Her Majesty's Australian Ship
Encyclopedia
Her or His Majesty's Australian Ship (HMAS) is a ship prefix
used for commissioned units of the Royal Australian Navy
. This prefix is derived from HMS (Her/His Majesty's Ship)
, the prefix used by the Royal Navy
of the United Kingdom
, and can be equally applied to warships and shore bases (as Australia follows the British tradition of referring to naval establishments as ships or stone frigate
s). The prefix came into use in October 1911, when King George V of the United Kingdom
fixed his signature to the approval for the Royal Australian Navy.
The prefix refers to the King or Queen of Australia
, who is also equally and separately the British monarch. The first word of the prefix changes depending on the gender of the reigning Australian monarch.
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
used for commissioned units of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
. This prefix is derived from HMS (Her/His Majesty's Ship)
Her Majesty's Ship
Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time...
, the prefix used by the Royal Navy
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...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and can be equally applied to warships and shore bases (as Australia follows the British tradition of referring to naval establishments as ships or stone frigate
Stone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
s). The prefix came into use in October 1911, when King George V of the United Kingdom
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
fixed his signature to the approval for the Royal Australian Navy.
The prefix refers to the King or Queen of Australia
Monarchy in Australia
The Monarchy of Australia is a form of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of Australia. The monarchy is a constitutional one modelled on the Westminster style of parliamentary government, incorporating features unique to the Constitution of Australia.The present monarch is...
, who is also equally and separately the British monarch. The first word of the prefix changes depending on the gender of the reigning Australian monarch.