View source for HMS Erebus (I02)

{{Short description|1916 Erebus-class monitor}}
{{other ships|HMS Erebus}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Erebus I02.jpg
|Ship caption=HMS ''Erebus'' in 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Erebus''
|Ship operator={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Harland & Wolff]], [[Govan]]
|Ship yard number=492
|Ship laid down=12 October 1915
|Ship launched=19 June 1916
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=2 September 1916
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=2 September 1916
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
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|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=August 1939
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
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|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Scrapped July 1946
|Ship notes=
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}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Erebus|monitor||warship}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|7200|LT|t|lk=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|405|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|88|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|11|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|6000|ihp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × Reciprocating engines
*2 [[Propeller|screw]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|12|kn|lk=on|0}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=226
|Ship armament=*2 × [[BL 15 inch Mk I naval gun|{{convert|15|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} guns]] (1x2)
*8 × [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] guns (8x1)
*2 × [[QF 12 pounder 18 cwt naval gun|12-pounder]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]]
*2 × {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} anti-aircraft guns
*2 × [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder]] anti-aircraft guns
*4 × {{convert|.303|in|mm|abbr=on|1}} [[machine gun]]s<ref name="pbenyon1.plus.com">[http://www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Janes_1919/Monitors/Monitors_2.html HM Ships from As extracted from Jane's Fighting Ships for 1919] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701141913/http://www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Janes_1919/Monitors/Monitors_2.html |date=1 July 2007 }}</ref>
|Ship armour=*[[Bulkhead (partition)|Bulkhead]]s: {{convert|4|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Barbette]]s: {{convert|8|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{convert|13|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*Magazines: {{convert|4|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Conning tower]]: {{convert|6|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Main deck]]: {{convert|2|-|4|in|cm|abbr=on|1}}
*Torpedo protection bulges<ref name="pbenyon1.plus.com"/>
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Erebus''''' was a First World War [[Monitor warship type|monitor]] launched on 19 June 1916 and which served in both world wars. She and her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Terror|I03|2}} are known as the {{sclass|Erebus|monitor|4}}. They were named after the two [[bomb vessel]]s sent to investigate the [[Northwest Passage]] as part of [[Franklin's lost expedition]] (1845–1848), in which all 129 members eventually perished.

Monitors were designed as stable gun platforms with a shallow [[Draft (hull)|draught]] to allow operations close inshore in support of land operations, and were not intended to contest naval battles. ''Erebus'' was equipped with two [[15 inch /42 (38.1 cm) Mark I naval gun|{{cvt|15|in|mm|0}}/42 guns]] in a single forward turret mounted on a tall [[barbette]] to extend the range of fire to {{cvt|40000|yd|mi km|1}}.

The ''Erebus'' class were designed to outrange German heavy shore batteries and they were also fitted with highly effective [[anti-torpedo bulge]]s on each side of the [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]].

==Background==
During the First World War, the Royal Navy developed several classes of ships which were designed to give close support to troops ashore through the use of [[Naval Gunfire Support|naval bombardment]].<ref>Crossley 2013, c. 1; Buxton 2008, c. 1</ref> Termed [[Monitor (warship)|monitors]], they owed little to the monitors of the 19th century, though they shared the characteristics of poor seaworthiness, shallow [[Draft (hull)|draught]] and heavy armament in turrets. The size of the various monitor classes of the Royal Navy and their armaments varied greatly. The {{sclass|Marshal Ney|monitor|4}} was the United Kingdom's first attempt at a monitor carrying {{convert|15|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} guns.<ref>Crossley 2013, c. 2, para. 24</ref> Following construction of the first two of the ''Marshall Ney''-class, another four were ordered in May 1915, with the [[Harland and Wolff]] [[shipyard]] at [[Govan]] receiving a contract to construct two hulls, which were given [[yard number]]s 492 and 493. However, all four were cancelled in June when it was realised that there were insufficient gun turrets to complete both the [[battleship]], {{HMS|Royal Oak|08|2}}, and the monitors before 1917.<ref>Buxton 2008, c. 8.1</ref>

By August 1915, {{HMS|Marshal Ney||2}}, the first of her class, had revealed a very poor performance in her sea trials. The monitor's engines would not start reliably and were prone to stalling,<ref>Crossley 2013, c. 2, para. 25</ref> making it impossible for the ship to achieve even the minimum standard for the trial of four hours of continuous sailing at full power. The vessel was also difficult to steer.<ref>Buxton 2008, c. 4.2, para. 3</ref> Disappointed by the failure, the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] began the design of a replacement class on 6 September, which incorporated lessons learned from all of the previous classes of monitor commissioned during the war. Some of the main modifications were an increase in the power supply to guarantee a speed of {{convert|12|kn}} and a change to the angles and lines of the hull to improve steering. Another significant change was to raise the top of the [[anti-torpedo bulge]] above the waterline and reduce its width; both changes would improve the stability and maneuverability of the ship at sea. The bulge was fitted along each side of the ship and was intended to absorb the impact of any explosions. To maintain protection while reducing the bulge's width, its inner compartment was made water tight and filled with 70 steel tubes, rather than leaving the inner compartment open to the sea as in previous designs.<ref name="Brown1999p148">Brown 1999, p. 148</ref><ref name="Buxton8.2p2">Buxton 2008, c. 8.2</ref>

