M15 class monitor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | M15 |
| Operators: |  Royal Navy |
| Succeeded by: | M29 class monitor |
| In service: | 1915 - 1959 |
| Completed: | 14 |
| Lost: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | monitor |
| Displacement: | 540 tons |
| Length: | 177 ft 3 in (54.0 m) |
| Beam: | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Draught: | 6 ft 9 in (2.1 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts Triple expansion 800 hp 4 shaft Bolinder 4 cylinder semi-diesel 640 hp 4 shafts Campbell 4 cylinder paraffin engines 560 bhp |
| Speed: | 11 knots |
| Complement: | 69 |
| Armament: | 1 x 9.2 inch (23.4 cm) gun; 1 x 12pdr (76mm) QF Mk 1 gun; 1 x 6 pdr (57mm) QF MK 1 AA gun |
The M15-class comprised fourteen monitors of the Royal Navy, all built and launched during 1915.
Contents |
[edit] Design
The ships of this class were ordered in March, 1915, as part of the Emergency War Programme of ship construction. They were designed to utilise the 9.2 inch Mk VI gun turrets removed from the Edgar Class and the Mk X turrets held in stock for the Drake class and Cressy class cruisers. This resulted in the first four of the class, which were built by William Gray and Company of Hartlepool, receiving the Mk X mounting. The remaining ten ships, all built by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co., Middlesborough, all received the Mk VI mounting. During September 1915, the 9.2 inch guns of HMS M24, M25, M26 and M27 were removed for use as artillery. These were replaced by 7.5 inch (M24 to M26) and 6 inch (M27) guns. HMS M21 and HMS M23 also had their 9.2 inch gun removed in 1917, receiving 7.5 inch guns.
The class also used a mixture of propulsion methods. HMS M21 and M22 were fitted with conventional Triple expansion steam engines, M24 was fitted with four cylinder paraffin engines, and the remainder received Bolinder four cylinder semi-diesel engines.
[edit] Service
HMS M25, M26, M27 and M28 served in the Dover Patrol from 1915 to 1918. The remainder served in the Mediterranean from 1915, with HMS M23 joining the Dover Patrol in June 1917 and HMS M21 in October 1917.
HMS M23, M24, M25 and M27 also served in support of British and White Russian forces in the White Sea in May to September 1919.
HMS M22 was converted to a minelayer in 1920, whilst HMS M23 became a drill ship, surviving until 1959.
[edit] Ships of the Class
- M15 - Launched on April 28, 1915 and sunk by UC 38 November 11, 1916.
- M16 - Launched on May 3, 1915 and sold January 29, 1920.
- M17 - Launched on May 12, 1915 and sold May 12, 1920.
- M18 - Launched on May 15, 1915 and sold January 29, 1920.
- M19 - Launched on May 4, 1915 and sold May 12, 1920.
- M20 - Launched on May 11, 1915 and sold January 29, 1920.
- M21 - Launched on May 27, 1915 and mined October 20, 1918.
- M22 - Launched on June 10, 1915, renamed HMS Medea 1925 and sold December 1930
- M23 - Launched on June 17, 1915, renamed Claverhouse 1922 and sold 1959
- M24 - Launched on August 9, 1915 and sold January 29, 1920.
- M25 - Launched on July 24, 1915 and scuttled September 16, 1919
- M26 - Launched on August 24, 1915 and sold January 29, 1920.
- M27 - Launched on September 8, 1915 and scuttled September 16, 1919
- M28 - Launched on June 28, 1915 and sunk January 20, 1918
[edit] References
- Colledge, J. J. and Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy, Rev. ed., London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475.
- Jane's Fighting Ships of World War One (1919), Jane's Publishing Company
- Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J., "British Warships 1914-1919", (Ian Allen, London, 1972), ISBN 0-7110-0380-7
- Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1906-1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN 0-85177-245-5
