This is an alphabetical list of the ''names'' of all ships that have been in service with the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

, or with predecessor fleets formally in the service of the

Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On ...

or the

Commonwealth of England The Commonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and execu ...

. The list also includes fictional vessels which have prominently featured in literature about the Royal Navy. Names are traditionally re-used over the years, and have been carried by more than one ship. Altogether over 13,000 ships have been in service with the Royal Navy.Colledge and Warlow (2006) ''Page viii''. Unlike many other naval services, the Royal Navy designates certain types of shore establishment (e.g.

barracks Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...

, naval air stations and training establishments) as "ships" and names them accordingly. These establishments are often referred to in service slang as ''

stone frigate A stone frigate is a naval establishment on land. "Stone frigate" is an informal term that has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, an island off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French in 1803–04. ...

s''.

Lists of ship names

Due to the large number of names the list has been split into smaller lists:

Alphabetical

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (A) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with A. A * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Abondance (1780 ship), ''Abondance'' * * HMS Abraham, ''Abraham'' * HMS Abrams Offering, ''Abrams O ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (B) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with B. B * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * HMS Bahama, ''Bahama'' * * HMS Bala, ''Bala'' * * * * * * HMS Ballarat, ''Ballarat'' * * * HMS Balsam, ''Bals ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (C) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with C. C * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (D–F) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with D, E, and F. D * HMS D1, ''D1'' * HMS D2, ''D2'' * HMS D3, ''D3'' * HMS D4, ''D4'' * HMS D5, ''D5'' * HMS D6, ''D6'' * HMS D7, ''D7'' * HMS D8, ''D8'' * HMS D9, ''D9'' * HMS D10, ''D10'' * ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (G–H) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with G and H. G * HMS G1, ''G1'' * HMS G2, ''G2'' * HMS G3, ''G3'' * HMS G4, ''G4'' * HMS G5, ''G5'' * HMS G6, ''G6'' * HMS G7, ''G7'' * HMS G8, ''G8'' * HMS G9, ''G9'' * HMS G10, ''G10'' * HM ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (I–L) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with I, J, K, and L. I * ''Ibis'' * ''Icarus'' * * ''Ickford'' * ''Ignition'' * ''Ildefonso'' * ''Ilex'' * ''Ilfracombe'' * ''Illustrious'' * ''Ilmington'' * ''Ilston'' * ''Imaum'' ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (M–N) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with M and N. M * * * * ''M13'' * ''M14'' * ''M15'' * ''M16'' * ''M17'' * ''M18'' * ''M19'' * ''M20'' * ''M21'' * ''M22'' * ''M23'' * ''M24'' * ''M25'' * ''M26'' * ''M27'' * ...

* List of ship names of the Royal Navy (O–Q) *

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (R–T) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with R, S, and T. R * * * * * * * * * * * HMS Raby Castle, ''Raby Castle'' * * * HMS Rachel, ''Rachel'' * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * HMS R ...

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (U–Z) This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. U * HMS U1407, ''U1407'' * HMS Ufton, ''Ufton'' * * HMS Ulex, ''Ulex'' * * * * * * * * * * * * * HMS Unbridled, ''Unbridled'' * * * * * HMS Unicorn ...

By type of ship

List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy The following is a list of fleet aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. There are two carriers, HMS ''Queen Elizabeth'' and HMS ''Prince of Wales'', currently in service. Key Fleet carriers HMS ''Argus'' HMS ''Hermes ...

List of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Navy This is a list of amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Active ships * Landing platform dock (LPD) ** ''Albion'' ** ''Bulwark'' - extended readiness Decommissioned ''Ocean'' class Landing platform helicopter s ...

List of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy The British Royal Navy built a series of pre-dreadnought battleships as part of a naval expansion programme that began with the Naval Defence Act 1889. These ships were characterised by a main battery of four heavy guns—typically guns—in ...

List of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy This is a list of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. In 1907, before the revolution in design brought about by of 1906, the United Kingdom had 62 battleships in commission or building, a lead of 26 over France ...

List of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy The battlecruiser was the brainchild of Admiral Sir John ("Jacky") Fisher, the man who had sponsored the construction of the world's first "all big gun" warship, . He visualised a new breed of warship with the armament of a battleship, but fas ...

List of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy Bomb vessels served in the Royal Navy over a period of about 150 years. The concept entered the Navy in the 1680s, based on French designs and usage, and remained in service until the mid-19th century. Bomb vessels were designed to bombard ene ...

