Someone sent me a text message last night requesting information about these boats, now I have been asking around for a long time myself and there really isn’t much out there so here’s what i have and it comes from Jane’s pocket guide Warships of World War II.
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Among the more unlikely units of the British Mediterranean Fleet were some minuscule craftof the previous war. Already 25 years old in 1940, the Insect class gunboats were known as “Large China Gunboats” (as opposed to the Fly-class “Small China Gunboats”) to disguise their original function, unrealised, of the use on the River Danube.
Gnat, Mantis, Moth and Trantula actually served on the Tigris and Euphrates during ther Mesopotamia campaign. for which they proved too large. Their draught was only 1.2 meters, but the great ruivers can vary enormously and unpredictability in depth. Two reciprocating engines and two propellors (running in tunnels to minimise water draught) gave a measure of redundency absent in the Fly class boats. Their useful 14-knot speed was also the result of having to operate in the face of fast-flowing rivers.
During the opening period of the war in the Meditrranean, three Cricket, Gnat and Ladybird were transferedfrom the Far East, where the class had it’s main pre-war employment. They joined the Inshore Squadron where, incongurously supporting the 15-in gunned monitor Terror, their 6-in guns found excellent practice in covering the seaward flank of the Eight Army. Fetching and carrying was also an endless chore, their light draught enabling them load and discharge stores virtually onto the beach.
Cricket was heavily damaged by bombing and Gnat lost her bows to a torpedo from U-79 on Trafalgar Day, 1941.
Specifications
Displacement: 625 tons (standard)
Armament: 2x 6in, 1x 3in gun
Power: 2000 ihp
Speed: 14 knots
Dimentions: 72.4 (oa) x 11 x 1.2m
Protection: Improvised
Compliment 55
Class: Aphis, Bee, Cicada, Cockchafer, Cricket, Gnat, Ladybird, Mantis, Moth, Scarab and Trantula.
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Did a further bit of digging tonight and found a great site about the Insect Class Gunboats, have a look, some really interesting pics there as well
By: Ja Worsley - 15th September 2005 at 15:03
for all those wondering, I found out who it was that sent me the text message! It was a chap in Scotland who is doing a model of HMS Gnat 😉
By: Ja Worsley - 15th September 2005 at 06:35
on the website there is a movie of one of the boats actually showing some battle damage and also showing it on the move, wow they rode low in the water
By: Tiornu - 14th September 2005 at 18:53
I doubt I’d have much to add to what the web site has to say. The gunboats were advertised as being intended for China service when in fact they were meant for the Tigris and the Danube. Brown’s The Grand Fleet gives a short passage on their design.
By: Ja Worsley - 14th September 2005 at 14:28
Thanks Moggy. I was amazed at getting the text message on my phone, I still don’t know who sent it to me…“Come ye forth noble sir to claim thy prize”!
I did a bit of checking around as well on the Fly Class mentioned above, they were smaller and none the less more interesting.
By: Moggy C - 14th September 2005 at 13:19
Did a further bit of digging tonight and found a great site about the Insect Class Gunboats, have a look, some really interesting pics there as well
Yes, that’s a great site. I enjoyed the contemporary pictures enormously. Brings the phrase ‘gunboat diplomacy’ to life.
Thanks.
Moggy
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September 14, 2005 at 1:08 pm