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HMS Argus (1918) Technical Details: Displacement: 14,450 tons Dimensions: Length 565 ft, Beam 68 ft, Draught: 24 ft Machinery: Parsons geared turbines developing 21,500 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 20½ knots, Range 4,100 nautical miles Armour: None Armament: 2 x 4 inch high angle AA guns 2 x 4 inch low angle guns Aircraft carried: 15 - 18 depending on type Complement: 495 History: Within just a few years of the first successful flight of an aircraft, the Royal Navy saw their potential at sea and the ability to scout for enemy ships. The first successful launch of an aircraft from a British warship underway had been made in early May 1912 from the old battleship Hibernia, and from these experiments a proposal was made for a ship that would be capable of launching and recovering wheeled aircraft. In 1916 a proposal was put forward to complete a half finished liner as a prototype aircraft carrier. The ship was the Italian liner Conte Rosso, which had been laid down by Beardmores in early 1914, but work had ceased on the outbreak of war in 1914. A flightdeck was fitted that was pointed at the forward end, a feature of many early carriers, and a hangar deck provided that could accommodate up to 20 aircraft, two lifts being provided that served the flightdeck. No superstructure was planned to interrupt the flightdeck, but a small chart-house was provided which could retract into the flightdeck during flying operations. The ship entered service in 1918 and named Argus, but her box shape and slab sides soon earned her the nickname of HMS ‘Flatiron’. Argus was mainly used for trials but had periods of being a fleet carrier, and was finally scrapped in 1946. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

HMS Eagle (1920) Technical Details: Displacement: 21,850 tons Dimensions: Length 667 ft, Beam 105 ft 3 ins, Draught: 24 ft Machinery: Parsons geared turbines developing 50,000 shp, 4 shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 24 knots, Range 5,500 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 5 inch belt, 1 inch flightdeck, 4 inch bulkheads, 1 inch gunshields Armament: 9 x 6 inch, 5 x 4 high angle AA guns, Aircraft carried: 25 - 30 Complement: 791 History: In November 1911, Chile ordered two battleships from Armstrong’s shipyard in Newcastle. By August 1914 one of the ships, the Almirante Latorre, was almost complete, but the British Government purchased the ship from Chile which entered service in the Royal Navy as HMS Canada. Construction of her sister ship, the Almirante Cochrane, was almost complete up to the forecastle, but with the outbreak of war in August 1914 work was suspended. In early 1918 the Admiralty was presented with an outline design for an aircraft carrier based on the hull of the incomplete battleship and the ship was purchased from Chile. Renamed Eagle, the ship was launched in June 1918 and she entered service in 1920. Her early career was spent on extended trials to determine the optimum layout for an aircraft carrier. When the trials were completed the final version of her island structure included two funnel casings, while her more ample battleship proportions and machinery made her slower than other conversions like Furious. Eagle was part of the covering force for ‘Operation Pedestal’, a vital convoy from Gibraltar to Malta, but in the early afternoon of the 11th August 1942, Eagle was hit in quick succession by four torpedoes from U-73. and quickly sank. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

HMS Hermes (1924) Technical Details: Displacement: 10,850 tons Dimensions: Length 600 ft, Beam 70 ft 3 ins, Draught: 23 ft 3 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 40,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 25 knots, Range 6,400 nautical miles Armour: 3 inch belt, 1 inch flightdeck Armament: 6 x 5.5 inch, 4 x 4 inch high angle guns, Aircraft carried: 20 Complement: 566 + aircrew History: Hermes was the world's first ship to be designed as an aircraft carrier, and was laid down in January 1918. The ship was launched in September 1919, but at the end of the year the shipyard closed and Hermes was towed to Devonport dockyard where she was completed. In light of the trials carried out with Argus and Eagle, modifications to the design were carried out, the most prominent being the island superstructure and funnel which were repositioned to starboard. A large tripod mast was also added which housed the fire control systems for her defensive armament. Hermes was commissioned in February 1924 and briefly assigned to the Atlantic Fleet before joining the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1926 Hermes began a long association with the China Station, but in 1937 returned to the UK and became an accommodation ship. Plans to upgrade the ship was scheduled to be carried out in September 1939, but the start of World War Two prevented this. During her wartime career Hermes spent most of her time in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, but after Japan entered the war she became part of a hastily assembled British Eastern Fleet. On the 9th April 1942, Hermes was overwhelmed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Bay of Bengal. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

