700-036 VICTOR SCHOELCHER (BOUGAINVILLE) FRENCH AUXILIARY CRUISER

Victor Schoelcher (originally Bouganville) was a French auxiliary cruiser, rebuilt from a passenger and transport ship that was commandeered in 1939. Its total length at the time of launching was approx. 115 m and a width of approx. 16 m. The maximum speed did not exceed 17 knots. The armament included: 7 single 139 mm guns or 2 75 mm guns. Victor Schoelcher was originally named Bouganville and was a French passenger and transport ship launched shortly before the Great War. Soon after the outbreak of World War II, the unit was commandeered by the Marine Nationale and transformed into an auxiliary cruiser. However, the conversion was completed after the fall of the Third French Republic, and the ship entered service with the French Vichy Navy. He was sent to Madagascar. There, he fought the British forces that attacked the island in May 1942 and was sunk by the British as a result of an air attack on May 5 or 6, 1942.