HMS Rodney

Seven ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Rodney, at least the last five after Admiral George Brydges Rodney.

• The first Rodney was a 4-gun cutter in use in 1759.

• The second Rodney was a 16-gun vessel, possibly a brig-sloop, in service in 1781 and captured by the French 23 January 1782 at Demerara.

• The third Rodney was a 74-gun 3rd rate launched in 1809, razeed and renamed Greenwich in 1827, and sold 1836.

• The fourth Rodney was a 92-gun 2nd rate launched in 1830, converted to screw propulsion in 1860, and broken up 1884.

• The fifth Rodney was a battleship launched in 1884 and sold 1909

• The sixth Rodney was to have been a 33,600 ton battlecruiser of 810 ft length, 105 ft beam, armed with 8 x 15-inch and 16 x 5.5-inch guns. The ship was ordered in April 1916, but construction was suspended in March 1917 and cancelled in October 1918.

• The seventh Rodney (29) was a battleship launched in 1925, active in World War II, and broken up in 1948.

Reference

• J. J. Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy