French Navy]] {{sclass|Diane|submarine|||1930}} [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] in 1933. During [[World War II]], she operated on the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] side until 1940, when she became part of the naval forces of [[Vichy France]]. In 1942 she joined the [[Free French Naval Forces]]. She was stricken in 1946.

==Construction and commissioning==
''Amazone'' was authorized in the 1927 program under the naval law of 19 December 1926.<ref name=ubootefr>[http://www.u-boote.fr/amazone.htm uboote.fr AMAZONE (in French) Accessed 26 April 2023]</ref> Her [[keel]] was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] by [[Ateliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime]] at [[Le Trait]], [[France]], on 22 August 1929.<ref name=ubootefr/><ref name=uboatnet>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6124.html|title=FR Amazone of the French Navy - French Submarine of the Diane class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net Accessed 26 April 2023}}</ref> She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 28 December 1931<ref name=ubootefr/><ref name=uboatnet/> and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 12 October 1933.<ref name=ubootefr/><ref name=uboatnet/>

==Service history==
===French Navy===
When [[World War II]] began on 1 September 1939 with the German [[invasion of Poland]], ''Amazone'' was part of the 16th Submarine [[Division (naval)|Division]] — under the command of the 1st [[Maritime prefect|Maritime Prefecture]] at the Submarine Center — at Cherbourg along with her [[sister ship]]s  {{ship|French submarine|Antiope|Q160|2}}, {{ship|French submarine|Orphée|Q163|2}}, and {{ship|French submarine|Sibylle|1932|2}}.<ref name=ubootefr/> France entered the war on the side of the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] on 3 September 1939.

In 1940 the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] made plans to intervene in [[Norway]] to prevent the shipment of [[iron ore]] from [[Sweden]] to Germany via [[Narvik]] on the Norwegian coast. Twelve French submarines were to participate in the operation, including the four submarines of the 16th Division, under the overall command of [[Royal Navy]] [[Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice Admiral]] [[Max Horton]]. Accordingly, all four submarines of the 16th Submarine Division got underway<!--Source claims their departure date was 12 March 1940, but the voyage to Harwich is an at most an overnight trip across the North Sea, making a 22 March arrival date outlandish. Presumably, "12 March" is a typographical error for "22 March." ''Jules Verne'' appears to have been based in northern France, and a departure from there seems most likely, but it is possible that the submarines had made a deployment the source does not mention to the Mediterranean or French Africa and therefore required ten days to reach Harwich.--> in company with the French Navy [[submarine tender]] {{ship|French submarine tender|Jules Verne|A640|2}} and proceeded to [[Harwich]], England, where they arrived on 22 March 1940.<ref name=ubootefr/> At Harwich, they formed the 10th [[Flotilla]] under Horton's command. The four submarines patrolled in the [[North Sea]] off the coast of the [[Netherlands]] until 7 April 1940 without success.<ref name=ubootefr/>

On 8 April 1940 German [[U-boat]]s began operations in accordance with ''[[Operationsbefehl Hartmut]]'' ("Operation Order Hartmut")<ref name=ubootefr/> in support of [[Operation Weserübung|Operation ''Weserübung'']], the German invasion of Norway and [[Denmark]]. Allied operations related to Norway became of greater urgency when the German invasion of both countries began on 9 April 1940. As they took part in the [[Norwegian campaign]], the French submarines found limited facilities available to them at Harwich and had to rely largely on ''Jules Verne'' and spare parts sent from [[Cherbourg-en-Cotentin|Cherbourg]] in France for repairs, some of which never were completed.<ref name=ubootefr/> 

By 6 May 1940 the Allies had indications that a [[German invasion of the Netherlands]] was imminent, and that day Horton ordered all available submarines to put to sea.<ref name=ubootefr/> The submarines of the 16th Submarine Division received orders to join four other French, four British, and two [[Polish Navy]] submarines in forming a patrol line in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands to find and attack German submarines believed to be operating in the area.<ref name=ubootefr/> On 9 May 1940 ''Amazone'' avoided [[torpedo]]es a German U-boat fired at her.<ref name=ubootefr/>

