"M" Class Monitor (1915)

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The nineteen "M" Class Monitors were launched in 1915. Fourteen of them had a 9.2-in gun, and five had two 6-in guns.


Armament

The ships were armed as follows.[1]

As built:

M.15, M.16, M.17, M.18:

  • one 9.2-in B.L. Mark X gun on an altered Mark V mounting
  • one 12-pdr 18 cwt gun on P. V mounting on quarterdeck
  • one Hotchkiss 6-pdr H.A. gun
  • two Maxim machine guns

These first four used spare 9.2-in guns and mountings for the Drake and Cressy class, converted to provide 30 degree elevation.

M.19, M.20, M.21, M.22, M.23, M.24, M.25, M.26, M.27, M.28:

  • one 9.2-in B.L. Mark VIII gun on an altered C.P. III mounting
  • one 12-pdr 18 cwt gun on P. V mounting on quarterdeck
  • one Hotchkiss 6-pdr H.A. gun
  • two Maxim machine guns

These ten ships used 9.2-in guns removed from the Edgar class and altered to provide 30 degree elevation.

M.29, M.30, M.31, M.32, M.33:

  • two 6-in B.L. Mark XII on P. IX mountings
  • one 12-pdr 18 cwt gun on P. V mounting on quarterdeck
  • two Hotchkiss 6-pdr H.A. gun
  • four Maxim machine guns

These ships got their 6-in guns from those aft-most pairs that were not mounted in the Queen Elizabeth class battleships.

In November 1918:

M.21, M.23, M.24, M.25, M.26:

  • one 7.5-in

These guns were formerly from H.M.S. Swiftsure.

M.27:

  • one 6-in B.L.

Others: unchanged.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 28. pp. 31, 32, 36.

Bibliography

  • Buxton, Ian L. (1978). Big Gun Monitors: The History of the Design, Construction and Operation of the Royal Navy's Monitors. Tynemouth: World Ship Society. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
  • Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1917). The Director Firing Handbook. O.U. 6125 (late C.B. 1259). Copy No. 322 at The National Archives. ADM 186/227.
  • Admiralty, Technical History Section (1919). The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships. Vol. 3, Part 23. C.B. 1515 (23) now O.U. 6171/14. At The National Archives. ADM 275/19.


"M" Class Monitor
Mounting Single 9.2-in Gun
M.15 M.16 M.17 M.18 M.19
M.20 M.21 M.22 M.23 M.24
  M.25 M.26 M.27 M.28  
Mounting Two 6-in Guns
M.29 M.30 M.31 M.32 M.33
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