HMS Monmouth

Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Monmouth. Monmouth was the name of a castle^[1] and is now the name of a town in Wales; the name also recognises James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, the "Black Duke". The first HMS Monmouth was named after the town but whilst the second one was being used the Monmouth Rebellion took place and this caused some concern to the crew. Since that time, all of Monmouths have had their names painted in black and the name and the crest are covered because of the shame of the Duke of Monmouth's execution. Today the officers of the latest HMS Monmouth carry black handkerchiefs and the ship is known as the Black Duke. However the town of Monmouth still gives the freedom of the town to the ship's crew and talks of the "enduring link" between the town and the ship.^[2] As of 2018, Monmouth has the most battle honours of any ship name currently serving in the Royal Navy.^[3]

• HMS Monmouth (1666) was an 8-gun yacht launched in 1666 and sold in 1698.
• HMS Monmouth (1667) was a 66-gun third rate launched in 1667. She was rebuilt in 1700 and 1742, and was broken up in 1767.
• HMS Monmouth (1772) was a 64-gun third rate launched in 1772. She became a prison ship and named HMS Captivity in 1796, and was broken up in 1818.
• HMS Monmouth (1796) was a 64-gun third rate, originally the Indiaman Belmont. She was purchased on the stocks and launched in 1796. She became a sheer hulk in 1815 and was broken up in 1834.
• HMS Monmouth was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1828 as HMS Hotspur. She became a chapel hulk in 1859, was renamed HMS Monmouth in 1868, and was finally sold in 1902.
• HMS Monmouth (1901) was a Monmouth-class armoured cruiser launched in 1901 and sunk at the Battle of Coronel in 1914.
• HMS Monmouth (F235) is a Type 23 frigate launched in 1991 and currently in service.

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