List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy This is a list of cruisers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom from 1877 (when the category was created by amalgamating the two previous categories of frigate and corvette) until the last cruiser was decommissioned more than a century later ...

List of destroyers of the Royal Navy {{Royal Navy ship types This is a list of destroyer classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, organised chronologically by entry into service. Torpedo boat destroyers In 1913, the surviving members of the large heterogeneous array o ...

List of fast patrol boats of the Royal Navy This is a list of patrol boats of the Royal Navy. Active * patrol and training craft ** ''Archer'' ** '' Biter'' ** '' Smiter'' ** ''Pursuer'' ** ''Blazer'' ** '' Dasher'' ** '' Puncher'' ** '' Charger'' ** '' Ranger'' ** '' Trumpeter'' ** '' ...

List of frigates of the Royal Navy A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...

List of corvettes and sloops of the Royal Navy This is a list of sixth rate, corvette and sloop classes of the Royal Navy. In the Age of Sail ships were divided into six ranks in 1626 to govern pay rates for officers in 1626. Until the 1840s when steam power was being introduced this sys ...

List of gunboats and gunvessels of the Royal Navy This is a list of gunboat and gunvessel classes of the Royal Navy. For gun-brigs see List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy. Steam gunboats Wooden paddle gunboats (Indian service) * Wooden paddle gunboats (Great Lakes) Iron paddle gunboat ...

List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy A gun-brig was a small brig-rigged warship that enjoyed popularity in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, during which large numbers were purchased or built. In general these were vessels of under 200 tons burthen, and thus smaller than ...

List of ironclads of the Royal Navy This is a list of ironclads of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armour plates. The term ''battleship'' was not ...

List of monitors of the Royal Navy This is a list of monitors of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Key ''Humber''-class The ''Humber''-class monitors were three river monitors under construction for the Brazilian Navy in Britain in 1913, all three were taken over by the ...

List of mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy Active ships * s ** HMS ''Ledbury'' (M30) ** HMS ''Cattistock'' (M31) ** HMS ''Brocklesby'' (M33) ** HMS ''Middleton'' (M34) ** HMS ''Chiddingfold'' (M37) ** HMS ''Hurworth'' (M39) * s ** HMS ''Penzance'' (M106) ** HMS ''Pembroke'' (M ...

(includes minesweepers and mine hunters) * List of Royal Prison ship names *

List of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship names The following is a list of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship names by name in alphabetical order, both past and present. Many of the names have been re-used over the years and thus represent more than one ship. __NOTOC__ A * RFA ''Abadol'' * RFA ' ...

List of ships of the line of the Royal Navy This is a list of ships of the line of the Royal Navy of England, and later (from 1707) of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The list starts from 1660, the year in which the Royal Navy came into being after the restoration of the monarch ...

* List of submarines of the Royal Navy *

List of survey vessels of the Royal Navy Active ships Antarctic patrol vessel * (2011–) which carries the survey motor boat (SMB) ''James Caird IV''. Ocean survey vessels * (1997–) Coastal survey vessels * Echo-class survey ship (2002), ''Echo''-class multi–purpose survey v ...

List of Royal Navy shore establishments This is a list of shore establishments (or ''stone frigates'') of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve. Current Royal Navy shore establishments Naval bases * (HMNB Devonport, Devonport, Devon) * (HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth) * (HMNB Cly ...

By namesake

* List of people with Royal Navy ships named after them

Fictional RN ship names

Many novels and films about the Royal Navy feature fictional ships, but most use real names. This is a list of fictional names of note. Where real ship names are used fictionally, there is a link to the actual ships using that name.

Fictional wooden RN ships

In novels

* ''Argonaute'' (from ''Colours Aloft'' by Alexander Kent) * ''Atropos'' (from ''Hornblower and the Atropos'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Bellipotent'' (from '' Billy Budd, Sailor'' by

Herman Melville Herman Melville ( born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are '' Moby-Dick'' (1851); '' Typee'' (1846), a ...

) * ''Caligula'' (from ''A Ship of the Line'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Clam'' (from ''Hornblower in the West Indies'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Clorinda'' (from ''Hornblower in the West Indies'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Crab'' (from ''Hornblower in the West Indies'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Harvey'' and ''

Moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

'' ( bomb ketches) (from ''

The Commodore ''The Commodore'' (published 1945) is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester. It was published in the United States under the title ''Commodore Hornblower''. Plot summary Having achieved fame and financial security, Captain Sir H ...

'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Flame'' (from '' Lord Hornblower'' by C. S. Forester) * (from a 1970s

urban myth An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...

