List of monitors of World War II explained

See also: List of coastal defence ships of World War II. A monitor is a class of relatively small warship that is lightly armoured, often provided with disproportionately large guns, and originally designed for coastal warfare. The term "monitor" grew to include breastwork monitors, the largest class of riverine warcraft known as river monitors, and was sometimes used as a generic term for any turreted ship. In the early 20th century, the term "monitor" included shallow-draft armoured shore bombardment vessels, particularly those of the Royal Navy: the s carried guns that fired the heaviest shells ever used at sea and saw action against German targets during World War I. Two small Royal Navy monitors from the First World War, and survived to fight in the Second World War. When the requirement for shore support and strong shallow-water coastal defence returned, new monitors and variants such as coastal defence ships were built (e.g. the British s). Allied monitors saw service in the Mediterranean in support of the British Eighth Army's desert and Italian campaigns. They were part of the offshore bombardment for the Invasion of Normandy in 1944. They were also used to clear the German-mined River Scheldt by the British to utilize the port of Antwerp. The German, Yugoslav, Croatian, Romanian, Hungarian and Czech armed forces operated river monitors that saw combat during World War II.

See also List of ships of World War II, which contains major military vessels of the war, arranged alphabetically and by type. The list includes armed vessels that served during the war and in the immediate aftermath, inclusive of localized ongoing combat operations, garrison surrenders, post-surrender occupation, colony re-occupation, troop and prisoner repatriation, to the end of 1945. For smaller vessels, see also list of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons. Some uncompleted Axis ships are included, out of historic interest. Ships are designated to the country under which they operated for the longest period of the Second World War, regardless of where they were built or previous service history.

List of monitors of World War II
ShipCountry or organizationClassTypeDisplacement (tons)First commissionedFate
Brătianuriver monitorcaptured by Soviets 2 September 1944, returned 1951, put in reserve 1957, scrapped 1959[1]
Robertsmonitor7,8505 May 1943scrapped 1954[2]
Bechelarenriver monitor2141 August 1932Originally laid down and commissioned as the President Masaryk for the Czechoslovakian Naval Forces. Captured in 1938 by Germany and renamed Bechelaren. Returned to Czechoslovakia in 1947. scrapped 1978.
ClaverhouseM15monitor/training ship540July 1915scrapped 21 April 1959
DravaEnnsriver monitor53615 April 1920scuttled 11 April 1941
ErebusErebusmonitor7,3002 September 1916scrapped July 1946
Flyaginriver monitor23030 December 1936scuttled 18 September 1941
GM 194/Biber
monitor/floating battery2,8541 April 1917scrapped 1945-1946
Brătianuriver monitorcaptured by Soviets 27 August 1944, returned 1951, put in reserve 1957, scrapped 1959
KhasanKhasanRiver monitor1,7041 December 1942Originally to be named Lazo, renamed Khasan on 25 September 1940. Scrapped 23 March 1960.
Lascăr CatargiuBrătianuriver monitor6801907Built at the Galați Shipyard in Romania,[3] armament during World War II consisted of 3 x 120 mm guns in armoured turrets, 1 x 76 mm AA gun, 2 x 47 mm guns and two machine guns, 75 mm of armor protected the sides, deck, and turrets, sunk 24 August 1944
Levachevriver monitor23027 October 1936scuttled 18 September 1941
Martynovriver monitor2308 December 1936scuttled 18 September 1941
Mihail KogălniceanuBrătianumonitor6801907sunk 24 August 1944
Morava/Bosna
Körösriver monitor44815 April 1920scuttled 11 April 1941, raised by Croatia as Bosna, sunk June 1944
Parnaibariver monitor6209 March 1938in service
PerekopKhasanRiver monitor1,7041 December 1942Originally to be named Simbirtsev, renamed Perekop on 25 September 1940. Scrapped 23 March 1960.
RobertsRobertsmonitor8,10027 October 1941scrapped June 1965
Rostovtsevriver monitor23013 May 1937scuttled 18 September 1941
Sava
Temesriver monitor44015 April 1920scuttled 11 April 1941, raised by Croatia, scuttled 8 September 1944, raised by Yugoslavia, decommissioned 1962
SivashKhasanRiver monitor1,70431 October 1946Originally to be named Seryshev, renamed Sivash on 25 September 1940. Disarmed and converted to an accommodation ship September 1960. Scrapped 28 February 1968.
TerrorErebusmonitor7,3006 August 1916sunk 24 February 1941
VardarSavariver monitor58015 April 1920scuttled 11 April 1941
river monitor23027 October 1936Decommissioned 10 September 1960. Preserved as a war memorial 10 July 1967 in Kiev.
Zhemchuzhinriver monitor23027 October 1936scuttled 12 August 1941

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921 . Robert . Gardiner . 422.
  2. Web site: Mason . Geoffrey B. . HMS Abercrombie - Roberts-class 15in gun Monitor . Naval-History.net . 18 October 2012.
  3. Elisabeta . Mihai . Georgescu . 1984 . Warship International . 21 . 2 . 160.

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