Terror's sustained bombardment raised concern about the condition of her 15-inch gun barrels. Mediterranean Fleet commander Andrew Cunningham personally inspected them and ordered reduced cordite charges to extend their useful life. Too little propellant, however, could leave a shell lodged in the barrel. Terror continued firing at Bardia and supported the assault on Tobruk, so gun wear had become an operational constraint rather than a purely technical concern.
Notable Point · 30:49-32:43
Worn 15-inch guns and the danger of reduced charges
Concern over Terror's worn main guns forced a risky reduction in cordite charges even as the monitor continued bombarding Bardia and Tobruk.