Ex-French Francis-Garnier, built in 1927. Displacement 639 tons and dimensions 106¾ x 33¾ x 7¼. Armed with 2-4”guns, 1-3” anti aircraft gun, 2-1pdr guns, 4 machine guns. The two sets triple expansion engines and 2 du Temple boilers delivered 3,200 ihp allowing a speed of 15 knots. Oil fuel capacity 100 tons.
According to Jane’s Fighting ships 1944-1945 belonging to China.
Vichot in Répertoire des navires de guerre francais mentioned a river gunboat le Francis-Garnier laid down at Caen 1926, launched 1927 and 9 March 1945 in Indo-China scuttled.
The very interesting site http://www.hmsfalcon.com/foreign/foreign.htm supplies also interesting details. Here the displacement is first mentioned as 732 tons but elsewhere as 639 tons. She was scuttled after a Japanese aircraft attack. Built for service on the Yangtze but her displacement prevented to enter the Upper Yangtze unless at high water.
According to http://www.camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily/story_month/December-23-2005.htm was the wreck stilly lying on the bottom of the Meking near Kratie but the were to plans to salvage her for a museum.
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_of_francis_garnier.htm mentioned that she was built at CNF, Caen and that she was laid down 1926, launched December 1927 and completed in 1930 with a crew of 103 men.