HMS Furious (1925) Technical Details: (1944) Displacement: 28,500 tons Dimensions: Length 735 ft 3 ins, Beam 88 ft, Draught: 23 ft 9 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 90,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 29½ knots, Range 8,600 nautical miles Armour: 2 - 3 inch belt, 1 - 3 inch bulkheads, ¾ - 1 inch flightdeck, Armament: 10 x 4 inch dual purpose guns 4 x octuple 2 pounder pom poms, 22 x 20 mm guns Aircraft carried: 36 Complement: 1,200 History: Following trials with HMS Argus which had proved the feasibility of the through deck carrier, Furious, which had started life as one of Fisher’s large light cruisers, was taken out in hand in 1921 to be converted into an aircraft carrier. The ship's superstructure, masts, funnel and landing deck were removed, and she was given a 576 ft flight deck that extended over three-quarters of her length. A two level hangar was built under the flight deck which could accommodate an airgroup of 36 aircraft. Her boilers were ducted down the side of the ship to exhaust either out of the rear of the flight deck or, when landing operations were in progress, the side of the lower hangar. This proved to be an unsatisfactory arrangement as it used valuable space below decks, and was not repeated with her half sisters. During World War Two Furious had an active career, serving in the Atlantic and Mediterranean in support of Allied operations. Furious made her final operational sortie on the 29th August 1944 when her aircraft made another attack on the Tirpitz which was anchored in Altenfjord, Norway. Furious was then taken out of front line service and used for aircrew training and as a trials ship. After the war until Furious was placed on the disposal list and scrapped in 1948. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Courageous Class (1928) Technical Details: (1940) Displacement: 24,600 tons Dimensions: Length 735 ft, Beam 90 ft 6 ins, Draught: 27 ft 9 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 90,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 30 knots, Range 6,600 nautical miles Armour: 3 inch belt, 3 inch bulkheads, ¾ - 1 inch flightdeck, Armament: 16 x 4.7 inch guns 3 x octuple 2 pounder pom poms, Aircraft carried: 48 Complement: 1,250 History: In February 1922 The Washington Naval Treaty was agreed and signed by the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, and Japan which limited the tonnage of battleships and battlecruisers each of the signatories could possess. Courageous and Glorious were included in the tonnage allowance for the Royal Navy, but their fighting ability was limited, and rather than scrap them it was decided to rebuild them as aircraft carriers, which was permitted under the terms of the Treaty. The rebuilding of the ships started in 1924 and incorporated an island bridge that allowed extra space for the hanger decks which could now accommodate 48 aircraft, a third more than their near sister Furious, while both ships were extensively bulged to improve stability. Courageous entered service in 1928 followed by Glorious in 1930, with both ships seeing service with the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean until the outbreak of World War Two. Both ships were lost within the first year of World War Two. Courageous on an anti-submarine patrol in the Western Approaches when she was torpedoed and sunk by U29 on the 17th September 1939. Glorious was lost during the evacuation of Norway when she was sunk by gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on the 8th June 1940. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

