Courtesy of Cliff McMullen (celtic@osicom.net)
RIVER GUNBOATS
Shallow-draught ships that were termed "China Gunboats" to conceal their intended use
on Mesopotamian rivers. They were also referred to as "River Monitors".
FLY CLASS - (SMALL CHINA GUNBOATS)
1915-1916
Names: Blackfly, Butterfly, Caddisfly, Cranefly, Dragonfly, Firefly, Gadfly,
Greyfly, Greenfly, Hoverfly, Mayfly, Sawfly, Sedgefly, Snakefly,
Stonefly, Waterfly.
Length: 126.00' Beam: 20.00' Draught: 2.00' Displacement: 98.00 tons Single Funnel
Engines: triple expansion Screws: 1 screw in tunnel Horse Power: 175 Speed: 9.50 knots
Guns: 1 - 4" 1 - 12 pdr. and smaller. Complement: 22
Sent out in parts, these boats were erected at Adaban. Firefly was captured by the Turks
and recaptured in 1918. In 1918 the ships were paid off and transferred to the army.
("Fly" Class Gunboat)
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