This ship is one of only two British First World War warships to survive both the war and the ravages of time. She is a monitor or coastal bombardment vessel. Her shallow draught allowed her to steam, or to be towed, close in to the enemy coast where her 6 inch guns could then be brought to bear on the target. She is now berthed just to the side and astern of Nelson's flagship HMS Victory in the Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. Although visitor access is not yet possible, her position in No 1 dry dock presents an ideal opportunity to get a closer look at this historic vessel. Many original features, removed during a long and varied life, are being replaced or faithfully reconstructed to restore the exterior of the ship as near as possible to her 1915-1919 configuration. http://www3.hants.gov.uk/m33
Gosh Annie I had no idea there were some ships surviving from WW1 ! I'd better add it to my list of things to do and see on my next trip to London ...thanks ...
Another interesting post Annie. I too intend to pay her a visit next summer. Anyway here are a few shots of her that might prove to be of interest. The first one is how she looked in 1936. The second immediately prior to her recent restoration. The final one was taken earlier this year.
I visited HMS Victory in 2001 and M33 was being restored then. So I'm a little disappointed that there is still no visitor access. But she is a small vessel, so you can see plenty from the outside. She was a six-inch monitor (i.e. with a six-inch main armament), and saw action against the Bolsheviks in 1919. There are at least two other British vessels from WW1 afloat : HMS Caroline is a light cruiser, the last surviving vessel to have fought at Jutland in 1916. She has been moored in Belfast harbour at least since WW2, and was the HQ of the local RNR until recently. They are now deciding what to do with her. Her superstructure is non-original and not very pretty, but the original hull is intact. HMS President has been moored on the Thames Embankment by Blackfriars bridge since about 1922. She was originally HMS Saxifrage, an Anchusa class corvette, with hidden armament i.e. a Q-ship. She is now a "Corporate Venue". I go aboard her frequently - the London branch of Cross & Cockade meet on her! Again, some of her superstructure has been added since WW1, but she has plenty of original features inside and her hull is intact apart from few extra windows. One of her original tripod masts is still there as well - once a feature of almost all British warships, but this is virtually the only one you'll see now (unless M33 has one?). http://www.hmspresident.com/
OK Annie - Firstly the old cruiser Caroline incredibly still in use today as a training establishment!! The first picture shows neatly the difference in her appearance between WW1 and nowadays - over 90 years later!! The others were all taken between 2005 and 2007. Finally a good photograph of President as she is today...
Thanks Annie. My uncle was 1st.Lt.of sister shp M 30and I have written a history of her on website www.hannabrothersww1rn.org.uk
