Famous Ships and Boats in History

Sort by

British/English Warships, not in World Wars

(Another )

Ark Royal, HMS — English galleon
English flagship that fought against the Spanish Armada. During the reign of James VI and I, she was renamed Anne Royal. Several British aircraft carriers have been named Ark Royal. LAUNCHED: 1587 → FATE: Accidentally sunk in April of 1636; raised and broken up in 1638.

Association, HMS — British second-rate ship of the line
After serving with distinction at the capture of Gibraltar, she ended up lost in a storm and wrecked with 3 other ships with the loss of nearly 2,000 lives. The rediscovery of the Association and so many historical artefacts led to legislation such as the Protection of Wrecks Act to preserve British historic wreck sites. LAUNCHED: 1697 → FATE: Wrecked of the Isles of Scilly October 22, 1707.

Colossus, HMS — British third-rate ship of the line
After many battles and much glory, she lost her way and ran aground and sunk with one fatality. In 1974, fragments from the Colossus were discovered and reconstructed and are now displayed at the British Museum in London. LAUNCHED: 1787, April → FATE: Wrecked of the Isles of Scilly December 10, 1798.

Darling, HMS — British torpedo boat destroyer
First destroyer-type ship. Created to defend against torpedo boats. She was described at the time as the "fastest boat ever" having achieved a speed over 28 knots. LAUNCHED: 1893, November 18 → FATE: Scrapped in 1912.

Devastastion, HMS — British Devastation-class ironclad
The first ocean-going capital ship not carry sails, and the first with the entire main armament mounted on top of the hull rather than inside it. Originally conceived as a ocean-going breastwork monitor, she was redesignated as 2nd Class Turret ships in 1886 and finally as 2nd Class Battleships by the 1900. LAUNCHED: 1874 → FATE: Was scrapped in 1908.

Hero, HMAS — British Leander-class frigate
Setting for the popular British television series Warship, from 1973-1977. Seven different frigates played the role of HMS Hero, all were repainted with the pennant number F42 of HMS Phoebe, the main warship used for filming. LAUNCHED: 1973 → FATE: Inconclusive.

Hotspur, HMS — British sloop-of-war
Ship of Horatio Hornblower in the book series and British TV series Hornblower and the Hotspur by C. S. Forester. In the TV series, she is captured by the French. After Hornblower and the crew later discover the ship, they succeed in retaking it. LAUNCHED: 1962, for the book; 1988 2003 for the TV series → FATE: Unknown.

Page 2

Lightning, HMS — British torpedo boat
The first ship to launch self-propelled torpedos. She was used exclusively with HMS Vernon, a torpedo school ship at the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch at Portsmouth, England. LAUNCHED: 1876 → FATE: Scrapped in 1896.

Mary Rose — English carrack-type warship
One of the earliest ships built for war sporting the innovation of gun ports. The wreck of the Mary Rose was rediscovered in 1971 and salvaged in 1982. LAUNCHED: 1512 → FATE: Sank in the straits north of the Isle of Wight, 1545.

Medusa, HMS — British Harbour defence motor launch
She served at D-Day as a Navigation Leader, marking German minefields to be cleared by minesweepers, and then staying at the entrance of the cleared channel to direct parts of the invasion force. For more, see Museum Ships. LAUNCHED: 1943 → FATE: On exhibit at Gosport in England.

Nemesis — British steam and sail powered warship
The first British ocean-going iron warship; also the first iron ship to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. She was greatly effective in the First Opium War. The Chinese referred to her as the "devil ship". LAUNCHED: 1839 → FATE: Ended up in Calcutta, 1855.

(Another )

Queen Anne's Revenge — English sloop
Flagship of pirate Blackbeard (Edward Thatch). As Conccord was captured by the French in 1711, and then as La Concord she was taken by pirates in 1717. LAUNCHED: 1710 → FATE: Run aground near Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina in May, 1718.

Queen Elizabeth, HMS — British aircraft carrier
Largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft. With no catapults and catch wires she carries only V/STOL aircraft, F-35B Lightning II fighters and Merlin helicopters. LAUNCHED: 2014, July 18 → FATE: In service 2017.

Rattler, HMS — British sloop made of wood with metal frame
First warship to adopt a screw propellor. In March 1845, she beat HMS Alecto in a series of races, followed by a contest in which she towed Alecto backwards at a speed of 2 knots (3.7 km/h). LAUNCHED: 1843 → FATE: Broken up 1856.