HMS Ark Royal (1938) Technical Details: Displacement: 22,000 tons Dimensions: Length 800 ft, Beam 94 ft 9 ins, Draught: 22 ft 8 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 102,000 shp, Three shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 31 knots, Range 8,700 nautical miles Armour: 4½ in belt, 4½ in hanger walls, 2½ inch flightdeck Armament: 16 x 4.5 in dual purpose guns, 6 x octuple 2 pounder pom poms, 8 x quadruple 0.5 in machine guns Aircraft Carried: 65 Complement: 1,575 History: By 1933 the deteriorating international situation convinced the British Government to announce funds for the construction of a new aircraft carrier. The ship was designed within the limits of the Washington Naval Treaty, and although of a similar size and tonnage to the carrier Glorious, Ark Royal appeared massive. Two hangers decks were fitted which took the flight deck 66 feet above the waterline, while three elevators were provided to transport the aircraft between the hangers and flight deck. The flight deck was 118 ft longer than the keel, the size of the latter being dictated by the size of the dry docks at Gibraltar and Malta. Originally Ark Royal could carry up to 72 aircraft, but as larger and heavier aircraft began to enter service the number was usually between 50 and 60. Ark Royal joined the Home Fleet in December 1938, and after the outbreak of World War Two participated in the Norwegian campaign in early1940 before moving to the Mediterranean. Ark Royal was claimed to have been sunk several times on German radio, but her luck eventually ran out on the 13th November 1941. Ark Royal was returning to Gibraltar after flying off aircraft to Malta when she was hit by a torpedo from U-81. She took on a heavy list and lost all power, and finally sank at 06.19 hours the next day. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Illustrious Class (1930) Technical Details: Displacement: 23,200 tons Dimensions: Length 753 ft, Beam 95 ft 9 ins, Draught: 28 ft Machinery: Geared turbines developing 111,000 shp, Three shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 30½ knots Range 12,300 nautical miles Armour: 4½ inch belt, 4½ hanger wall, 3 inch deck Armament: 16 x 4.5 inch guns, 6 x octuple 2 pounder pom pom Aircraft carried: 36 Complement: 1,229 History: The Illustrious class was designed within the restrictions of the 1935 London Naval Treaty which limited aircraft carrier size to a maximum of 23,000 tons. Instead of building further Ark Royals, a new design was prepared with the emphasis on armour protection at the expense of aircraft carried. The flight deck had an armoured thickness of 3 inches which was closed by 4½ inch sides and bulkheads. The main side belt was 4½ inches thick which protected the machinery, petrol stowage, magazines and ordnance stores. One drawback to the treaty limit meant the armoured hanger was only large enough to operate a maximum of 36 aircraft, but later in the war up to 54 could be carried by using outriggers on the flightdeck. Four ships were authorised, but criticism of the size of the air wing led to Indomitable being modified at the expense of armour so a second hanger could be squeezed in which raised aircraft capacity to 56. The ships entered service in 1940/41 with all four having an active career during World War Two where they were to see service in home waters, the Mediterranean and the Far East. Illustrious, Formidable and Indomitable were scrapped in 1955, while Victorious was totally rebuilt with an angled deck during 1950-57 and survived until 1968. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Collosus Class (1944) Technical Details: Displacement: 13,200 tons Dimensions: Length 690 ft, Beam 80 ft, Draught: 18 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 40,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 25 knots, Range 12,000 nautical miles Armour: None Armament: 6 x quadruple 2 pdr pom poms, 26 x 20 mm AA guns. All weapons later replaced by 40 mm Bofors guns. Aircraft carried: 52 Complement: 1,050 History: Early war experience during World War Two had shown the vulnerability of warships and convoys to air attack, but the limited availability of fleet carriers for their protection left them vulnerable. To overcome this problem the Director of Naval Construction came up with a new design for a cheap unarmoured ship that was capable of carrying a large airgroup. The design was kept as simple as possible so more shipyards could be used and keep their construction time to a minimum, Classified as Light Fleet Carriers, sixteen ships were ordered, with the first four, Colossus, Glory, Venerable, and Vengeance, entering service between December 1944 and April 1945, the ships later joining the British Pacific Fleet where they formed the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron. Perseus and Pioneer were modified into aircraft maintenance ships, while the last six were completed to a modified design and became the Majestic Class. Postwar Collosus was sold to France and renamed Arromanches, Venerable was sold to the Netherlands in 1948 and renamed Karl Doorman, Vengeance was sold to Brazil in 1955 renamed Minas Gerais, and Warrior was sold to Argentina in 1958 and renamed Independencia. Glory, Ocean, Perseus, Pioneer, Theseus and Triumph were scrapped between 1954 and 1981. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Majestic Class (1948) Technical Details: Displacement: 15,700 tons Dimensions: Length 690 ft, Beam 80 ft, Draught: 19 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 40,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 25 knots, Range 12,000 nautical miles Armour: None Armament: 6 x twin 40 mm Bofors AA guns, 18 x single 40 mm bofors AA guns Aircraft carried: 52 Complement: 1,100 History: The rapid development of carrier aircraft and anti-aircraft weapons led to the modification of the last six ships of the Collosus class light fleet aircraft carriers. The improvements included the upgrading of the catapult, arrestor cables, aircraft elevators, and the reinforcement of the flightdeck so they could handle the faster and heavier aircraft entering into service. Experience in the far east had shown the need for heavier anti-aircraft weapons than the 20 mm Oerlikon gun, and thirty 40 mm Bofors were the main defensive armament arranged in six twin and eighteen single powered mounts which were controlled by radar. The ships were laid down in 1943 but work was suspended at the end of the war but later resumed at a low priority. The first two ships were completed in 1948, Magnificent then being loaned to Canada and Terrible was sold to Australia who renamed her Sydney. In the UK the design for the other four ships was modified to allow them to operate larger and faster jet aircraft, which included steam catapults and an angled deck. Majestic was sold to Australia and entered service 1955 after being renamed Melbourne. Hercules was sold to India in 1957 and renamed Vikrant, and Powerful was sold to Canada in 1952 and renamed Bonaventure. Leviathan was never completed. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Audacious Class (1952) Technical Details: (Eagle as built) Displacement: 36,800 tons Dimensions: Length 804 ft, Beam 135 ft, Draught: 33 ft Machinery: Geared steam turbines developing 152,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 32 knots, Range 8,100 nautical miles Armour: 4½ inch belt, 1 hanger, 4 inch flightdeck, Armament: 16 x 4.5 inch AA guns, 52 x 40 mm AA guns Aircraft Carried: 60 Complement: 2,740 History: The design of the Audacious class addressed many of the shortcomings of the Implacables. Four ships were planned, Audacious being laid down in October 1942, Irresistable in May 1943 and Eagle in April 1944. Work on the ships however progressed slowly and was suspended at the end of the war to await a decision on their fate. Eagle and the fourth ship Africa, were cancelled, but the go ahead was given to complete the remaining two ship. Audacious was then renamed Eagle and launched in 1946, the ship finally being commissioned in October 1951. Work on Irresistable was delayed and the opportunity taken to incorporate an angled flight deck and many other modifications to the design. The ship was then renamed Ark Royal and entered service in February 1955. Eagle had an extensive refit from 1959 and returned to service in 1964, at which point she was the most capable aircraft carrier in the Royal Navy, but the defence cuts in the late 1960s saw the demise of the ship which was laid up in 1972 and later used a a source of spares for Ark Royal until she was scrapped in 1978. Ark Royal also had several major refits during her career as well as a casualty of government defence cuts, being decommissioned in February 1979 and was scrapped the following year. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Centaur Class (1953) Technical Details: (As built) Displacement: 24,000 tons Dimensions: Length 650 ft, Beam 90 ft, Draught: 24 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 76,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 29½ knots, Range 8,000 nautical miles Armour: 1 - 2 inch flightdeck, magazines and machinery Armament: 8 x 4.5 inch high angle AA guns, 34 x 40 mm Bofors guns, Aircraft carried: 42 Complement: 1,390 History: The Centaur class were ordered in 1943 as an improved version of the Colossus design, and were intermediate in size between the Colossus light carriers and Audacious fleet carriers. Many general improvements were made, in particular accommodation. They were also faster, having double the machinery and better protected, having a 2 inch armoured deck and protection for the magazine and machinery spaces. Eight ships were planned with the first being laid down in March 1944. Four ships had been laid down by the end of the World War Two, but the remaining four were cancelled after the end of hostilities and work on the ships under construction was halted. It was decided to complete the ships, Centaur being the first to be completed commissioned in September 1953 to the original design, while Albion and Bulwark were commissioned in 1954 with a slightly angled deck. The fourth ship was named Hermes and completed to a new and enlarged design in 1959, fifteen years after being laid down. Albion and Centaur were victims of the late 1960s defence cuts and were scrapped in 1973. Bulwark lasted a little longer and was scrapped in 1984. After Hermes involvement in the Falkland War in 1982 the ship was sold to India and renamed Viraat. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy A R C R A F T C A R R I E R

