The four ships in this class came about when the contracted supplier of the main armament for the GreekbattleshipSalamis being built in Germany was unable to supply due to the British blockade. The company – Bethlehem Steel in the United States – instead offered to sell the four 14 in (356 mm) twin gun turrets to the Royal Navy on 3 November 1914.[1] The Royal Navy was using obsolete pre-dreadnought battleships for shore bombardment in support of the army in Belgium, and a design for a shallow-draught warship (known as "Monitors") suitable for shore-bombardment was quickly designed and built to use these turrets. The ships were laid down and launched within six months.[1]
The ships carried a single main gun turret forward of a tripod mast, which was itself in front of a single funnel. A secondary armament of two 12-pounder (76 mm) guns was fitted, with a single 3-pounder (47 mm) anti-aircraft gun and a 2-pounder pom-pom completed the ships armament.[2]
The monitors had a box-like hull, with very bluff bow and stern, and were fitted with anti-torpedo bulges. In order to speed construction, it was intended to use off-the shelf merchant ship engines, giving about 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW), which were expected to drive the ships to 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The rushed design, however, meant that the ships were much slower than expected — Raglan's engines gave 2,310 indicated horsepower (1,720 kW) but the ship could only reach 6+1⁄2 knots (12.0 km/h; 7.5 mph).[3]
During the planning and build, they were to be the Styx-class named after four American figures; GeneralUlysses S. Grant, General Robert E. Lee, AdmiralDavid Farragut and General Stonewall Jackson and they were launched under these names. Because the United States was still a neutral power at that time, using these names would have been undiplomatic and so they were renamed as simply M1 through M4 before completion, then receiving their final names.
The design included a seaplane for spotting the guns, but it was found that land-based aircraft were more effective; as monitors, they would never operate in the open sea, and storing the seaplane on top of the turret meant it had to be removed to avoid damage, even if not required before the guns could fire.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abercrombie class monitor.
Bacon, Reginald (1919). The Dover Patrol 1915-1917. (2 vols.). New York: George H. Doran Co. Vol. 1 • Vol. 2
Buxton, Ian (2008) [1978]. Big Gun Monitors: Design, Construction and Operations 1914–1945 (2nd Revised ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-84415-719-8.
Crossley, Jim (2013). Monitors of the Royal Navy; How the Fleet Brought the Great Guns to Bear. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword. ISBN978-1-78383-004-6.
Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J., "British Warships 1914-1919", (Ian Allan, London, 1972), ISBN0-7110-0380-7
Dunn, Steve R (2017). Securing the Narrow Sea: The Dover Patrol 1914–1918. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-84832-251-6.
Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations; An Illustrated Directory. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-84832-100-7.
Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN0-85177-245-5
Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice, eds. (1969) [First published 1919]. Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Fighting Ships. New York: Arco Publishing Co. ISBN978-0-71534-716-4. OCLC 1902851. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
May 19, 2023
abercrombie, class, monitor, abercrombie, class, monitors, served, royal, navy, during, first, world, starboard, profile, abercrombie, gallipoli, july, 1915class, overviewnameabercrombieoperators, royal, navypreceded, byhumber, classsucceeded, bylord, clive, c. The Abercrombie class of monitors served in the Royal Navy during the First World War The starboard profile of HMS Abercrombie off Gallipoli in July 1915Class overviewNameAbercrombieOperators Royal NavyPreceded byHumber classSucceeded byLord Clive classCompleted4Lost1Scrapped3General characteristics 1 TypeMonitorDisplacement6 150 long tons 6 250 t Length334 ft 6 in 101 96 m oaBeam90 ft 2 in 27 48 m Draught10 ft 3 0 m Installed power2 310 ihp 1 720 kW Propulsion2 vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines 2 boilers 2 screws HMS Raglan Speed6 1 2 kn 12 0 km h 7 5 mph HMS Raglan Complement198Armament2 BL 14 inch gun Mk II 45 cal guns 2 QF 12 pounder 18 cwt naval gun 1 3 pounder 47 mm anti aircraft gun 1 2 pounder Mark II anti aircraft gunArmourBelt 4 in 102 mm Deck 2 1 in 51 25 mm