Last weekend I was reenacting a landing party from HMS M 33 in North Russia in 1919. Despite the slightly odd name the M 33 was a real ship and she did fight in Russian Civil War. She is also one of only two ships from the First World War left, which is a shame. Especially because she was such a poor sea holding boat like all the other ships of her class.
The M 33 was a Monitor, which meant that she was little more than a gun platform for a pair of 6 inch guns. She was designed to get in as close to shore as possible and bombard targets on land. To get in close the Monitors had a much shallower draft than any other ships of a similar size at barely 6 feet. This was great for getting in close, but that very shallow draft meant that she simply did not handle well out at sea.
If you would like to now how she was used then try this analogy. In any modern conflict the first thing that you will see on your TV is a ship firing off cruise missiles in order to soften up the enemies defences ready for an invation. That is what the M 33 did, she was the cruise missile of her day.
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