HMS Mersey (1914)

HMS "Mersey" was a "Humber"-class monitor of the Royal Navy. Originally built by Vickers for Brazil and christened "Madeira", she was purchased by the Royal Navy in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I along with her sister ships "Humber" and "Severn".

She had a relatively successful career in World War I and had two prominent incidents. At the Battle of the Yser in 1914, off the coast of Belgium, she bombarded German troops as well as artillery positions. In July 1915 she was towed to the Rufiji River delta in German East Africa where she and "Severn" then assisted in the destruction of the Kaiserliche Marine cruiser "Königsberg".

She later went to the Mediterranean and served on the River Danube. In 1921 she was sold to the breakers.

Battle honours

* Battle of the Yser 1914–1915
* SMS "Königsberg" 1915

References

* Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J., "British Warships 1914-1919", (Ian Allen, London, 1972), ISBN 0-7110-0380-7
* Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1906-1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN 0-85177-245-5