Royal Charles, HMS — British first-rate three-decker ship of the line
During the English Restoration, she brought Charles II and his entourage from the Dutch Republic to England to reclaim his crown. At 1,229 tons, she was larger than Sovereign of the Seas, the first three-deck ship of the line. LAUNCHED: 1655, April 18 → FATE: Sold for scrap in 1673 by Dutch navy.

Page 3

Royal George, HMS — English first-rate ship of the line
One of the most serious maritime losses to occur in British water, sinking while undergoing routine maintenance taking more than 800 lives. She was the largest warship in the world at the time of launching. LAUNCHED: 1756, February 18 → FATE: Sank while anchored off Portsmouth August 29, 1782.

Sovereign of the Seas, HMS, famous ships

Sovereign of the Seas, HMS — English full-rigged warship
The most extravagantly decorated warship in the early Royal Navy. She was armed with 102 bronze guns at the insistence of the king, Charles I of England. LAUNCHED: 1637, October 18 → FATE: Burnt to the water line January 27, 1697.

Sussex, HMS — English ship of the line, third-rate
One of the most valuable wrecks ever with possibly 10 tons of gold coins and other valuables on board. Besides Sussex, 12 other ships of her flotilla sank with about 1,200 casualties making the disaster one of the worst in Royal Navy history. LAUNCHED: 1693, April 18 → FATE: Sank in a violent storm near the Strait of Gibraltar February 27, 1694.

Trent, RMS — British paddle steamer serving as a packet boat
Principle ship in the Trent affair in 1861 during the American Civil War. Her interception by USS San Jacinto and unlawfully capture of two Confederate diplomats almost led to war between the Britian and the United States. LAUNCHED: 1841 → FATE: Sold and broken up after 1865.

Vanguard, HMS — English ship of the line, 74-gun third-rate
The flag ship of Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile, 1798. Prince Alberto of Naples and Sicily, part of a royal entourage on board fleeing from Naples and the French, died on board. LAUNCHED: 1787, March 18 → FATE: Broken up in 1821.

Victory, HMS — English first-rate ship of the line (Galleon)
Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. She was refitted and repainted in 1800-1803, almost broken up in 1831, fitted up as a Naval School 1889, retired in 1904, and eventually restored. LAUNCHED: 1765, May 18 → FATE: Being restored at the HMNB, Portsmouth, England.

Warrior, HMS — British warship
First British iron-hulled, armour-plated warship. She was the largest, fastest, most heavily armed and armored warship up to that time. LAUNCHED: 1860, December 18 → FATE: Currently berthed in Portsmouth, England as a museum.

The number of British/English Warships, not in World Wars listed is 22

The contents of this page are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license and the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL).

For a full list of all ships, select HERE

First Ship on each page
Page	Ship Name (Country and Type)
1.	Association, HMS (British second-rate ship of the line)
2.	Lightning, HMS (British torpedo boat)
3.	Royal George, HMS (English first-rate ship of the line)

British/English Warships, not in World Wars
1.	Association, HMS British second-rate ship of the line
2.	Colossus, HMS British third-rate ship of the line
3.	Darling, HMS British torpedo boat destroyer
4.	Devastastion, HMS British Devastation-class ironclad
5.	Hero, HMAS British Leander-class frigate
6.	Hotspur, HMS British sloop-of-war
7.	Lightning, HMS British torpedo boat
8.	Mary Rose English carrack-type
9.	Medusa, HMS British Harbour defence motor launch
10.	Nemesis British steam and sail powered warship
11.	Queen Anne's Revenge English sloop
12.	Queen Elizabeth, HMS British aircraft carrier
13.	Rattler, HMS British sloop made of wood with metal frame
14.	Royal Charles, HMS British first-rate three-decker ship of the line
15.	Royal George, HMS English first-rate ship of the line
16.	Sovereign of the Seas, HMS English full-rigged
17.	Sussex, HMS English ship of the line
18.	Trent, RMS British paddle steamer
19.	Vanguard, HMS English ship of the line
20.	Victory, HMS English first-rate
21.	Warrior, HMS British warship

Famous Ships and Boats

In history, movies, books, on exhibit

War ships, ship tragedies, steam ships, yachts, and more

with Images and Information

British/English Warships, not in World Wars