) * (from ''

Mr Midshipman Easy ''Mr. Midshipman Easy'' is an 1836 novel by Frederick Marryat, a retired captain in the Royal Navy. The novel is set during the Napoleonic Wars, in which Marryat himself served with distinction. Plot summary Easy is the son of foolish parent ...

'' by Captain Frederick Marryat) * (from ''Hornblower and the Hotspur'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Justinian'' (from ''Mr. Midshipman Hornblower'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''

'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Lydia'' (from ''The Happy Return'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''Hornblower and the Atropos'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''

'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''Hornblower in the West Indies'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Pinafore'' (from the operetta ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...

'' by

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

) * '' Polychrest'' (from ''

Post Captain Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy. The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from: * Officers in command of a naval vessel, who were (and still are) addressed as captain ...

'' by

Patrick O'Brian Patrick O'Brian, CBE (12 December 1914 – 2 January 2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of sea novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and cent ...

) * ''Porta Coeli'' (from '' Lord Hornblower'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Pucelle'' (from ''

Sharpe's Trafalgar ''Sharpe's Trafalgar'' is the fourth historical novel in the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2000. It is the first of the novels in the wars against Napoleon, putting the army ensign at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1 ...

'' by

Bernard Cornwell Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English-American author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written ''The Saxon ...

) * (from ''A Ship of the Line'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''Lieutenant Hornblower'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''Hornblower in the West Indies'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''

Master and Commander ''Master and Commander'' is a 1969 nautical historical novel by the English author Patrick O'Brian, first published in 1969 in the US and 1970 in the UK. The book proved to be the start of the 20-novel Aubrey–Maturin series, set largely in th ...

'' by

; based on the actual ) * (from '' HMS Surprise'' by

; based on the actual frigate ) * (from ''A Ship of the Line'' and '' Flying Colours'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Themis'' (from ''Under Enemy Colors'' by S. Thomas Russell) * (from the scatalogical drinking song "

Good Ship Venus "Good Ship Venus", also known as "Friggin' in the Riggin", is a bawdy drinking song devised to shock with ever increasingly lewd and debauched sexual descriptions of the eponymous ship's loose-moraled crew. The tune usually used (especially for t ...

"; although this usage is apocryphal, the ship name has been used five times by the RN between 1758 and 1972) * ''Witch of Endor'' (from '' Flying Colours'' by C. S. Forester)

In film, television and radio

* (from 1962

Peter Ustinov Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...

Terence Stamp Terence Henry Stamp (born 22 July 1938) is an English actor. Stamp is known for his sophisticated villain roles. He was named by ''Empire Magazine'' as one of the 100 Sexiest Film Stars of All Time in 1995. He has received various accolades inc ...

film ''Billy Budd'') * and ''Interceptor'' (from the 2003 film '' Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl''; a fictional HMS ''Dauntless'' is the "flagship of the Royal Navy"; HMS ''Interceptor'' – described as the "fastest vessel in the Navy" – is played by the replica ship ''

Lady Washington ''Lady Washington'' is a ship name shared by at least four different 80-100 ton-class Sloop-of-war and merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. The original sailed during the American Revolutionary War and harassed British ship ...

''). In later films ''Dauntless'' is replaced by ''Endeavour'', the vessel that became a new flagship of the

. * ''Defiant'' (from 1962

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as '' Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Org ...

film '' HMS Defiant'') * and (from 1999

Ioan Gruffudd Ioan Gruffudd (; (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. He first came to public attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in ''Titanic'' (1997), and then for his portrayal of Horatio Hornblower in the ''Hornblower (TV series), Hornblower'' seri ...

TV series ''Hornblower''; HMS ''Indefatigable'' portrayed by replica frigate ''Grand Turk''; ''Hotspur'' portrayed by ''

Earl of Pembroke Earl of Pembroke is a title in the Peerage of England that was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title, which is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, has been recreated ten times from its origin ...

'') * ''Providence'' (from the 2011 film '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides''; portrayed by replica ship HMS ''Surprise'') * (from 2003

Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...

film ''

''; portrayed by replica ship HMS ''Surprise'' ) * ''Travail'' (from the

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

and 2015–2019 series ''Poldark'') * (from 1962

Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was an English actor of Welsh heritage. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 '' ...