==Design and construction==
The new design, which would later be named the ''Erebus''-class, was for a vessel {{convert|405|ft|m|abbr=on|lk=on|1}} long, {{convert|88|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on|1}} [[Beam (nautical)|wide]] with a draught of {{convert|11|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on|1}}. It would have {{convert|8,450|LT|t|lk=on|abbr=on}} [[Displacement (ship)#Loaded displacement|loaded displacement]],<ref name="Buxtonc8.3para2">Buxton 2008, c. 8.3 para. 2</ref>{{efn-lr|Official figures for displacement on completion were not recorded for either vessel of the ''Erebus''-class, leading to historians estimating the true displacement from the completed design and manifest. Buxton suggests a figure of 8,450{{&nbsp}}long tons for [[Displacement (ship)#Loaded displacement|loaded displacement]] at completion.<ref name="Buxtonc8.3para2"/> An alternative figure of {{convert|7,200|LT|t|abbr=on}} was officially recorded for ''Terror's'' 1933 refit, though Buxton reports that this figure appears to be a mistake as it does not align with the ship's recorded loaded displacement for that period.<ref name="Buxton8.9">Buxton 2008, c. 8.9</ref>}} with a maximum operational speed of {{convert|13|kn|lk=on}} produced by [[Triple expansion engine|triple-expansion steam engines]] with two shafts, and a crew of 204. Power would be provided by four [[Water-tube boiler#Babcock & Wilcox boiler|Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers]], which would generate a combined {{convert|6000|ihp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}}. The monitors would have an operational range of {{cvt|2480|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of 12{{&nbsp}}knots.<ref name="Buxton8.9"/>

The ships would be armoured to a similar standard to the {{sclass|Abercrombie|monitor|4}}, which were launched in April 1915.<ref name="Buxton8.9"/> Deck armour would range from {{convert|1|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the [[forecastle]], through {{convert|2|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the upper deck and {{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} over the [[Magazine (artillery)|magazine]] and [[Belt armor|belt]].<ref name="Buxton8.2p4">Buxton 2008, c. 8.2, para. 4</ref> With the main 15 in guns being originally intended for use on a battleship, the armour for the [[Gun turret|turret]] was substantially thicker than elsewhere in the design; with {{convert|13|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the front, {{convert|11|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the other sides and {{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the roof.<ref name="Buxton8.2p4"/><ref name="Buxton8.9"/> The main gun's [[barbette]] would be protected by {{convert|8|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} of armour.<ref name="Buxton2.2">Buxton 2008, c. 2.2, para. 1</ref> The [[conning tower]] was protected by {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} of armour on the sides and {{convert|2.5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} on the roof.<ref>Buxton 2008, c. 2.11</ref> Each anti-torpedo bulge was {{convert|13|ft|abbr=on|0}} wide with an outer air-filled compartment {{convert|9|ft|abbr=on}} wide and an inner compartment {{convert|4|ft|abbr=on}} wide containing the steel tubes.<ref name="Buxton8.2p2"/>

Orders for two vessels of the new design were placed with Harland and Wolff on 29 September with reinstated yard numbers 492 and 493, which were renamed respectively ''Erebus'' and {{HMS|Terror|I03|2}} on 13 October. ''Erebus'' was [[laid down]] at Harland and Wolff's shipyard in [[Govan]] on 12 October 1915 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 19 June 1916.<ref name="GovanConstruct">Buxton 2008, c. 8.3</ref>

The ship's main armament consisted of two [[BL 15 inch Mk I naval gun|BL 15{{&nbsp}}in Mk I naval guns]] in a single forward [[Gun turret|turret]]. ''Erebus's'' turret was originally a spare for the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Furious|47|2}}, which was prepared in case the new [[BL 18-inch Mk I naval gun|BL 18{{&nbsp}}in Mk I naval guns]] intended for the larger vessel were ineffective.<ref>Crossley 2013, c. 2, para. 29</ref>{{efn-lr|There is some confusion in the sources as to the  nature of the turrets installed on the Erebus-class monitors. Jane's Fighting Ships (1919) states that ''Marshall Ney's'' turret was fitted to ''Erebus''.<ref name="Janes1919">Parkes & Prendergast 1919, p. 90</ref> However Buxton (2008) and Crossley (2013) both agree that ''Ney's'' turret was fitted to ''Terror'' in Belfast while ''Erebus'' received at [[Clydebank]] a gun originally intended as a spare for {{HMS|Furious|47|2}}.}} Learning from the earlier experience with ''Ney'', the turrets were adjusted to increase elevation to 30 degrees, which would add greater firing range.<ref name="GovanConstruct"/>

