HMS Roebuck
Encyclopedia
Fourteen ships of the Royal Navy
have been named HMS Roebuck after a small deer
native to the British Isles.
was a flyboat
purchased in 1585. was a 10-gun vessel launched in 1636 and sunk in 1641 as a result of a collision. was a 14-gun ship captured in 1646 and commissioned into the Royalist Navy two years later. She was captured at Kinsale in 1649 by Parliamentarian forces and sold in 1651. was a 34-gun ship captured in 1653, converted to a hulk in 1664 and sold in 1668. was a 16-gun sixth rate launched in 1666 and sold in 1683. was a 6-gun fireship purchased in 1688. She was renamed Old Roebuck in 1690 and was deliberately sunk as a foundation in 1696. was an 8-gun fireship launched in 1690, and later converted to a 26-gun fifth rate. She sailed under William Dampier
to Australia in 1699 and sank in 1701 at Ascension Island
on the return voyage. was a 42-gun fifth rate launched in 1704 and dismantled in 1725. She was rebuilt in 1722, and sunk in 1743 as a breakwater
. was a 44-gun fifth rate launched in 1743 and sold in 1764. was a 44-gun frigate launched in 1774 and converted to a hospital ship
in 1790. In 1799 she was converted to a troopship
, and four years later to a guard ship
. She was broken up in 1811. was a wooden screw gunvessel launched in 1856 and sold in 1864. was a Greyhound-class
destroyer
launched in 1901 and broken up in 1919. was an R-class
destroyer launched in 1942. She was converted to a frigate
in 1953 and was sold in 1968. was a survey ship launched in 1985, and was decommissioned in April 2010 and sold that year.
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 Roebuck after a small deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
native to the British Isles.
was a flyboat
Flyboat
The flyboat was a European light vessel of between 70 to 200 tons, used in the late 16th and early 17th century; the name was subsequently applied to a number of disparate vessels.The name "flyboat" is derived from Dutch vlieboot, a boat with a shallow enough draught to be...
purchased in 1585. was a 10-gun vessel launched in 1636 and sunk in 1641 as a result of a collision. was a 14-gun ship captured in 1646 and commissioned into the Royalist Navy two years later. She was captured at Kinsale in 1649 by Parliamentarian forces and sold in 1651. was a 34-gun ship captured in 1653, converted to a hulk in 1664 and sold in 1668. was a 16-gun sixth rate launched in 1666 and sold in 1683. was a 6-gun fireship purchased in 1688. She was renamed Old Roebuck in 1690 and was deliberately sunk as a foundation in 1696. was an 8-gun fireship launched in 1690, and later converted to a 26-gun fifth rate. She sailed under William Dampier
William Dampier
William Dampier was an English buccaneer, sea captain, author and scientific observer...
to Australia in 1699 and sank in 1701 at Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
on the return voyage. was a 42-gun fifth rate launched in 1704 and dismantled in 1725. She was rebuilt in 1722, and sunk in 1743 as a breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
. was a 44-gun fifth rate launched in 1743 and sold in 1764. was a 44-gun frigate launched in 1774 and converted to a hospital ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
in 1790. In 1799 she was converted to a troopship
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
, and four years later to a guard ship
Guard ship
A guard ship is a warship stationed at some port or harbour to act as a guard, and in former times in the Royal Navy to receive the men impressed for service...
. She was broken up in 1811. was a wooden screw gunvessel launched in 1856 and sold in 1864. was a Greyhound-class
Greyhound class destroyer
Three Greyhound class destroyers served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. Built in 1899–1902, , and were three-funnelled turtle-backed destroyers, with the usual Hawthorn funnel tops, built by R. & W...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
launched in 1901 and broken up in 1919. was an R-class
Q and R class destroyer
The Q and R class was a class of sixteen War Emergency Programme destroyers ordered for the British Royal Navy in 1940 as the 3rd and 4th Emergency Flotilla. They served as convoy escorts during World War II. Three Q class ships were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy upon completion, with...
destroyer launched in 1942. She was converted to a frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
in 1953 and was sold in 1968. was a survey ship launched in 1985, and was decommissioned in April 2010 and sold that year.