Bernard Cribbins Bernard Joseph Cribbins (29 December 1928 – 27 July 2022) was an English actor and singer whose career spanned over seven decades. During the 1960s, Cribbins became known in the UK for his successful novelty records " The Hole in the Groun ...

comedy film '' Carry On Jack'')

Fictional metal RN ships

Pre-World War II

* The original 1920s edition of the H. P. Gibson naval board game ''Dover Patrol'' used a number of real RN ship names, but generally attached them to different ship classes. Thus the "

Flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...

s" were H.M.S. and , and the " Super Dreadnoughts" were H.M.S. , , ''Canada'' and ''

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

'', but few of these resembled the actual ships with the same names in the drawings used on the playing pieces. The "Dreadnoughts" were given all new 'County' names: H.M.S. ''Surrey'', ''Middlesex'', ''Lancashire'' and ''Yorkshire'', and the "Battle Cruisers" had 'Town' names: H.M.S. , , , , and . "Light Cruisers" had animal names: , , , , , , and ; "Destroyers" had 'Bird' names: , , , , , ''

Seagull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, ...

'', and ; and "

Auxiliary Cruisers An armed merchantman is a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in lo ...

" were given insect names: , , ''

Firefly The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...

'', , , , ''

Mosquito Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...

'' and . In the revised edition of the game published after World War II, the "Flagships" and "Vice Flagships" were unnamed, but all the other names shown above were retained, including the four wholly fictional county names given to the "Battleships" (reclassified from "Dreadnoughts"). * (" third-class cruiser"); also " H M Battlecruiser " and "her attendant

light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to th ...

" (from the 1931 novel ''

Brown on Resolution ''Brown on Resolution'' is a 1929 nautical novel written by C. S. Forester, set during World War I. The hero of the novel, Leading Seaman Albert Brown, is the sole able-bodied survivor of a sunken Royal Navy warship, who single-handedly de ...

'' by C. S. Forester) * ''Clampherdown'' (from '' The Ballad of the "Clampherdown"'' by

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)'' The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

(1892); satirising the s and ) * ''Rutland'' and (" second-class cruiser" and "

armoured cruiser The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was designed like other types of cruisers to operate as a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship and fast en ...

" respectively, in the 1935

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

film ''Brown on Resolution''; portrayed by ,

Destroyer Leader Destroyer leader (DL) was the United States Navy designation for large destroyers from 9 February 1951 through the early years of the Cold War. United States ships with hull classification symbol DL were officially frigates from 1 January 1955Blac ...

, and ) * (an "ironclad torpedo ram" from the 1898 novel ''

The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...

'' by H. G. Wells)

In World War II novels

* ( from '' The Cruiser'' by

Warren Tute Warren Tute (1914-1989) was an English sailor, author and television executive. He was born in 1914 in West Hartlepool, County Durham in the north of England and joined the Royal Navy in 1932, at one time serving on . During the Second World War ...

) * ''Apache'' ( in the short story ''Gold From Crete'' by C. S. Forester) * (from ''The Ship'' by C. S. Forester; inspired by ) * ''Colony'', ''River'', and (

River A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

and s in ''H M Frigate'' (1946) and the novel ''The Cruel Sea'' (1951) by

Nicholas Monsarrat Lieutenant Commander Nicholas John Turney Monsarrat FRSL RNVR (22 March 19108 August 1979) was a British novelist known for his sea stories, particularly '' The Cruel Sea'' (1951) and ''Three Corvettes'' (1942–45), but perhaps known best i ...

. In the 1953 film version HMS ''Saltash'' was depicted by : , and hence named ''Saltash Castle'') * ''Compass Rose'' and ''Flower'' (s in the short story ''H M Corvette'' (1942) and the novel '' The Cruel Sea'' (1951) by

) * ''Conqueror'' (battleship frequently referred to in the novel ''The Destroyers'' by

Douglas Reeman Douglas Edward Reeman (15 October 1924 – 23 January 2017), who also used the pseudonym Alexander Kent, was a British author who wrote many historical novels about the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars. He ...

; clearly based on ) * , , ''Invader'', and ''Blue Ranger'' (

escort carrier The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier (U.S. hull classification symbol CVE), also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft ...

s of the 14th Aircraft Carrier Squadron in Alistair MacLean's novel ''HMS Ulysses'') * ''Dipper'' and ''Winger'' ( Kingfisher-class corvettes in the stories ''East Coast Corvette'' (1943) and ''Corvette Command'' (1944), by

; republished with ''H M Corvette'' as ''Three Corvettes'' in 1945) * (G-class destroyer in the novel ''Killing Ground'' by

) * ''Jubilee'' (minesweeper in

's unfinished final novel ''The Master Mariner'') * ''Lomond'' (leader of a flotilla of fictional V and W-class destroyers in the novel ''The Destroyers'' by

) * (from the short story "HMS Marlborough Will Enter Harbour" by Nicholas Monsarrat; based on a 1927 sloop) * ''Nairn'' (

River-class frigate The River class was a class of 151 frigates launched between 1941 and 1944 for use as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the North Atlantic. The majority served with the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), with some serving in the other Al ...

