Erebus class monitor
Encyclopedia
The Erebus class of monitors of the Royal Navy
consisted of two ships: HMS Erebus
and HMS Terror
.
(NGS) role. During World War I
they operated off the German-occupied Belgian
coast bombarding naval forces based at Ostend
and Zeebrugge
. HMS Erebus was damaged by a remote controlled explosive motor boat and HMS Terror was torpedoed by motor torpedo boat
s.
Both ships were placed in reserve
between the wars but returned to service in World War II
where they were again used to provide fire support to British troops.
HMS Erebus participated in the D-Day invasion as part of Task Force O off Omaha beach. (Anthony Beevor, "D-Day, The Battle for Normandy", p 81)
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
consisted of two ships: HMS Erebus
HMS Erebus (I02)
HMS Erebus was a World War I monitor launched on 19 June 1916 and served in both world wars. She and her sister HMS Terror are known as the Erebus class...
and HMS Terror
HMS Terror (I03)
HMS Terror was an Erebus-class monitor built for the Royal Navy in 1915-16 at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Govan, Scotland.The Erebus-class monitors were of displacement, long, with a maximum speed of produced by reciprocating engines with two shafts, and a crew of 223. The ship's main...
.
- HMS Erebus (I02) was built by Harland and WolffHarland and WolffHarland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, Govan. She was laid down 12 October 1915, launched on 19 June 1916 and commissioned in September 1916. After seeing service in both World Wars, Erebus was scrapped in 1946. - HMS Terror (I03) was built by Harland and WolffHarland and WolffHarland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, Belfast, Laid down 26 October 1915, launched 18 May 1916 and commissioned in August 1916. She saw extensive service in both World Wars. Terror was lost in the Mediterranean on 23 February 1941, after being damaged by LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Ju-87 "Stuka" dive bombers the previous day.
Service
The class was to see most of its service in the Naval Gunfire SupportNaval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
(NGS) role. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
they operated off the German-occupied Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
coast bombarding naval forces based at Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.-Location:...
. HMS Erebus was damaged by a remote controlled explosive motor boat and HMS Terror was torpedoed by motor torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s.
Both ships were placed in reserve
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
between the wars but returned to service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where they were again used to provide fire support to British troops.
HMS Erebus participated in the D-Day invasion as part of Task Force O off Omaha beach. (Anthony Beevor, "D-Day, The Battle for Normandy", p 81)