FREE FRENCH FORCES

Built in 1932, in the shipyard Augustin Normand established in the Havre city, JUNON was lauched on the 15th of september 1935. she joined the navy two years later.

When war began, in 1939, she was based in Casablanca. In fébruary 1940 she operate on survaillance missions off the Canaria islands. On 29th march 1940, she began in Cherbourg a main maintenance period which should end in July. When the german troops invade France, she was unable to sail alone. She left Cherbourg towed by the MINERVE to Brest. But oof Ushant, advised by a british destroyer German inaved this city, two submarines changed their course to Plymouth. On the 3rd of july, as the armistice between Germany and France was conclued, JUNON, as the other french ships who took refuge in british harbours, was captured by the Royal navy. Naval Free French forces armed the submarine on July 27th. But without main motors parts, left in Cherbourg shipyard, the submarine could not go at sea for trials and training before 6 october 1941. After first survey operations in Biscay against german battleships based in Brest, she patrolled during March 1942 off the coast of Norway. On the 13th march she was seriously attacked by german anti submarine grenades. After a long mainteance period, she patrolled, in August 1942, near the Sognefjord. Between 11 an 19 September, in difficult conditions, she put on the ground a british commando charged to destroy a factory near Glomfjord. From 11 to 24 October, during a mission off the coast of Westfjord, she conducted three attacks, one succeed. Between 13 November to 3 December, she landed secret agents in the Melfjord (69°30N) with their radios. But during th operation two sailors had nor enough time to go back on board. Junon comes back later to pick them up.

After an other long maintenace period, JUNON was able to go at sea in february 44. After a last patrol, she sailed to Mediterranean. But due to technical trouble, she could not leave ORAN harbour and she was decomissionned on the 11 August. Her crew armed the submarine MORSE, ex british VORTEX who joined french navy on 15 december. in august 1945, navy decided to repair JUNON. She sailed to Brest for a long maintenance period. But due to several failures, she could not go back to sea before the year 1947. She was transfered to the submarine school of Toulon in 1948. She served in the GASM (anti submarine group) to 1952. On 6 december 1954, she was definitively decomissionned. For her glorious services, she was decoreated by the most important french decorations (2 honour maedals of the army and the War cross 1939-1945).

Extraits de l'ouvrage " des noms sur la mer " ACORAM (courtesy translate)