HMS M29
Encyclopedia
HMS M29 was a Royal Navy
M29 class
monitor
of the First World War.
The availability of ten 6 inch Mk XII guns from the Queen Elizabeth class
battleships in 1915 prompted the Admiralty
to order five scaled down versions of the M15 class monitor
s, which had been designed to utilise 9.2 inch guns. HMS M29 and her sisters were ordered from Harland & Wolff
, Belfast
in March 1915. Launched on 22 May 1915, she was completed in June 1915.
Upon completion, HMS M29 was sent to the Mediterranean, and remained there until December, 1918. She served from May to September 1919 in support of British and White Russian
forces in the White Sea
, before returning to England.
In September 1923, HMS M29 was taken in hand for conversion to a minelayer
. Equipped to carry 52 mines, she was renamed HMS Medusa in December 1925.
In May 1941, she was converted to a repair ship and became the depot ship
for the 10th Submarine Flotilla, being renamed HMS Talbot. Again renamed HMS Medway II in February 1944, she became the depot ship for the 1st Submarine Flotilla. She was finally sold in December 1946 for breaking up at Dover
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
M29 class
M29 class monitor
The M29-class comprised five monitors of the Royal Navy, all built and launched during 1915.The ships of this class were ordered in March, 1915, as part of the Emergency War Programme of ship construction...
monitor
Monitor (warship)
A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors...
of the First World War.
The availability of ten 6 inch Mk XII guns from the Queen Elizabeth class
Queen Elizabeth class battleship
The Queen Elizabeth-class battleships were a class of five super-dreadnoughts of the Royal Navy. The lead ship was named after Elizabeth I of England...
battleships in 1915 prompted the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
to order five scaled down versions of the M15 class monitor
M15 class monitor
The M15-class comprised fourteen monitors of the Royal Navy, all built and launched during 1915.- Design :The ships of this class were ordered in March, 1915, as part of the Emergency War Programme of ship construction...
s, which had been designed to utilise 9.2 inch guns. HMS M29 and her sisters were ordered from Harland & Wolff
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in March 1915. Launched on 22 May 1915, she was completed in June 1915.
Upon completion, HMS M29 was sent to the Mediterranean, and remained there until December, 1918. She served from May to September 1919 in support of British and White Russian
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
forces in the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
, before returning to England.
In September 1923, HMS M29 was taken in hand for conversion to a minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
. Equipped to carry 52 mines, she was renamed HMS Medusa in December 1925.
In May 1941, she was converted to a repair ship and became the depot ship
Depot ship
A depot ship is a ship which acts as a mobile or fixed base for other ships and submarines or supports a naval base. Depot ships may be specifically designed for their purpose or be converted from another purpose...
for the 10th Submarine Flotilla, being renamed HMS Talbot. Again renamed HMS Medway II in February 1944, she became the depot ship for the 1st Submarine Flotilla. She was finally sold in December 1946 for breaking up at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
.