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 (I03) are known as the. They were named for the two bomb ketches sent to investigate the Northwest Passage and subsequently lost in 1845.

Monitors were designed as stable gun platforms with a shallow draft 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 (381 mm) guns (removed from HMS Marshal Ney ) in a single forward turret mounted on a tall barbette to extend the range of fire (up to 40,000 yards (22.7 miles/36.5 km)).

The Erebus class were designed to outrange German World War I heavy shore batteries and they were also fitted with highly effective anti-torpedo bulges on each side of the hull.

World War I
During World War I 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 50 feet (15 m) of anti-torpedo bulge.

In 1919 Erebus took part in the British Invasion of Russia providing gunfire support in the White Sea and in the Baltic Sea.

World War II
In 1921 Erebus took part in gunnery trials against the surrendered German battleship Baden. She then served as a gunnery training ship between the two world wars. The Erebus had a refit, completed in August 1939, and was earmarked as guardship at Cape Town, but due to the outbreak of war this never materialised.

In the early war years, Erebus served with the Eastern Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet, where she was used to run supplies to besieged Tobruk and bombard enemy concentrations. 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 the HE round in the bore.

On the 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 in guns was used to equip HMS Vanguard (23), the Royal Navy's last battleship.