HMS Whelp
Encyclopedia
One ship of the Royal Navy
has borne the name HMS Whelp, while another was planned. Another twelve have borne the name Lion's Whelp:
Lion's Whelp was a vessel of unknown type, lost at sea in 1591. was an 11-gun ketch
purchased in 1601 and given away in 1625.
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...
has borne the name HMS Whelp, while another was planned. Another twelve have borne the name Lion's Whelp:
- HMS Whelp was to have been a modified W-classV and W class destroyerThe V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
destroyerDestroyerIn 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...
, ordered but cancelled in 1919. was a W-classW and Z class destroyerThe W and Z class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1943–1944. They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding U and V class, two of the flotilla leaders were named after historical naval...
destroyer launched in 1943. She was sold to the South African NavySouth African NavyThe South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
in 1953 and was renamed SAS Simon van der Stel. She underwent a limited conversion to a frigateFrigateA 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 1963, and was sold in 1976.
Lion's Whelp was a vessel of unknown type, lost at sea in 1591. was an 11-gun ketch
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
purchased in 1601 and given away in 1625.
- Ten 14-gun sloopsSloop-of-warIn the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
were built for George Villiers, 1st Duke of BuckinghamGeorge Villiers, 1st Duke of BuckinghamGeorge Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
in 1627. They were all named Lion's WhelpLyon's WhelpIn 1628, the very wealthy Duke of Buckingham built a private fleet of 10 three masted, armed pinnaces each of which carried the name Lion's Whelp. At least one Lion's Whelp participated in the English attempt to relieve the Huguenot citadel of La Rochelle during the Anglo-French War...
, and numbered one to ten. They were acquired by the navy after the Duke's death:- Lion's Whelp I was sold in 1651.
- Lion's Whelp II was sold in 1650.
- Lion's Whelp III was lost in 1648.
- Lion's Whelp IV was lost in 1636.
- Lion's Whelp V was wrecked in 1637.
- Lion's Whelp VI was wrecked in 1628.
- Lion's Whelp VII was blown up in 1630.
- Lion's Whelp VIII was hulked in 1645.
- Lion's Whelp IX was wrecked in 1640.
- Lion's Whelp X was sold in 1654.