.Like Britain, France had many overseas territories that required regular contact from French forces to ensure their loyalty to France and ensure that there was no interference from other nations. These vessels were the 'Colonial Cruisers' of the Bougainville class. They were built in the style of reduced cruiser vessels with half of the armaments but still big enough to have an aircraft and catapult. Long range was a necessity, high speed was not, diesel engines were the answer. Torpedoes gave them teeth against bigger ships. They were even capable of minelaying. A 100 troops could be carried, for short periods, normally marines for assault work in the islands, weeding out pirates.
The nine ships of the class used up the last of the twin 6.4" turrets that had been removed from the old armoured cruisers and pre-dreadnought battleships. Three classes of ships had used up the 30 odd turrets. The guns performed very well. Four of these ships were part of the force that fought the Battle of Ko Chang and beat the Thai forces. Two of the ships were sent to Singapore to evacuate French nationals to Australia. On arrival in Australia, the crews of the two ships, said they wished to join the Free French. The offer was accepted and the two ships were transferred to Perth where they became part of the convoy escorts covering the Indian Ocean. The ships were perfect for this task, as whenever it was suitable conditions, the ships could launch their aircraft to provide extra eyes in the sky. It was during one of these sorties that one of the aircraft interrogated a ship on its own which turned out to be a Germanic States merchant cruiser. The Dumont d'Urville was dispatched to sink the German raider which it duly did with its own seaplane spotting for its guns.
The class performed very well in World War Two, and post war the Colonial cruisers that survived were sent back to Indo-China, to assist French forces, trying to reclaim the territory that it lost during WW2.