''Erebus'' conducted [[sea trial]]s on 1 September, during which the ship was faster than her sister at {{convert|14.1|kn}} compared to {{convert|13.1|kn}} for ''Terror''. However, under service conditions the maximum speed that could be achieved for both vessels was {{convert|13|kn|abbr=on}} with a clean hull or {{convert|12|kn|abbr=on}} with a [[Fouling|fouled]] hull. ''Erebus'' was completed and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 2 September.<ref>Buxton 2008, c. 8.3, para. 3 & c. 8.9</ref>

==Service history==
===First World War===
During the [[First World War]], ''Erebus'' bombarded German naval forces based at the Belgian ports of [[Ostend]] and [[Zeebrugge]].

On 28 October 1917, she was damaged by a remote controlled German [[FL-boat]], and suffered the loss of {{cvt|50|ft|m|0}} of [[anti-torpedo bulge]].

===Inter-war period===
In 1919, ''Erebus'' took part in the [[Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War|British Invasion of Russia]] providing gunfire support in the [[White Sea]] and in the [[Baltic Sea]].

In 1921, she took part in gunnery trials against the surrendered German battleship {{SMS|Baden}}. She then served as a gunnery training ship between the two world wars. After a refit completed in August 1939, she was earmarked as guardship at [[Cape Town]], but due to the outbreak of World War II this did not occur.

===Second World War===
In the early war years, ''Erebus'' served with the [[Eastern Fleet]] and the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]], where she was used to run supplies to besieged [[Tobruk]] and bombard enemy concentrations. She was present at [[Trincomalee]] during the [[Easter Sunday Raid#The attack on Trincomalee Harbour|Japanese attack]] on the [[Trincomalee Harbour|harbour there]], receiving a near-miss hit from Japanese aircraft, suffering casualties.<ref>{{cite book |title=BR 1736(9) Battle Summaries |date=1943 |publisher=British Admiralty |pages=14, 23 |url=https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Battle_Summary_No_15_and_16.pdf |access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref> In 1943, she was damaged while bombarding [[Sicily]] during the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]].

''Erebus'' was used for coastal bombardment during the [[Normandy Landings]] on 6 June 1944, firing at the batteries at [[Barfleur]] and [[La Pernelle]]. She suffered one 15-inch gun destroyed due to a premature explosion of a high explosive round in the bore.<ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_15-42_mk1.htm navweaps.com Accessed 14 January 2008. HMS ''Roberts'' suffered in the same way. The fault was traced to defective fuses in some US-built shells]</ref>

On 10 August 1944, she was used against the defenders of the harbour at [[Le Havre]]. She was damaged by the battery at [[Clos des Ronces]] and was out of action for some time. In November 1944, she supported [[Operation Infatuate]], the amphibious assault on [[Walcheren]], [[Netherlands]].

She was scrapped in July 1946. It is believed that one of ''Erebus''{{'}} 15-inch guns was used to equip {{HMS|Vanguard|23|2}}, the [[Royal Navy]]'s last battleship.<ref>[http://battleshiphmsvanguard.homestead.com/15inch.html The 15 inch Guns of HMS Vanguard]</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{notelist-lr|30em}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=David K. |year=2012 |orig-year=First published 1999 |title=The Grand Fleet; Warship Design and Development 1906–1922 |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=9781848320857 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Buxton |first1=Ian |title=Big gun Monitors: Design, Construction and Operations 1914–1945 |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Pen & Sword |date=2008 |orig-year=First published 1978 |edition=2nd Revised |isbn=978-1-84415-719-8 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Crossley |first1=Jim |title=Monitors of the Royal Navy: How the Fleet Brought the Great Guns to Bear |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Pen & Sword |year=2013 |isbn=9781783830046 }}
*{{cite book |year=1969 |orig-year=First published 1919 |editor1-last=Parkes |editor1-first=Oscar |editor2-last=Prendergast |editor2-first=Maurice |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1919 |journal=Fighting Ships |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/012202881 |location=New York |publisher=Arco Publishing Co |isbn=9780715347164 |oclc=1902851 |access-date=23 December 2019 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Erebus (I02)}}
*[https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5461.html Uboat.net - HMS Erebus]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081029043202/http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/80/a5283380.shtml Personal experiences]
*{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20080228200336/http://www.royal-navy.org/warships/period-8/classes.php?name=9 Royal Navy history]}}

{{Erebus class monitor}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erebus (1916), HMS}}
[[Category:Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War]]
[[Category:Erebus-class monitors]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Operation Husky]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Operation Neptune]]
[[Category:Ships built by Harland and Wolff]]
[[Category:Ships built in Govan]]
[[Category:1916 ships]]
[[Category:World War I monitors of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II monitors of the United Kingdom]]