HMS Gorgon
Encyclopedia
Five ships of the Royal Navy
have been named HMS Gorgon, after the Gorgon
of Greek mythology
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A fictional 80-gun ship of the line
named Gorgon features in the novel Richard Bolitho, Midshipman by Alexander Kent
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
have been named HMS Gorgon, after the Gorgon
Gorgon
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...
of Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
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- HMS Gorgon was a 44-gun fifth rate launched in 1785. She was converted into a storeship in 1793, a floating battery in 1805 and was broken up in 1817.
- HMS GorgonHMS Gorgon (1837)HMS Gorgon was a wooden steam paddle frigate of 6 guns, launched in 1837. In 1840 she took part in the bombardment of Acre, and in 1843 was part of the Royal Navy squadron stationed in the River Plate during the Uruguayan Civil War. She was converted to a troopship and in 1858 assisted HMS...
was a steam frigate launched in 1837 and broken up in 1864. - HMS GorgonHMS Gorgon (1871)HMS Gorgon was the first ship commissioned of the four breastwork monitors built for the Royal Navy during the 1870s....
was a coast defence ship, launched on 18 July 1871 and broken up in 1903. - HMS GorgonHMS Gorgon (1914)HMS Gorgon and her sister ship were two monitors originally built as coastal defence ships for the Royal Norwegian Navy, as HNoMS Nidaros and Bjørgvin respectively, by Armstrong Whitworth at Elswick. She was purchased from Norway at the beginning of the First World War, but was not completed until...
was a coastal defence shipCoastal defence shipCoastal defence ships were warships built for the purpose of coastal defence, mostly during the period from 1860 to 1920. They were small, often cruiser-sized warships that sacrificed speed and range for armour and armament...
, originally the Norwegian Nidaros, in service during World War I and sold for scrap in 1928. - HMS Gorgon was a Catherine class minesweeperMinesweeper (ship)A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
acquired in 1943 and returned to the US Navy in 1946.
A fictional 80-gun ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
named Gorgon features in the novel Richard Bolitho, Midshipman by Alexander Kent
Alexander Kent
Alexander Kent may refer to:* a pseudonym of British writer Douglas Reeman*Alex Kent, bass guitarist...
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