World War II
In 1921 The Erebus took part in gunnery trials against the surrendered German battleship Baden. She then served as a gunnery training ship between the two world wars. The Erebus had a refit, completed in August 1939, and was earmarked as guardship at Cape Town, but due to the outbreak of war this never materialised.
In the early war years, Erebus served with the Eastern Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet, where she was used to run supplies to besieged Tobruk and bombard enemy concentrations. In 1943 she was damaged while bombarding Sicily during the Allied invasion of Sicily.
Erebus was used for coastal bombardment during the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, firing at the batteries at Barfleur and La Pernelle. She suffered one 15-inch gun destroyed due to a premature explosion of the HE round in the bore.
On the 10 August 1944, she was used against the defenders of the harbour at Le Havre. She was damaged by the battery at Clos des Ronces and was out of action for some time. In November 1944, she supported Operation Infatuate, the amphibious assault on Walcheren, Netherlands.
She was scrapped in July 1946. It is believed that one of Erebus' 15-inch (381 mm) guns was used to equip HMS Vanguard, the Royal Navy's last battleship.
Read more about this topic: HMS Erebus (I02)
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