Alistair MacLean Alistair Stuart MacLean ( gd, Alasdair MacGill-Eain; 21 April 1922 – 2 February 1987) was a 20th-century Scottish novelist who wrote popular thrillers and adventure stories. Many of his novels have been adapted to film, most notably '' The ...

's 1955 novel ''HMS Ulysses'') * ( S-class destroyer in Alistair MacLean's novels '' The Guns of Navarone'' and '' Force 10 From Navarone'') * (from ''HMS Ulysses'' by

, based on a fictional ) * ''Vagabond'' ( in the 1989 novel ''The Fighting Spirit'' by Charles Gidley (Wheeler)) * ''Vectra'' and (escorts of the 14th Aircraft Carrier Squadron in Alistair MacLean's novel ''HMS Ulysses'') * ''Viperous'' ( from the novel ''The Cruel Sea'' (1953) by Nicholas Monsarrat) * ''Ventnor'', ''Victor'', ''Warden'', ''Warlock'', ''Waxwing'', ''Whiplash'' and ''Whirlpool'' (members of a flotilla of fictional s in the novel ''The Destroyers'' by

) * ''Wildebeeste'' (almost certainly a destroyer, operating alongside the main character's unnamed destroyer in the novel ''Pincher Martin'' by

William Golding Sir William Gerald Golding (19 September 1911 – 19 June 1993) was a British novelist, playwright, and poet. Best known for his debut novel '' Lord of the Flies'' (1954), he published another twelve volumes of fiction in his lifetime. In 198 ...

)

In World War II films

* ''Amesbury'', , and ''Stratford'', (from the 1953

Michael Rennie Michael Rennie (born Eric Alexander Rennie; 25 August 1909 – 10 June 1971) was a British film, television and stage actor, who had leading roles in a number of Hollywood films, including his portrayal of the space visitor Klaatu in the s ...

film ''Single-Handed'' or ''Sailor of the King'', based on the novel ''

'' by C. S. Forester; portrayed by : , , and ) * ''Ballantrae'' (in the 1951

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage, film, and television actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved star status with his role in the film ''Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by ''T ...

film ''Gift Horse''; based on , portrayed by ) * ''Compass Rose'' and ''Saltash Castle'' (in the 1953 film ''The Cruel Sea''; portrayed by

corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...

s HMS ''Coreopsis'' and . In Nicholas Monsarrat's original book, HMS ''Saltash'' was a larger ) * (in the 1955

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

film ''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on ...

''; portrayed by River-class frigate ) * ''

Sea Tiger The Sea Tigers (Tamil: கடற்புலிகள் ''Kaţaṛpulikaḷ'') was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effecti ...

'' (submarine, in the 1943 film ''

We Dive at Dawn ''We Dive at Dawn'' is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Fra ...

''; portrayed by Turkish S-class submarines P614 and P615) * (the only fictional ship in the 1960

Kenneth More Kenneth Gilbert More, CBE (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English film and stage actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy '' Genevieve'' (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. Films from this per ...

film ''

Sink the Bismarck! ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book '' The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H ...

''; portrayed by ) * HMS ''Torrin'' (in the 1942

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

film ''

In Which We Serve ''In Which We Serve'' is a 1942 British patriotic war film directed by Noël Coward and David Lean. It was made during the Second World War with the assistance of the Ministry of Information (United Kingdom), Ministry of Information. The scree ...

''; portrayed by N-class destroyer )

Post-war novels

* ''Aries'' ( from ''The Zhukov Briefing'' by Antony Trew) * (

Type 23 frigate The Type 23 frigate or Duke class is a ship class, class of frigates built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The ships are named after List of dukes in the peerages of the British Isles, British Dukes, thus leading to the class being commonl ...

in Mike Lunnon-Wood's novel ''King's Shilling'') * ''Belligerent'' (assault ship from ''The Zhukov Briefing'' by Antony Trew) * ''Bluewhale'' ( ''Porpoise''-class submarine from ''The Zhukov Briefing'' by Antony Trew) * ''Carousel'' (from ''We Saw the Sea'' by

John Winton John Pratt, pen name John Winton (3 May 1931 in London – 27 April 2001) was an English author and obituarist, following a career in the Royal Navy in which he rose to Lieutenant-Commander. He was born in London and served in the Korean War and ...