The [[Battle of France]] began when German ground forces advanced into France, the Netherlands, [[Belgium]], and [[Luxembourg]] on 10 May 1940. At 23:57 on 11 May 1940, ''Amazone'' fired two torpedoes at a submarine she identified as a German U-boat in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands at {{coord|52|55|N|004|28|E}}. Both the German submarine {{GS|U-7|1935|2}} and the British submarine {{HMS|Shark|54S|6}} reported that a submarine had attacked them in that area at that time, and it remains unclear whether ''Amazone'' targeted ''U-7'' or was involved in a [[friendly fire]] incident with ''Shark''.<ref name=ubootefr/>

On 25 May 1940, ''Jules Verne'' and the submarines of the 2nd, 13th, and 16th Submarine Divisions arrived in [[Dundee]], [[Scotland]].<ref name=sousmarinsdisparussibylle>[http://sous.marins.disparus.free.fr/index.php/sous-marins/71-sibylle-i?showall=1 Sous-Marins Français Disparus & Accidents: Sous-Marin Sibylle I (in French) Accessed 22 April 2023]</ref> On 4 June 1940, ''Jules Verne'' and all the French submarines assigned to her departed Dundee and proceeded to [[Brest, France|Brest]], France.<ref name=ubootefr/> [[Fascist Italy (1922–1943)|Italy]] declared war on France on 10 June 1940 and [[Italian invasion of France|joined the invasion]]. As German ground forces approached Brest on 18 June 1940, all French ships received orders at 18:00 to evacuate the port, with those unable to get underway ordered to [[Scuttling|scuttle]] themselves.<ref name=ubootefr/> At 18:30, ''Jules Verne'' and 13 submarines, including ''Amazone'', got underway from Brest bound for [[Casablanca]], [[French Morocco]], which they reached on 23 June 1940.<ref name=ubootefr/>

The Battle of France ended in France's defeat and [[armistice]]s [[Armistice of 22 June 1940|with Germany]] on 22 June 1940 and [[Franco-Italian armistice|with Italy]] on 24 June. When the two armistices both went into effect on 25 June 1940, ''Amazone'' was at Casablanca.

===Vichy France===

After France′s surrender, ''Amazone'' served in the naval forces of [[Vichy France]]. On 3 July 1940, the British began [[Operation Catapult]], which sought to seize or neutralize the ships of the French Navy to prevent their use by the [[Axis Powers]]. The [[Royal Navy]]′s [[Force H]] arrived off the French naval base at [[Mers El Kébir]] near [[Oran]] in [[French Algeria|Algeria]] that day and demanded that the French Navy either turn over the ships based there to British custody or disable them. When the French refused, the British [[warship]]s opened fire on the French ships in the harbor in the [[attack on Mers-el-Kébir]]. Concerned that the British might also attack the incomplete [[battleship]] {{ship|French battleship|Jean Bart|1940|2}} at Casablanca, French forces at Casablanca went on alert that day, and that evening ''Amazone'' and the submarines {{ship|French submarine|Amphitrite|Q159|2}} and {{ship|French submarine|Méduse|1930|2}} put to sea to establish a standing submarine patrol along a {{convert|20|nmi|adj=on|lk=on}} radius from Casablanca.<ref name=ubootefr/>

