when the "vauquelin"s entered service they were assigned to the 5th and the newly formed 6th light divisions ( (dl)) which were later redesignated as scout divisions (). "cassard" and her sister ships and were assigned to the 5th dl of the group of large destroyers ( (gct) of the 3rd squadron (), based in toulon. after the start of the spanish civil war in july 1936, the and destroyers in the mediterranean were assigned to assist french citizens in spain and to patrol the surveillance zones assigned to france on a monthly rotation beginning on 24 september as part of the non-intervention agreement.