Auxillery Aircraft Carriers (1941) Technical Details: (Audacity) Displacement: 12,000 tons Dimensions: Length 467 ft 3 ins, Beam 56 ft 3 ins, Draught: 27 ft 3 ins Machinery: 7 cylinder diesel engine developing 5,200 shp, One shaft Performance: Maximum Speed 15 knots, Range unknown Armour: None Armament: 1 x 4 inch, 1 x 6 pounder guns, 4 x 2 pounder pom-poms 4 x 20 mm AA guns Aircraft carried: 8 x Grumman Martlet IIs Complement: 480 History: Contingency plans had existed in the Admiralty long before the start of World War Two to convert suitable merchant ship hulls into auxiliary aircraft carriers that could be operated by the Royal Navy. With the loss of two fleet carriers early in the war the situation became urgent, but the losses of merchant ships led to a shortage of suitable hulls for conversion, there being a reluctance to change them from their primary role. In the end only six were converted before serious production of escort carriers began in the United States. The first hull selected for conversion was that of the Hannover, an almost new Hamburg-Amerika cargo liner captured by the off San Domingo in February 1940. After her conversion she was renamed Audacity and was commissioned in June 1941. She had a short life but proved the point of the escort carrier. While returning to the UK from Gibraltar with convoy HG76 a four day battle ensued during which five U-Boats were sunk at the cost of two merchantmen, while her aircraft shot down two German aircraft and harassed the submarines until she was torpedoed and sunk on the 21st December 1941. After the war the other five ships Nairana, Vindex, Activity, Campania, and Pretoria Castle were sold back for mercantile service. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy E S C O R T C A R R I E R

