The French destroyer Boulonnais was one of 14 s built for the French Navy during the 1920s.
The L'Adroit class was a slightly enlarged and improved version of the preceding Bourrasque class. The ships had an overall length of 107.2m (351.7feet), a beam of 9.9m (32.5feet), and a draft of 3.5m (11.5feet). The ships displaced 1380t at standard load and 2000t at deep load. They were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three du Temple boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 31000PS, which would propel the ships at 33kn. The ships carried 3860NaN0 of fuel oil which gave them a range of 3000nmi at .[1]
The main armament of the L'Adroit-class ships consisted of four Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of a pair of Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 guns. The ships carried two above-water triple sets of 550mm torpedo tubes. A pair of depth charge chutes were built into their stern; these housed a total of sixteen 200kg (400lb) depth charges. In addition two depth charge throwers were fitted for which six 100kg (200lb) depth charges were carried.[2]
Boulonnais was laid down on 4 May 1926, launched on 1 June 1927 and completed on 25 June 1929. She was sunk on 8 November 1942 off Casablanca, French Morocco, during the Naval Battle of Casablanca by the United States Navy heavy cruiser or light cruiser .
. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 2005. Third Revised. 1-59114-119-2. Jürgen Rohwer.
. Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Naval Institute Press. 1988. 0-87021-326-1. Annapolis, Maryland. Michael J. Whitley.