French submarine Fresnel (Q143)

Fresnel was a Redoutable-class submarine of the Marine Nationale. She carried the pennant number Q143. The ship was named after Augustin-Jean Fresnel. Her keel was laid at Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët, Saint-Nazaire, France on 7 July 1927. Launched on 8 June 1929, she entered service on 22 February 1932.

29 ships of the class were built.

The boat displaced 1,547 long tons surfaced and 2,059 long tons submerged. She measured 92.3 m (303 ft) long with a beam of 8.1 m (27 ft). Her designed speed was 17.5 knots, and she carried a complement of 5.

Her main battery was one 100 mm (3.9 in) guns.

She served with the Marine Nationale as Fresnel until 27 November 1942. She then passed to the Regia Marina from 27 November 1942. She then passed to the Kriegsmarine from 9 September 1943. She was in commission for 1,429 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 11 March 1944. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.