Archer Class (1939) Technical Details: (HMS Avenger) Displacement: 8,200 tons Dimensions: Length 492 ft 3 ins, Beam 66 ft 3 ins, Draught: 25 ft Machinery: Diesel engines developing 8,500 shp, One shaft Performance: Maximum Speed: 16½ knots, Range unknown Armour: None Armament: 3 x 4 inch dual purpose guns, 15 x 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns Aircraft carried: 15 Complement: 555 History: In the United States there were similar thoughts along the lines of the British on the conversion of mercantile hulls into auxiliary aircraft carriers. Early in 1941 two C3 hulls that had been launched were taken over for conversion, the first being converted in only three months and was commissioned as the USS Long Island within days of HMS Audacity. In comparison to Audacity the U.S. ship was a better design and could carry fifteen aircraft that were housed in a hanger which was served by a small lift instead of parking the aircraft on the deck. The defensive armament was also better and consisted of three single 4 inch dual purpose guns, supplemented by fifteen 20 mm AA guns on single or twin mounts. Long Islands’ sister was completed in November 1941 and was transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Archer under Lend-Lease, being joined later by four Avenger class ships that were similar in design. Charger was returned to the US Navy after only two days and served as a training ship. Avenger was torpedoed and sunk by U155 west of Portugal on the 15th November 1942. Dasher suffered a major explosion from an unknown cause on the 27th March 1943 and sank in the Firth of Clyde. Archer and Biter were returned to U.S. control in 1945 and 1946 respectively. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy E S C O R T C A R R I E R

