HMS Mermaid
Below is some genealogy information on the Mermaid, a ship from the Royal Navy, that may help searches for military ancestors.
Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF
Building of the Royal Navy (900-1793).
Description: The first ship to bear the name HMS Mermaid was a galley captured in 1545. She was service until 1563.
The second ship to bear this name was a 24-gun sixth-rate launched in 1651. She was broken up in 1734.
The third ship to bear this name was an 8-gun fireship captured in 1692. She was destroyed in 1693 when set on fire.
The fourth ship to bear this name was a 54-gun fourth-rate renamed in 1744. She was originally the HMS Ruby. She was sold in 1748.
The fifth ship to bear this name was a 24-gun sixth-rate launched in 1749. She was wrecked in 1760.
- 1749-1750: Captain John Montagu.
- 1750-1751: Captain Edward Keller.
- 1751-1753: Captain Elias Bate.
- 1753-1753: Captain John Hollwall.
- 1754-1756: Captain Washington Shirley.
- 1756-1758: Captain Alexander Innes.
- 1758-1758: Captain James Hackman.
The sixth ship to bear this name was a 28-gun sixth-rate launched in 1761. She was wrecked in 1788.
The seventh ship to bear this name was a 32-gun fifth-rate launched in 1782.
- 1761-1761: Captain George Watson.
- 1790-1790: Captain Cuthbert Collingwood.
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Description: In 1793 she captured French privateers General Washington with the HMS Tartar and the Angelique with HMS Castor. In 1795 she captured the French ships the Brutus and the Republicaine. In 1796 she captured the General Leveau and the Liberte Generale (with HMS Resource). In 1797 she captured the Aventure. In 1798 she captured the French ship Loire. In 1798 she captured the French ship Seine (with HMS Jason and HMS Pique). She was taken into service as the HMS Seine. She also captured the ships Marie Perotte, Sea Nymphe and Mary (all three with HMS Phaeton, HMS Anson, HMS St Fiorenzo, HMS Clyde and HMS Stag). In 1799 she captured the Spanish ship Golondravia (with HMS Sylph). In 1800 she captured the French ship Cruelle. She was taken into service as the HMS Cruelle. In 1801 she captured the Esperance (with HMS Mercury). She was broken up in 1815.
- 1793-1794: Captain John Trigge.
- 1794-1796: Captain Henry Warre.
- 1796-1796: Captain Charles Davers
- 1796-1797: Captain Robert Otway.
- 1797-1799: Captain James Newman-Newman.
- 1799-1802: Captain Robert Dudley Oliver.
- 1803-1807: Captain Askew Hollis.
- 1809-1811: Captain Major Henniker.
- 1811-1812: Commander William Percy.
- 1812-1812: Commander David Dunn.
Pax Britannica (1815-1895)
Description: The eighth ship to bear the name HMS Mermaid was a cutter bough in 1817. She was sold in 1823.
The ninth ship to bear this name was a 46-gun fifth-rate launched in 1825. She was used as a hulk from 1850. She was broken up in 1875.
The tenth ship to bear this name was a coastguard ship bought in 1853. She was sold in 1890.
Pre-war period.
Description: The eleventh ship to bear the name HMS Mermaid was a torpedo boat destroyer launched in 1898.
Inter-war period.
Description: She was sold in 1919.
World War Two.
Description: The twelfth ship to bear the name HMS Mermaid was a sloop launched in 1943. She assisted in the sinking of U-354 and U-394. In 1944 she sank U-354 (the latter with HMS Keppel, HMS Peacock and HMS Lord Dunvegan) and U-394 (with aircraft from HMS Vindex and the ships HMS Whitehall, HMS Keppel and HMS Peacock).
Post-war period (1945-present).
Description: She moved to the German navy in 1959.
The thirteenth ship to bear the name HMS Mermaid was a minesweeper converted to a survey ship and renamed in 1965. She was originally the HMS Sullington. She was sold in 1970.
The fourteenth ship to bear this name was a frigate launched in 1973. She was sold to Malaysia in 1977.
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