Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:56:36-4:57:09

The M-class monitor idea before the Second World War

M-class-style monitors appeared among Admiral Henderson's prewar concepts, although other navies often assigned close bombardment to battleships instead.

M Class MonitorsMonitorsNaval Gunfire SupportReginald Henderson
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Were the M-class monitor plans already being considered before the Second World War?

Short answer

Yes; they appeared among Admiral Henderson's prewar ideas, while other navies often relied on battleships or only had a possible use for specialized monitors.

Notes

M-class monitor concepts appeared on Admiral Henderson's prewar list of ideas, so the proposal did not arise only as an improvised response after war began. British interest in specialized monitors differed from the United States' use of battleships for close bombardment. Italy or the Soviet Union might also have found such ships useful, although no comparable committed program is identified.