Attacker Class (1942) Technical Details: (HMS Attacker) Displacement: 11,420 tons Dimensions: Length 492 ft 3 ins, Beam 69 ft 6 ins, Draught: 26 ft Machinery: Steam turbines developing 8,500 shp, One shaft Performance: Maximum Speed: 17 knots, Range unknown Armour: None Armament: 2 x 4 inch dual purpose guns, 21 x 20 mm Oerlikon, 8 x 40 mm Bofors AA guns Aircraft carried: 19-24 depending on type Complement: 646 History: Developed from the Avenger class escort carrier, the U.S. Bogue class was the final development of the C3 conversion programme of merchant hulls. As their hulls were incomplete, a greater degree of modification was possible compared to the early ships which had used completed hulls. Eleven were transferred to Britain under the Lend Lease Agreement, where they were renamed and known as the Attacker class. Such was the need for escort carriers that a further twenty four ships were ordered, all but one being transferred to the Royal Navy where these were known as the Ameer or Ruler class. In service they could operate between 19 - 24 aircraft, depending on the type carried, while the defensive armament typically comprised two 4 inch dual purpose guns, eight 40 mm AA guns, and up to thirty-five 20 mm AA cannons in single or twin mounts. They were primarily used in their intended role as convoy escorts to fill the mid Atlantic gap, although as more and more came into service many were used alongside major units and supported the landings on Sicily and the Italian mainland in 1943, and the landings in Normandy and Southern France in 1944. None of the 34 ships serving in the Royal Navy were lost during World War Two, and all were returned to US control during 1945-46. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy E S C O R T C A R R I E R

Merchant Aircraft Carriers (1943) Technical Details: (MV Empire MacRae) Displacement: 8,200 tons Dimensions: Length 425 ft, Beam 57 ft 9 ins, Draught: 24 ft 6 ins Machinery: 7 cylinder diesel engines developing 3,300 shp, One shaft Performance: Maximum Speed 12½ knots, Range unknown Armour: None Armament: 1 x 4 inch gun, 2 x 40 mm, 4 x 20 mm AA guns Aircraft carried: 4 x Fairey Swordfish Complement: 107 History: In 1942 urgent measures were needed to close the mid-Atlantic gap with air cover and help fight the U-boat offensive which was threatening to bring Great Britain to her knees. Escort carriers were beginning to be produced in both the U.K. and the U.S.A., but were not yet available in sufficient numbers. Another solution was to produce the Merchant Aircraft Carrier, usually known as a MAC ship, an ingenious solution which was later copied by the Japanese. The Ministry of War Transport was reluctant to release large cargo carrying ships for full conversion into escort carriers, but the MAC ship retained the greater part of its cargo capacity but with a flightdeck topside. The ideal ships were grain carriers which required only small apertures for their holds, through which the hoses for loading and unloading were inserted, and could be easily fitted with a flightdeck with the removal of the superstructure. When they entered service they sailed under the Red Ensign with a merchant navy crew, only the flight personnel being Royal Navy. They were usually integrated within the convoy rather than the escort. They began to enter service in 1943, and in total nineteen were produced. None were lost during World War Two, and postwar were returned to mercantile service. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy E S C O R T C A R R I E R

Erebus Class (1916) Technical Details: Displacement: 8,000 tons Dimensions: Length 405 ft, Beam 88 ft, Draught: 11 ft 8 ins Machinery: Triple expansion engines developing 6,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum speed: 12 knots, Range Unknown Armour: 4 inch belt, 1-4 inch decks, 8 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, anti-torpedo bulges Armament: 2 x 15 inch, 8 x 4 inch guns, 4 x 3 inch high angle guns, Complement: 223 History: When the failure of the two Marshal class monitors was recognised, it was decided to build new ships and use their 15 inch gun turrets. Later it was decided to retain Marshal Soult and a 15 inch turret ordered for Furious was used instead. Much improved and more powerful machinery ensured they easily made the required speed of 12 knots instead of the 6 knots of the Marshall class. Named Erebus and Terror they entered service in mid 1916 and operated successfully off the Belgian coast for the rest of World War One, where by May 1917 they had made Ostend dockyard untenable. Between the wars the two ships were used as turret drill ships, but prior to the outbreak of World War Two were reactivated for service. After a refit Terror was based at Singapore before being recalled home where she mainly served in the Mediterranean. Here she supported the advancing British forces, firing 660 main rounds against Italian fortifications and land forces. On the 22nd February 1941 Terror came under air attack and was badly damaged and later sank off Darnah, Libya. During World War Two Erebus served in South Africa, the Eastern Fleet and the Mediterranean before returning to the UK to become part of the D-Day bombardment force. Erebus was scrapped in 1946. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy M O N I T O R

