Ship Shape

Ship Shape. . , You are standing by HMS M.33’s port side. Her distinctive ‘dazzle’ paint scheme was introduced in 1918, to break up her outline, making it harder for submarines to target her. To your left is the bow (front of the ship) and the ‘forecastle break’ where the deck height increases. Fifty-two men lived in the tiny Mess deck beyond the small hatch. Above is her 6-inch (152mm) gun. , , In front of you is the ship’s thin steel side, with her Engine Room beyond. M.33 had no armour, as she was not built to fight enemy warships. Above, the door opens into a small mess used by four stewards and cooks, with the Galley beyond. Above are the Wheelhouse, Compass Platform, funnel and Engine Room ventilators. , , Dazzle Camouflage was influenced by the paintings of abstract artists like Picasso. , , The door furthest ‘aft’ (towards the stern) leads into M.33’s Wardroom, where five officers lived and socialised. Each had his own small cabin. The pair of ‘davits’ (a device for suspending or lowering a boat) would have held a small dinghy. , , ( photo captions ) , Above: The only access into the cramped Mess Deck was through two narrow hatches , quite a squeeze for a fully grown man. , Right: Officers could relax together in the tiny Wardroom , the only place on board with an electric fire. , Above: All food for the officers and men was cooked in the Galley. The ship carried 1 ½ tonnes of coal for the cooking range.