Elan - class minesweeping sloop The " Élan " class was a class of French minesweeping aviso s ( " Avisos dragueur de mines " ) . Originally designed as minesweepers , they were never used in that role , instead being used mostly as escort vessels . Built between 1936 and 1940 , the first came into service just before the outbreak of World War II . Service history . After the fall of France in June 1940 , four of the class were in British ports after taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation , and were seized by the British . Three — " Commandant Duboc " , " Commandant Dominé " , and " La Moqueuse " — subsequently served in the Free French Naval Forces ( FNFL ) , while " La Capricieuse " remained in British service until the end of the war . The remaining ships remained under the control of Vichy France . Four — " Élan " , " Commandant Delage " , " La Boudeuse " and " La Gracieuse " — were based in French Morocco . " Élan " was interned in Turkey from June 1941 until released in December 1944 to serve with the FNFL . The others were captured by the Allies after the invasion of North Africa in November 1942 , and were turned over to the FNFL . Five of the class were based at Toulon . After the German occupation of southern France in November 1942 , one ship — " Commandant Bory " — joined the FNFL . The " Commandant Rivière " and " La Batailleuse " were captured by the Germans and transferred to Italy , while two — " L ' Impétueuse " and " La Curieuse " — were scuttled by their crews , along with the rest of the French Fleet , but later salvaged and also transferred to Italy . One was sunk in Italian service , and after the Italian armistice , the remaining three were taken over by the Germans , and later scuttled . The nine ships of the class that survived the war remained in French Navy service until scrapped between 1953 and 1963 . Built at the Arsenal de Lorient , the ship was laid down in August 1936 , launched on 27 July 1938 and commissioned in 1939 . From mid - 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France and based in French Morocco . She was interned in Turkey from June 1941 until she was released in December 1944 to serve with Free French Naval Forces ( FNFL ) . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 26 March 1958 , and was then sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Provence , Port - de - Bouc , the ship was laid down in December 1937 , launched on 22 August 1939 and commissioned in March 1940 . From June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France . On 8 December 1942 she was captured by the Germans , transferred to Italy , reclassified as a corvette and renamed " FR51 " . After the Italian armistice she was scuttled by the Germans on 9 September 1943 at La Spezia . She was raised by the Germans and returned to service as " SG23 " , and then renamed " Uj2231 " . On 15 April 1945 she was scuttled at Genoa . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de France , Dunkirk , the ship was laid down in March 1938 , launched on 10 February 1940 and commissioned in May 1940 . In May 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation . From 25 June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France , based in French Morocco . Captured by the Allies during invasion of North Africa in November 1942 , she joined the FNFL on 1 December 1942 . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 15 April 1958 , sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon , Nantes , the ship was laid down in January 1938 , launched on 19 April 1939 and commissioned in February 1940 . She was seized by the British on 3 July 1940 and returned to France on 6 June 1945 . She was scrapped in September 1964 . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de France , Dunkirk , the ship was laid down in November 1936 , launched on 26 January 1939 and commissioned in September 1939 . From 25 June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France . In November 1942 she joined the FNFL . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 17 February 1953 , and then sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de France , Dunkirk , the ship was laid down in November 1936 , launched on 25 February 1939 and commissioned in December 1939 . In May 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation . From 25 June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France , based in French Morocco . Captured by the Allies during the invasion of North Africa in November 1942 , she joined the FNFL . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 18 October 1960 , sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon , Nantes , the ship was laid down in February 1938 , launched on 2 May 1939 and commissioned in April 1940 . She was seized by the British on 3 July 1940 and transferred to the FNFL . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 18 August 1960 . She was scrapped in October 1960 . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon , Nantes , the ship was laid down in December 1936 , launched on 16 January 1939 and commissioned in August 1939 . In May 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation , and in July was seized by the British and transferred to the FNFL . In March 1941 she took part in operations in the Red Sea . She remained in service with the French Navy until July 1963 , when she was sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Provence , Port - de - Bouc , the ship was laid down in November 1936 , launched on 16 February 1939 and commissioned in September 1939 . In May 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation . From June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France . On 8 December 1942 she was captured by the Germans , transferred to Italy , reclassified as a corvette and renamed " FR52 " . On 28 May 1943 Allied aircraft bombed and sank her at Livorno . She was scrapped starting on 9 September 1946 . Built at the Arsenal de Lorient , the ship was laid down in August 1938 , launched on 11 November 1939 and commissioned in 1940 . On 16 June 1940 , during the Italian invasion of France , she sank the Italian " Provana " off Oran . Under the control of Vichy France and based at Toulon , she was scuttled on 27 November 1942 . She was refloated on 6 April 1943 , transferred to Italy , reclassified as a corvette , and renamed " FR55 " . After the Italian armistice she came under German control , was renamed " SG25 " and returned to Toulon , where she was scuttled again in August 1944 during the Allied invasion of southern France . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Provence , Port - de - Bouc , the ship was laid down in February 1938 , launched on 30 November 1939 and commissioned in May 1940 . From 30 June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France , based in French Morocco . Captured by the Allies during the invasion of North Africa in November 1942 , she joined the FNFL on 1 December 1942 . She remained in service with the French Navy until decommissioned on 11 September 1958 , sold and scrapped . Built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de France , Dunkirk , the ship was laid down in April 1938 , launched on 15 January 1940 and commissioned in May 1940 . In May 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation . From June 1940 she was under the control of Vichy France , based at Toulon , where she was scuttled on 27 November 1942 . She was refloated in 1943 , transferred to Italy , reclassified as a corvette , and renamed " FR54 " . After the Italian armistice was declared on 8 September 1943 she came under German control , returned to Toulon , and was scuttled at Marseilles on 7 August 1944 just before the Allied invasion of southern France . Built at the Arsenal de Lorient , the ship was laid down in September 1938 , launched on 25 January 1940 and commissioned in April 1940 . She was seized by the British on 3 July 1940 , and transferred to the FNFL . She was scrapped in October 1965 . Armament . Between 1941 and 1942 three of the ships — " La Moquese " , " Commandant Duboc " and " Commandant Dominé " — were rearmed by the British . Their main armament was replaced by twin QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun s , while " La Moqueuse " was also fitted with a single / 40 QF Mk I HA . All three also received a single QF 2 pounder pom - pom AA gun replacing their quadruple 13 . 2 mm / 76 AA guns . They retained their original twin 13 . 2 mm / 76 AA guns , while two ships received additional guns of various calibres . " Commandant Duboc " gained a single 25 mm / 60 M1938 and two 20 mm / 70 Oerlikons , while " Commandant Dominé " had an additional four twin and two single 12 . 7 mm / 62 machine guns . In 1947 the " Commandant Dominé " was rearmed again with a single German 105 mm / 45 calibre SK C / 32 gun as main armament , a single Bofors 40 mm / 60 Mk . 3 and four single 20 mm / 70 Mk . 2 Oerlikons .