Roberts Class (1941) Technical Details: Displacement: 8,536 tons Dimensions: Length 373 ft, Beam 89 ft 9 ins, Draught: 13 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 4,800 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 12½ knots, Maximum range 4,000 miles Armour: 5 inch Belt, 8 inch Barbette, 13 inch Turret, 3 inch Conning Tower. Armament: 2 x 15 inch guns, 8 x 4 inch dual purpose guns, 1 x octuple and 2 x quadruple 2 pounder pom poms, 8 x 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns Complement: 442 History: On the outbreak of World War Two the Royal Navy had put back into service the 15 inch gunned monitors Erebus and Terror. Marshall Soult had also survived from World War One after becoming a gunnery training ship, and serious thought was given to bring her back into service, but instead her turret was removed for a new monitor, Roberts. The new ship was a far more competent design, being fairly well armoured and possessing a good anti-aircraft armament that consisted of eight quick firing 4 inch guns in four twin high angle mounts, one octuple and two quadruple 2 pounder pom poms, and eight 20 mm Oerlikon guns. Roberts was commissioned in October 1941, but during this time the decision was made to build a second vessel, Abercrombie, using a 15 inch gun turret that had been built as a spare for Furious before she was converted into an aircraft carrier. On commissioning Roberts was sent to Alexandria and later supported the Torch landings in North Africa, the invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy in !943, and the D-Day landings in 1944. Abercrombie entered service in May 1943 and supported the landings on Sicily and Italian mainland., but was later mined that kept her out of the rest of the war. Abercrombie was scrapped in 1954 and Roberts in 1965. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy M O N I T O R

Marshall Class (1915) Technical Details: Displacement: 6,670 tons. Dimensions: Length 355 ft 8 ins. Beam 90 ft 3 ins. Draught 10 ft 5 ins. Machinery: Diesel engines developing 1,500 shp, 2 shafts. Performance: Maximum speed 6 knots, Range unknown Armour: 1 - 3 inch deck, 4 inch belt, 8 inch barbettes, 10 inch turret, Anti-torpedo bulges Armament: 2 x 15 inch, 8 x 4 inch, 2 x 3 inch AA, 2 x 12 pounder guns Complement: 228

History: The old 12 inch guns of the Lord Clive class monitors had not proved to as effective as hoped, and it was decided to mount as many 15 inch guns as could be spared for new monitors. Two turrets were available from the redesign of the Battlecruisers Renown and Repulse then under construction, and to speed up the completion the two new monitors were fitted with diesel engines designed for merchantships. In honour of the French they were named HMS Marshall Soult and Marshall Ney and entered service in mid 1915. The engines were of relatively low power, which combined with the poor hull shape meant Marshall Ney could only make 6 knots at best and was very difficult to steer, while her engines designed by Man were unreliable. Marshal Soult had engines designed by Vickers which were more reliable, but she too was slow. Marshall Ney was soon paid off and rearmed with 6 inch guns to become the guardship in the Downs, her 15 inch gun turret being used for a new monitor, HMS Erebus. Marshall Soult gave useful service during World War One before becoming a turret drill ship, and with the onset of World War Two thought was given to reactive the ship, but instead her turret was used for a new monitor HMS Roberts. Both ships were finally scrapped in 1946/47.

M O N I T O R