Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the Fifteenth Century to the Present

by J.J. Colledge

J. J. Colledge's masterful work is an absolutely essential reference book for anyone interested in maritime history. It seeks to list each individual fighting vessel which served in the Royal Navy, and it gives key data for each vessel. Not only does the book include details of size and weight, however, but it also presents a brief summary of when the ship was in or out of service. In addition, the vessel's eventual fate -- whether sinking, destruction or being sold off -- is also revealed. The work, taken as a whole, was an astonishing labour of love, and copies are much sought after by collectors and naval enthusiasts. This new reprint of the first volume, revised and brought up to date by respected naval historian Ben Warlow, completes the picture and makes Ships of the Royal Navy the authoritative guide to British warships. Included in the pages are such ships as the Hood, the Renown, the Victory and the Ark Royal; but alongside them are more obscure vessels that did sterling service such as the Hussar, the Lowestoft and the Algoma (sold to the Venezuelans in 1946).

388 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

James Joseph Colledge (1908-1997) was a British naval historian and author of Ships of the Royal Navy the standard work on ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the present day.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is just a list, but still a great reference guide to all Royal Navy ships through the centuries. It lists all ships alphabetically (there are many ship names reused ie: HMS Lion x 19), then gives the following details of each ship: ship type, displacement, dimensions, original armament, builder, launch date and fate.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Reference - Not Reading

Packed with accurate information this is a reference book, not for reading but for information.
If you are ex R.N as I am it is worthwhile having.

[Will Kastner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Further revised in 2010.

[Ian Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential resource for every student of the Royal Navy. Regular updates have sorted out some earlier errors. A reference book to keep next to your dictionary.