The Humber-class monitors were three large gunboats under construction for the Brazilian Navy in Britain in 1913. Designed for service on the Amazon River, the ships were of shallow draft and heavy armament and were ideally suited to inshore, riverine and coastal work but unsuitable for service at sea, where their weight and light draft reduced their speed from a projected twelve knots to under four. The class comprised Humber, Mersey and Severn. All three were taken over by the Royal Navy shortly before the outbreak of the First World War and were commissioned as small monitors. All three saw extensive service during the war and were sold in 1919.
Mersey and Severn had a turret replaced by two single 6-inch guns in open shielded mountings, Humber had an extra 6-inch gun fitted aft retaining turret
The three Humber-class monitors were originally ordered for the Brazilian Navy as the Javary-class gunboats intended for inshore work on the River Amazon and its tributaries. Ordered from the Vickers Limited shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness, the three ships were launched by 1913 and were undergoing sea trials when the Brazilian government informed Vickers that they would not be able to pay for the warships. Vickers attempted to find a foreign buyer for the boats and the British government stepped in to purchase the gunboats on 4 August 1914 for £155,000 each in order to prevent them being bought by a neutral navy and then sold on to Germany.
War serviceedit
The ships were stationed at Dover for service in the English Channel, attached to the Dover Monitor Squadron. During the Battle of the Frontiers and subsequent operations in 1914, the Humber-class monitors were all employed in bombarding German batteries and positions, under the command of Rear-AdmiralHorace Hood.
Severn and Mersey's guns soon wore out, and they were each re-armed with a single 6-inch Mk VII gun stripped from the wreck of Montagu, a battleship which had been wrecked on the Isle of Lundy in 1906. Humber retained her twin gun turret throughout the war, with guns being replaced by refurbished guns removed from the other two ships as needed.
During early 1915 Mersey and Severn were dispatched to German East Africa, where the German cruiserKönigsberg was hidden in the Rufiji Delta. Only the long-range guns of the shallow-draft monitors could reach the hidden cruiser, and although the journey to East Africa took nearly six months under tow from Malta, the monitors were ultimately successful in destroying the German ship, their shells directed by two seaplane observers.
For the remainder of the war, all three ships participated in further attacks on German-held territory, Humber (which had been sent to the Dardanelles in 1915) in the Mediterranean and Mersey and Severn in German East Africa, where they operated against German positions in the colony. In 1918, Mersey and Severn were transferred to the Mediterranean as well.[1]
Humber-class monitorsedit
HMS Humber (ex-Javary); commissioned 1914, served in Dover Monitor Squadron, then in Mediterranean. Battle Honors: Belgian Coast 1914, Dardanelles 1915. Sold 17 September 1921 to F. Rijsdijk for use as a crane lighter.[2]
HMS Mersey (ex-Madeira); commissioned 1914, served in Dover Monitor Squadron and off the Rufiji Delta, ending war in the Mediterranean. Battle Honors: Belgian Coast 1914, Action v. SMS Königsberg 11 July 1915. Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, broken up 1923.[3]
HMS Severn (ex-Solimoes); commissioned 1914, served in Dover Monitor Squadron and off the Rufiji Delta, ending war in Mediterranean. Battle Honors: Belgian Coast 1914, Action v. SMS Königsberg 11 July 1915. Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, broken up 1923.[4]
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. New York: Arco Publishing Co. ISBN978-0-71534-716-4. OCLC 1902851. Retrieved 23 December 2019. {{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Humber class monitor.
