Mirabeau was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 28 October 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.
During the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean.
Post-war, Mirabeau was deployed to the Black Sea as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Revolution. In February 1919 she ran aground and could not be refloated until some of her guns, armour and boilers were removed. After returning to France, she was stricken from the navy list and broken up for scrap in 1922.
Mirabeau at Sevastopol 1919 undergoing repairsMirabeau
Vergniaud was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 12 April 1910, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 18 December 1911.
On 16 August 1914, Voltaire participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.
For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean.
Post-war, Vergniaud was laid up in reserve, but found to be in poor condition. Stripped of armament, she was used as a target ship. She was listed for disposal in 1927 and sold for scrap in 1928.
VergniaudVergniaud at ConstantinopleVergniaudVergniaudVergniaudVergniaud
Voltaire was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 16 January 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.
On 16 August 1914, Voltaire participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.
For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean. On 10 October 1918, while returning to Mudros following an overhaul, she was torpedoed by the German U-boat UB-48. Although struck by two torpedoes, she was able to make temporary repairs at Mudros and then sail to Bizerte for permanent repairs.
She was modernised post-war from 1922 to 1925, being used as a training ship from 1927. She was condemned in 1937 and scuttled in Quiberon Bay (France) on 31 May 1938 for long-term use as a target. The wreck was sold in December 1949 and broken up from March 1950 onwards.
Voltaire being launchedVoltaire in ToulonVoltaireVoltaireVoltaireVoltaire during the review of September 4, 1911Voltaire in Toulon 10 September 1916Voltaire in Toulon HarbourVoltaire in Toulon HarbourVoltaireVoltaireDrawing of Voltaire