As of 23 October 1940, ''Amazone'' ''Antiope'', ''Orphée'', and ''Sibylle'' still constituted the 16th Submarine Division and were based in French Morocco.<ref name=ubootefr/> In 1941, ''Amazone'' was placed under guard in an unarmed and unfueled state in accordance with the June 1940 armistices.<ref name=ubootefr/> Subsequently reactivated, she was based at [[Dakar]] in [[Senegal]] in [[French West Africa]] by February 1942.<ref name=ubootefr/> As of 1 October 1942, she still was part of the 16th Submarine Division, which by then also included ''Amphitrite'', ''Antiope'', ''Sibylle'', and the submarine {{ship|French submarine|Perle|1935|2}}.<ref name=ubootefr/> She received orders on 20 October 1942 to proceed with [[Convoy]] D-60 to [[Nouadhibou|Port-Etienne]] in [[Colonial Mauritania|Mauritania]] and make a port call there from 25 to 30 October 1942, but these orders were rescinded when the 16th Submarine Division was relieved in French West Africa and ordered to proceed to Casablanca.<ref name=ubootefr/>

During the night of 7–8 November 1942, the French naval commander at Casablanca received indications that an [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] invasion of [[French North Africa]] was imminent and took action to resist it.<ref name=ubootefr/> [[Operation Torch]], the Allied [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious landings]] in French Morocco and [[French Algeria|Algeria]], began in the predawn hours of 8 November. That morning at 06:13, ''Amazone'' departed Casablanca bound for a patrol area in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off French Morocco [[Bearing (angle)|bearing]] between 200 degrees and 210 degrees from [[El Hank (headland)|El Hank]] off [[Roches Noires, Morocco|Roches Noires]].<ref name=ubootefr/> At around 10:00, with the [[Naval Battle of Casablanca]] raging between [[United States Navy]] and Vichy French forces, she unsuccessfully attacked the U.S. Navy [[light cruiser]] {{USS|Brooklyn|CL-40}}.<ref name=ubootefr/> Facing no counterattacks by U.S. forces, she returned to Casablanca, where she [[anchor]]ed in the outer harbor, then docked at the Delure [[pier]] to refuel.<ref name=ubootefr/>

On 9 November 1942 ''Amazone'' and ''Antiope'' got underway from Casablanca bound for Port-Etienne.<ref name=ubootefr/> While they were at sea, fighting between Allied and Vichy French forces in [[French North Africa]] ended on 11 November 1942. The two submarines arrived at Port-Etienne on 15 November 1942 for an overnight stop, then proceeded on 16 November to Dakar, which they reached without incident on 18 November 1942.<ref name=ubootefr/>

===Free French Naval Forces===

After the end of hostilities between French and Allied forces in French North Africa, ''Amazone'' and ''Antiope'' joined the [[Free French Naval Forces]]. They were reassigned to the 17th Submarine Division.<ref name=ubootefr/>

In 1943, ''Amazone'' was assigned to duty in support of the U.S. Navy sound school at [[Bermuda]].<ref name=ubootefr/> Getting underway from Dakar, she made a stop at Bermuda from 26 to 28 February 1943, then proceeded to the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]] on [[League Island]] in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]],<ref name=uboatnet/> where she underwent an overhaul. 

After the completion of her overhaul, ''Amazone'' departed the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 14 October 1943 and made for [[Naval Submarine Base New London]] in [[Groton, Connecticut|Groton]], [[Connecticut]], arriving there on 16 October.<ref name=uboatnet/> She then headed for Bermuda, which she reached on 1 November 1943.<ref name=uboatnet/> Beginning her support to the sound school, she conducted exercises off Bermuda daily from 15 to 20 November, on 24 and 25 November, from 28 November to 1 December, on 3 and 4 December, from 6 to 9 December, from 20 to 25 December, and on 27 and 31 December 1943, and on 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 20 January, from 23 through 25 and from 27 through 29 January, from 1 to 3 February, and on 5 and 6 February 1944.<ref name=uboatnet/> 

