Angus Konstam, Royal Navy Monitors of World War II (Osprey, 2025)
One of the most unusual warships of World War II was the Royal Navy’s monitor. The design was simple: a battleship gun turret with a ship built around it. It’s sole purpose was to bombard enemy positions on land in support of Allied operations. The prolific Angus Konstam describes these warships and how they went about their business.
Konstam points out that the Royal Navy had 15 capital ships at the outbreak of World War II, but they were employed with the two main battle fleets. That left a requirement for shore bombardment operations. The answer, at least partially, was the monitors. Konstam traces the origin of the monitors to the Great War, when the RN had forty of them of various sizes, but almost all of them were scrapped by the opening of World War II. Konstam notes that Winston Churchill championed the production of new monitors equipped with two 15-inch guns. These were designed to fit the necessary parameters for modern combat, updating the Great War models. Four 15-inch monitors took to the high seas in World War II, but only two or three at a time. Smaller monitors stayed on harbour duties. Konstam takes us through their operational history, beginning with HMS Erebus then HMS Terror, HMS Roberts, HMS Abercrombie, and the harbour monitors. From there, Konstam focuses on the purpose of the monitors, namely naval gunfire support. He works through the process of identifying and hitting targets, often using aerial reconnaissance. Konstam also examines how the big guns functioned, looking at process and personnel. The operations where the big guns made a difference follow, including Operation Neptune, the naval part of the D-Day landings. Konstam closes with some specifications and modifications of the monitors.
Royal Navy Monitors of World War II is another solid Osprey book from Angus Konstam. He deftly narrates the development of these unusual warships, digs into the nuts and bolts of how they operated, and narrates the ships in action. Konstam is aided by excellent graphic illustrations, ship’s diagrams, and photographs, which should keep modellers happy. Anyone who reads World War II naval history, particularly when it comes to the more obscure warships, will enjoy this book.
