Postby Dave Saxton » Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:15 am
The most trust worthy source-Jordan and Dumas- reads that Richelieu was not at Suez at all. According to this source, Rich was mothballed before Suez (Oct, Nov 1956) in Feb 1956. However, Jean Bart was there.
Jean Bart was part of the British/French fire support forces to landings near Port Said on Nov 6 1965. However, the British commander of the combined naval forces, was given orders by London to not utilize guns larger than 4.5". Then the orders were changed cancelling the bombardment altogether. These new orders never got through to the local commanders, or they were ignored by the French, because a bombardment and follow up fire support was carried out by the French warships, including a 15" salvo from Jean Bart. According to Jordan and Dumas only four 15" rounds were fired by Jean Bart during the bombardment.
Other dubious sources report that Rich and Jean Bart were both at Suez and that they operated together there. Yet another source reports that they only operated together one time for a few hours during Jan 1957, before they were both mothballed. Better information makes these claims unlikely.
Rich was in poor shape by 1950 and would have required more money than the French could afford to bring it up to date, according to Dumas. Photos bear this out as Rich is still equipped with older WWII era British radars, with a Type 285M for its one and only firecontrol set, as late as 1953. (Meanwhile Jean Bart was gradually completed, joining the fleet by 1955. Jean Bart can be seen sporting more modern radars that are neither US or British.) Therefore, Rich became a training ship during 1952. Rich was used a flag ship (only) to Indochina during the French engagement there according to another source.
Some books on Suez call the French battleship there the Richelieu, when it was apparently actually the Richelieu class battleship Jean Bart.
Entering a night sea battle is an awesome business.The enveloping darkness, hiding the enemy's.. seems a living thing, malignant and oppressive.Swishing water at the bow and stern mark an inexorable advance toward an unknown destiny.