Anchusa aviso class, Ville D'Ys

Mathll · May 21, 2026, 9:38pm

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Hello everyone and welcome to this new suggestion.

Today I’m presenting the only Anchusa-class ship used by the French Navy, the Ville d’Ys.

The ship that would later become the Ville d’Ys was initially built in 1916–1917 in the shipyards of Wallsend-on-Tyne, during the height of the World War I. It belonged to a type of escort vessels derived from the British Anchusa-type sloops, themselves part of the broader concept of Q-ships, vessels designed to resemble harmless merchant ships in order to deceive enemy submarines. These ships intentionally adopted the silhouette of civilian cargo vessels so that German U-boat commanders would approach them, believing them to be easy targets. Once the submarine came within range, the disguised escort ship could reveal its hidden armament and attack. This tactic was widely used by the Allies during the war to counter the growing threat of submarine warfare.

While still under construction, the vessel was purchased by the French Navy, which urgently needed escort ships. Initially named Andromeda after its transfer, the ship was quickly renamed Ville d’Ys in August 1917 before entering active service. Commissioned in August 1917, the Ville d’Ys joined French naval forces during the final phase of the war. Its missions consisted mainly of escort duties, maritime patrol, and anti-submarine operations, protecting convoys and monitoring important sea routes. Like many escort vessels of the time, the ship was part of the defensive system designed to secure maritime trade against German submarine attacks. During his service, he also took part in humanitarian actions: for example, in September 1917 he rescued 33 survivors from the Italian merchant ship Gioffredo Mameli, which had been torpedoed by the German submarine UB-50 near Cape Spartel.

After the war, the Ville d’Ys remained in service with the French Navy and was gradually assigned to maritime patrol and fisheries protection missions, particularly in the North Atlantic. One of its most notable deployments was in the waters of Newfoundland, an area where French fishermen had long operated and where France maintained patrol ships to enforce fishing regulations and protect its maritime interests. The ship carried out several patrol campaigns in this region between 1933 and 1935. During these missions, the vessel ensured that fishing activities respected international agreements while maintaining a French naval presence in the North Atlantic.

When the World War II began, the Ville d’Ys was already an aging ship but remained operational. As naval technology had advanced considerably since its construction, the vessel was mainly used for secondary roles such as patrol and support duties. In 1940, during the dramatic events surrounding the fall of France, the ship was stationed in the French Atlantic territories. Eventually it went with Drew to Fort‑de‑France, where it was laid up.

After the war, the Ville d’Ys was officially condemned in 1947 after nearly thirty years of service. The ship, by then in poor condition, remained in the Caribbean and eventually became a wreck near Martinique, bringing an end to its long career.

The ship is named after a mythical city in Brittany, the city of Ys, a city that is said to have sunk beneath the waters in the middle of Douarnenez Bay.

Characteristics

Length : 85.50 m

Width : 12.00 m

Draft : 5 m

Mass : 1,120 tons

The ship is powered by a 2800 hp engine fed by two coal-fired boilers, allowing it to reach a speed of 17 knots. This speed can be maintained for 105 hours. This ship is the last vessel in the French Navy to have been coal-fired.

Its crew consists of 105 sailors.

Weapons

The armament is fairly standard for ships of this type. It therefore includes the following:

2 x 100mm Mle1893 canon
3 x 75mm Mle1908 canon

This ship would be an interesting addition to the French coastal ship tree, bringing a vessel that served for several decades within the French forces and has a rich history.

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