The Lord Clive class reused 12-inch turrets from decommissioned Majestic-class pre-dreadnoughts. General Wolfe, Lord Clive, and Prince Eugene later received, or were selected to receive, 18-inch guns removed from HMS Furious. Most served with the Dover Monitor Squadron, while two operated in the Mediterranean. A draught under three metres let the class bring battleship-calibre guns unusually close to shore. High spotting positions and battleship-grade fire-control equipment had to manage only one main turret. Slow manoeuvring and usually stationary land targets simplified the firing problem, giving the monitors favourable conditions for accurate bombardment.
Notable Point · 15:45-18:22
Lord Clive class and the logic of monitor accuracy
Slow, stable monitors could bring battleship-style fire control and spotting equipment into close coastal waters.