; based on s in the Dartmouth Training Squadron) * (aircraft carrier from the novel ''HMS Leviathan'' by

; the real ''Majestic''-class carrier with this name was never completed) * (an "obsolete frigate" in the 1988 novel ''Medusa'' by

Hammond Innes Ralph Hammond Innes (15 July 1913 – 10 June 1998) was a British novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as works for children and travel books. Biography Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at Feltonfleet School, Cobham, Surrey ...

) * ( from ''One of our Warships'' by John Winton) * (submarine from ''Down the Hatch'' and ''All the Nice Girls'' by John Winton) * (fictional from ''The Fighting Temeraire'' by John Winton)

Post-war film and media

* ''Aristotle'' (from the 1958

Frankie Howerd Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian. Early life Howerd was born the son of soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...

comedy film ''

Further Up the Creek ''Further Up the Creek'' is a 1958 British comedy film written and directed by Val Guest and starring David Tomlinson, Frankie Howerd, Shirley Eaton, Thora Hird, Desmond Llewelyn and Lionel Jeffries. It served as a follow up to '' Up the C ...

''; portrayed by a

Type 14 frigate Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

) * , , (Type 23 frigates in 1997 James Bond film ''

Tomorrow Never Dies ''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay ...

'') * (from 1957

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

comedy film '' Up the Creek'', portrayed by ) * ''Dorchester'' (in the 1960

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

film ''

The Bulldog Breed ''The Bulldog Breed'' is a 1960 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom and directed by Robert Asher. Plot Norman Puckle (Norman Wisdom), a well-meaning but clumsy grocer's assistant, cannot seem to do anything right. After being rejected b ...

'', portrayed by a Type 14 ) * ''Gillingham'' (from the 1956

film ''

The Baby and the Battleship ''The Baby and the Battleship'' is a colour 1956 British comedy film directed by Jay Lewis and starring John Mills, Richard Attenborough and André Morell. It is based on the 1956 novel by Anthony Thorne with a screenplay by Richard De Roy, ...

'', portrayed by ) * (from the 1970s BBC drama series ''Warship''; portrayed by the ''Leander''-class frigate , among others) * ''Makepeace'' (generic destroyer from the 1960s radio comedy ''The Navy Lark'') * (Type 23 frigate in the ''Action Stations'' exhibit at

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is an area of HM Naval Base Portsmouth which is open to the public; it contains several historic buildings and ships. It is managed by the National Museum of the Royal Navy as an umbrella organization representing ...

) * ( in the 1977 James Bond film '' The Spy Who Loved Me'') * ''Sherwood'' (in the 1957

A. E. Matthews Alfred Edward Matthews (22 November 186925 July 1960), known as A. E. Matthews, was an English actor who played numerous character roles on the stage and in film for eight decades. Already middle-aged when films began production, he enjoyed inc ...

comedy film '' Carry on Admiral''; portrayed by a ) * (from the 2004 ITV drama series ''Making Waves''; portrayed by the Type 23 frigate and others) * ''Troutbridge'' (from the 1959–1977 radio comedy ''

The Navy Lark ''The Navy Lark'' is a radio sitcom about life aboard a United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Frigate#Modern Age, frigate named HMS ''Troutbridge'' (a play on HMS Troubridge (R00), HMS ''Troubridge'', a Royal Navy destroyer) based in HMNB Portsm ...

''; inspired by the

Type 15 frigate The Type 15 frigate was a class of British anti-submarine frigates of the Royal Navy. They were conversions based on the hulls of World War II-era destroyers built to the standard War Emergency Programme "utility" design. History By 1945 the ...

: ). * ''Trumpton'' (in the 1959 film version of ''The Navy Lark''; the action is transferred to an inshore minesweeper, portrayed by ) * ''Vigil'' ( from the BBC drama

Vigil A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' ( Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become gener ...

) * ''Virtue'' ( mentioned in the BBC drama ''Vigil'')

Notes

References

* {{His Majesty's Naval Service Names Royal Navy names Royal Navy ships

Lists of ship names

Alphabetical

By type of ship

By namesake

Fictional RN ship names

Fictional wooden RN ships

In novels

In film, television and radio

Fictional metal RN ships

Pre-World War II

In World War II novels

In World War II films

Post-war novels

Post-war film and media

See also

Notes

References