This is an updated version of my 2006 edition of Volume 1 of Mr. Colledge’s excellent work. It has been revised to include ships added to the Fleet since that date, and also the fate of those that were extant in 2006 but have subsequently been discarded or sold. In the 2006 volume I included some vessels built as proper warships (i.e. coastal forces, motor torpedo boats, motor gun boats, motor launches etc., and Bar class boom defence vessels) which were previously listed in Volume II (which has not been reprinted). This edition has been enhanced by the addition of major requisitioned ships (armed merchant cruisers, decoy (Q-) ships, ocean/armed boarding vessels, etc.), together with landing craft, BYMS, Admiralty built trawlers, whalers, drifters and motor fishing vessels to make the volume more complete. I have also taken the liberty of adding mercantile aircraft carriers, which served under the Red Ensign, and which, therefore, appeared neither in Volume I nor Volume II. I felt it proper they (and mercantile motor gunboats) should be recorded somewhere. This has increased the number of entries by some 4, 900, bringing the total to about 18, 000.
The opportunity has also been taken to update some of the earlier entries, and in this I am grateful for advice from experts who have mentioned points worth clarifying. I have also inserted the final disposal of many ships transferred to other navies or to mercantile service. Also added are details of major anti-submarine weapons fitted in HM Ships.
I have tried to follow the same system as Mr. Colledge used for ease of reference and for continuity – namely:
Ship name/previous name(s)/type/class or tonnage-dimensions-armament/builder/launch date/fate.
Tonnage, armament, etc. vary throughout a ship’s career and normally just the basic, as built, details are set out in this work. The launch date is given usually, though sometimes the date of a ship’s acquisition or commissioning is listed instead. This summary can but provide a snapshot and guide in order that deeper research can be conducted elsewhere. Again, I have followed the system of listing the details of larger classes towards the end of this introduction to avoid undue repetition in the text. Ships of Royal Naval classes built for Commonwealth Navies, together with major warships built specifically for those navies are included. For ease of reference I have continued to list Canadian ships as ‘RCN’, rather than use the new designation ‘CFS’ for Canadian Forces Ships.
Volume 1 contains details of principal warships, whilst Volume II contains details of trawlers, drifters, tugs and requisitioned ships (but see paragraph 1 above). My own work ‘Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy’ covers static ships and establishments and also nominal depot ships. These three volumes should answer any questions as to ‘What was HMS…?’
I can but hope that this work is helpful to researchers in the naval field. I have been assisted in this revision by Captain Chris Page, the Head of the Naval Historical Branch, and his staff. I have also been guided by many others. However, the main credit for this work must go to Mr. Colledge who provided the basis and inspiration. Many generations will remain indebted to him for his efforts. There are bound to be errors and omission in such a work, and I would be grateful to be made aware of any that are noted.
Ben Warlow, Burnham-on-Crouch, 2010