Barbettes 8 in 203 mm Turrets 10 in 254 mm Aircraft carried1 seaplane designed but seldom carried Contents 1 History 2 Ships 3 References 4 BibliographyHistory Edit The 14 inch 356 mm gun turret of an Abercrombie class monitor during World War I It mounted two 14 inch 356 mm Mark II guns The four ships in this class came about when the contracted supplier of the main armament for the Greek battleship Salamis being built in Germany was unable to supply due to the British blockade The company Bethlehem Steel in the United States instead offered to sell the four 14 in 356 mm twin gun turrets to the Royal Navy on 3 November 1914 1 The Royal Navy was using obsolete pre dreadnought battleships for shore bombardment in support of the army in Belgium and a design for a shallow draught warship known as Monitors suitable for shore bombardment was quickly designed and built to use these turrets The ships were laid down and launched within six months 1 The ships carried a single main gun turret forward of a tripod mast which was itself in front of a single funnel A secondary armament of two 12 pounder 76 mm guns was fitted with a single 3 pounder 47 mm anti aircraft gun and a 2 pounder pom pom completed the ships armament 2 The monitors had a box like hull with very bluff bow and stern and were fitted with anti torpedo bulges In order to speed construction it was intended to use off the shelf merchant ship engines giving about 2 000 indicated horsepower 1 500 kW which were expected to drive the ships to 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph The rushed design however meant that the ships were much slower than expected Raglan s engines gave 2 310 indicated horsepower 1 720 kW but the ship could only reach 6 1 2 knots 12 0 km h 7 5 mph 3 During the planning and build they were to be the Styx class named after four American figures General Ulysses S Grant General Robert E Lee Admiral David Farragut and General Stonewall Jackson and they were launched under these names Because the United States was still a neutral power at that time using these names would have been undiplomatic and so they were renamed as simply M1 through M4 before completion then receiving their final names The design included a seaplane for spotting the guns but it was found that land based aircraft were more effective as monitors they would never operate in the open sea and storing the seaplane on top of the turret meant it had to be removed to avoid damage even if not required before the guns could fire Ships EditShip Namesake Builders Launched FateM1 Abercrombie James Abercrombie Harland and Wolff Belfast 15 April 1915 Paid off after the Armistice and sold for scrap to TW Ward of Inverkeithing in 1927 M2 Havelock Henry Havelock Harland and Wolff Belfast 29 April 1915 Sold in 1921 for breaking up to TW Ward of Preston broken up 1927M3 Raglan FitzRoy Somerset 1st Baron Raglan Harland and Wolff Govan 29 April 1915 Sunk during the Battle of Imbros in January 1918 by Yavuz Sultan Selim and MidilliM4 Roberts Frederick Roberts 1st Earl Roberts Swan Hunter Wallsend 15 April 1915 Used as a static drillship after the First World War scrapped in 1936References Edit a b c Gardiner and Gray 1985 p 43 Gardiner and Gray 1985 p 44 Gardiner and Gray 1985 pp 43 44 Bibliography Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abercrombie class monitor Bacon Reginald 1919 The Dover Patrol 1915 1917 2 vols New York George H Doran Co Vol 1 Vol 2 Buxton Ian 2008 1978 Big Gun Monitors Design Construction and Operations 1914 1945 2nd Revised ed Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84415 719 8 Crossley Jim 2013 Monitors of the Royal Navy How the Fleet Brought the Great Guns to Bear Barnsley UK Pen amp Sword ISBN 978 1 78383 004 6 Dittmar F J amp Colledge J J British Warships 1914 1919 Ian Allan London 1972 ISBN 0 7110 0380 7 Dunn Steve R 2017 Securing the Narrow Sea The Dover Patrol 1914 1918 Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 251 6 Friedman Norman 2011 Naval Weapons of World War One Guns Torpedoes Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations An Illustrated Directory Barnsley Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 100 7 Gray Randal ed Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Conway Maritime Press London 1985 ISBN 0 85177 245 5 Parkes Oscar Prendergast Maurice eds 1969 First published 1919 Jane s Fighting Ships 1919 Fighting Ships New York Arco Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 71534 716 4 OCLC 1902851 Retrieved 23 December 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abercrombie class monitor amp oldid 1134923101, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