April 11, 2024
humber, class, monitor, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, feb. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Humber class monitor news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Humber class monitors were three large gunboats under construction for the Brazilian Navy in Britain in 1913 Designed for service on the Amazon River the ships were of shallow draft and heavy armament and were ideally suited to inshore riverine and coastal work but unsuitable for service at sea where their weight and light draft reduced their speed from a projected twelve knots to under four The class comprised Humber Mersey and Severn All three were taken over by the Royal Navy shortly before the outbreak of the First World War and were commissioned as small monitors All three saw extensive service during the war and were sold in 1919 HMS Severn off East Africa 1917Class overviewNameHumber classBuildersVickers Barrow in FurnessOperators Royal Navy Brazilian Navy intended Succeeded byAbercrombie classCost 155 000 equivalent to 12 5MM in 2008 In service1914 1920Completed3Retired3General characteristicsTypeMonitorDisplacement1 260 long tons 1 280 t standard 1 520 long tons 1 544 t full loadLength266 75 ft 81 3 m Beam49 ft 14 9 m Draught5 6 ft 1 7 m Propulsion2 shaft triple expansion engines 2 Yarrow boilers 1 450 ihp 1 080 kW Speed12 knots 22 km h designed 9 5 knots 18 km h in practiceRange1 650 nautical miles 3 060 km at 8 knots 15 km h Armament2 6 inch 152 mm guns in one twin turret 2 4 7 inch 119 mm howitzers 4 3 pounder 47mm guns 1 3 pounder 47mm AA gun 6 machine gunsArmourBelt 3 1 5 in 76 38 mm Bulkheads 1 5 in 38 mm Barbette 3 5 in 89 mm Turret face 4 in 100 mm NotesMersey and Severn had a turret replaced by two single 6 inch guns in open shielded mountings Humber had an extra 6 inch gun fitted aft retaining turret Contents 1 Construction 2 War service 3 Humber class monitors 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 References 5 External linksConstruction editThe three Humber class monitors were originally ordered for the Brazilian Navy as the Javary class gunboats intended for inshore work on the River Amazon and its tributaries Ordered from the Vickers Limited shipyard at Barrow in Furness the three ships were launched by 1913 and were undergoing sea trials when the Brazilian government informed Vickers that they would not be able to pay for the warships Vickers attempted to find a foreign buyer for the boats and the British government stepped in to purchase the gunboats on 4 August 1914 for 155 000 each in order to prevent them being bought by a neutral navy and then sold on to Germany War service editThe ships were stationed at Dover for service in the English Channel attached to the Dover Monitor Squadron During the Battle of the Frontiers and subsequent operations in 1914 the Humber class monitors were all employed in bombarding German batteries and positions under the command of Rear Admiral Horace Hood Severn and Mersey s guns soon wore out and they were each re armed with a single 6 inch Mk VII gun stripped from the wreck of Montagu a battleship which had been wrecked on the Isle of Lundy in 1906 Humber retained her twin gun turret throughout the war with guns being replaced by refurbished guns removed from the other two ships as needed During early 1915 Mersey and Severn were dispatched to German East Africa where the German cruiser Konigsberg was hidden in the Rufiji Delta Only the long range guns of the shallow draft monitors could reach the hidden cruiser and although the journey to East Africa took nearly six months under tow from Malta the monitors were ultimately successful in destroying the German ship their shells directed by two seaplane observers For the remainder of the war all three ships participated in further attacks on German held territory Humber which had been sent to the Dardanelles in 1915 in the Mediterranean and Mersey and Severn in German East Africa where they operated against German positions in the colony In 1918 Mersey and Severn were transferred to the Mediterranean as well 1 Humber class monitors editHMS Humber ex Javary commissioned 1914 served in Dover Monitor Squadron then in Mediterranean Battle Honors Belgian Coast 1914 Dardanelles 1915 Sold 17 September 1921 to F Rijsdijk for use as a crane lighter 2 HMS Mersey ex Madeira commissioned 1914 served in Dover Monitor Squadron and off the Rufiji Delta ending war in the Mediterranean Battle Honors Belgian Coast 1914 Action v SMS Konigsberg 11 July 1915 Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos W Ward broken up 1923 3 HMS Severn ex Solimoes commissioned 1914 served in Dover Monitor Squadron and off the Rufiji Delta ending war in Mediterranean Battle Honors Belgian Coast 1914 Action v SMS Konigsberg 11 July 1915 Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos W Ward broken up 1923 4 References editCitations edit http www naval history net WWINavyBritishShips Dittmar2 htm dead link http www naval history net WWINavyBritishShips Dittmar1 htm dead link http www naval history net WWINavyBritishShips Dittmar2 htm dead link http www naval history net WWINavyBritishShips Dittmar2 htm dead link References edit 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 New York Arco Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 71534 716 4 OCLC 1902851 Retrieved 23 December 2019 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a journal ignored help External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Humber class monitor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Humber class monitor amp oldid 1209764753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
