The planned September 1918 advance along the Belgian coast required more than ships with large guns. Gorgon and Glatton regained construction priority in 1917, more than a year before the operational need produced usable firepower. The monitors had first helped prevent a German advance along the coast and were now intended to support an Allied offensive in the opposite direction. Their role was close support for troops, not merely occasional long-range bombardment of fixed targets. A tripod mast and a substantial radio fit mattered because observers and soldiers had to communicate target requests to the ship. The episode compares this responsive system with later naval gunfire support, including calls made by radio during the Falklands War.
Notable Point · 22:48-24:56
The 1918 offensive joined production, radios, and close fire support
Gorgon's rushed completion reflected a year-long production decision to supply the coastal offensive with responsive naval artillery.