French warships at Fort de France, Martinique according to the Dutch newspaper Dordrechtse Courant dated 6 May 1943

Tidings from Vichy France reported that the part of the French fleet lying in the harbour of Fort de France, Martinique a total tonnage of 47,000 had. It consisted of the aircraft carrier Béarn(1), the cruisers Emile Bertin (2) and Jeanne d’Arc (3), the destroyers La Ville d’Yf (4) and Meking (5) and some smaller units. The Béarn measured 22,146 tons and was able to take 40 planes with her. Originally build as a battleship but rebuild as a carrier. French naval authorities had doubts about her value in wartimes but still she would be a welcome acquisition for the United States which recently lost the USS Ranger. The Emile Bertin transported in the past the gold treasure of France towards Martinique, while the Jeanne d’Arc was used as a training ship. Except for these warships were also some freighters with a total tonnage of 74,000 tons including at least 6 tankers lying in this harbour. Another newspaper Dagblad van Rotterdam dated 6 May confirmed this item.

The photo of the Jeanne d’Arc above was published in the Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant dated 25 June 1937 during her arrival at Amsterdam.

The  Béarn

Notes
1. Béarn, laid down at the yard of  Société des Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranée, La Seyne, France on 10 January 1914 as a battleship of the Normandie-class, launched in April 1920, rebuild as a carrier between 1923-1927, although already in October 1920 an airplane successfully landed, commissioned in May 1927, stricken on 21 March 1967 and finally broken up in Italy. With a displacement of 22,501 (standard)-28,900 (full load) were her dimensions 182,6 x 35,2 x 9,3 metres. Although she joined the Allied forces was she never used as an carrier but as an aircraft transport.
2. Émile Bertin, light cruiser, laid down at the shipyard of Chantiers de Penhoët on 18 August 1921, launched on 9 may two years later, commissioned on 28 January 1935, decommissioned in October, stricken on 27 October 1959 and two years broken up. Joined the Allied forces in June 1943. With a tonnage of 5,886 (standard)-6,530 (maximum load)-8,480 (maximum overload) tonnes were her dimensions 177 (over all0 x 15,84 x 5,44 metres, Her Parsons SR geared turbines and 6 Penhoët boilers supplies 102,000 shp (during her trials even 139,908 shp) allowing a speed of 34 -40 (trials) and with a speed of 15 knots a range of 6,000, with 20 knots 2,800 and with 33 knots finally 1,100 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 711 men and she was armed with 3x3-15,5cm (6”) guns, 2x-9cm (3.5”) guns, 4x4-3,7cm anti aircraft guns, 4x2-1,32cm anti aircraft guns (later replaced by 20x2-2cm anti aircraft guns, 2x3-55cm torpedo tubes (later removed), 200 mines and she carried with 2 planes which were just like the catapult removed in 1943. She was also slightly armoured, the gun towers were protected by 2cm, the ammunition boxes by 3cm and she a 2,5cm thick deck.
3. This light cruiser was designed by engineer Antoine laid down in September 1928 at Saint Nazaire, launched 2 years later, baptized on 14 February the same year, commissioned in October 1031, decommissioned in 1964 and finally broken up. Nicknamed the La Jeanne was her homeport Toulon. With a displacement of 6,500 tonnes were her dimensions 170 x 17,70 x 6,50 metres. Her turbines and boilers supplied 32,500 hp allowing a speed of 25 knots-27,8 (trials) and with a speed of 14,5 knots was her range 5,000 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 572 men and 156 midshipmen. The armament consisted of 4x2-15cm (6.1”) guns, 4-7,5 (2.95”) guns, 11-3,7cm (1.45”) anti aircraft guns, 12-1,3cm (0.51”) anti aircraft machine guns and 2 torpedo tubes and she was able to carry with her two CAMS reconnaissance airplanes.
4. I suppose the aviso la Ville d’Ys laid down in England in 1916 as l‘Andromède, renamed 1917 Ville d‘Ys and the same year launched and stricken in 1947.
5. I suppose this is the le Mékong, laid down at St, Nazaire in 1926, launched in 1928 and stricken in 1960.