HMS M29

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 monitors, 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 May 22 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.

References

* Young, John. A Dictionary of Ships of the Royal Navy of the Second World War. Patrick Stephens Ltd, Cambridge, 1975. ISBN 0-85059-332-8
* Lenton, H.T. & Colledge, J. J. Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1973. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X
* 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