''Amazone'' departed Bermuda on 12 February 1944 and headed for [[Key West, Florida|Key West]], [[Florida]], where she assumed duties with the U.S. Navy sound school there.<ref name=ubootefr/><ref name=uboatnet/>  She later proceeded to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a refit. With it complete, she departed Philadelphia on 7 October 1944 and headed for Naval Base New London, which she reached on 8 October.<ref name=uboatnet/> She ran aground on 15 October 1944 inside [[Fort Pond Bay]] at [[Montauk, New York|Montauk]], [[Long Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref name=uboatnet/> She was refloated on 16 October and [[Towing|towed]] to Naval Submarine Base New London.<ref name=uboatnet/> She departed Groton on 21 October 1944 under tow by the U.S. Navy [[rescue tug]] {{USS|ATR-8}} and arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 23 October 1944 for repairs.<ref name=uboatnet/> After the completion of her repairs, ''Amazone'' got underway from Philadelphia on 7 December 1944 and proceeded to Key West, where she arrived on 12 December 1944<ref name=uboatnet/> and resumed her duties with the sound school.

World War II ended in [[Europe]] on 8 May 1945. ''Amazone'' departed Key West on 12 July 1945 bound for Bermuda.<ref name=uboatnet/> She got underway from Bermuda on 7 August 1945 and, after a stop at [[Ponta Delgada]] in the [[Azores]], headed for Casablanca.<ref name=uboatnet/> While she was at sea, World War II ended with the [[surrender of Japan]] on 15 August 1945. She arrived at Casablanca on 19 August 1945.<ref name=uboatnet/>

== Final disposition==

''Amazone'' was stricken from the navy list and condemned on 26 April 1946.<ref name=ubootefr/><ref name=uboatnet/>

== References ==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite journal |last1=Moulin |first1=Jean |title=Les sous-marins type ''Antiope'' des budgets 1927, 1928, 1929 |journal=Navires & Histoire |date=April–May 2022 |issue=130 |pages=66–75 |issn=1280-4290|lang=fr|trans-title=The ''Antope''-Class Submarines of the 1927, 1928, 1929 Budgets}}

==External links==
* {{Cite web|author= Ivan Gogin |title= FRENCH NAVY (FRANCE) - SUBMARINES - DIANE submarines (1932-1934) |url= http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_ss_diane2.htm |date= 2008–2015 |website= NAVYPEDIA |access-date= 3 January 2020}}
* {{Cite web|language=fr|author=|title= Les bâtiments ayant porté le nom d'Amazone |url= http://www.netmarine.net/bat/smarins/amazone/ancien.htm |date= |website= Net-Marine |access-date= 12 January 2020}}
* {{Cite web|language=fr|author=|title= 13-Sous-marins (18) sous-marins classe Argonaute (4) |url= https://clausuchronia.wordpress.com/tag/amazone/ |date= 1 September 2013 |website= CLAUSUCHRONIA Une uchronie un peu folle |access-date= 12 January 2020}}
* {{Cite web|language=fr|author=|title= 1932.02.25.Des ACSM.Fiche de renseignements sur le sous-marin Amazone |url= https://www.wormsetcie.com/fr/archives/1932/19320225des-acsmfiche-de-renseignements-sur-le-sous-marin-amazone |date= 7 August 2017|website= Worms & Cie |access-date= 12 January 2020}}
* {{Cite web |language= fr |author= Jean-Luc Delaeter |title= Les Sous-Marins du groupe Jules Verne |url= http://www.sous-mama.org/les-sous-marins-du-groupe-jules-verne-blog-205.html |date= 31 March 2005 |website= sous-mama.org |access-date= 12 January 2020 |archive-date= 1 January 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200101111527/http://www.sous-mama.org/les-sous-marins-du-groupe-jules-verne-blog-205.html |url-status= dead }}

{{Diane class submarines (1930)}}
{{May 1940 shipwrecks}}
{{October 1944 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amazone}}
[[Category:World War II submarines of France]]
[[Category:Submarines of the Free French Naval Forces]]
[[Category:1931 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in France]]
[[Category:Diane-class submarine (1930)]]
[[Category:Friendly fire incidents of World War II]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1940]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in October 1944]]