HMS Locust (1939)
Encyclopedia
HMS Locust was a river gunboat
of the Royal Navy
, one of the Locust class of four gunboats, named after the locust
, an insect
.
Launched on 28 September 1939 and commissioned on 17 May 1940, she survived the Second World War
despite being severely damaged multiple times, including taking a shell hit in Operation Overlord
.
She was placed in reserve
from 1946 until 1951 when she was converted to a drill ship for the Royal Naval Reserve
and used for training. In 1968 she was finally decommissioned and sent to the breakers.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
of 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...
, one of the Locust class of four gunboats, named after the locust
Locust
Locusts are the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae. These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory...
, an insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
.
Launched on 28 September 1939 and commissioned on 17 May 1940, she survived the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
despite being severely damaged multiple times, including taking a shell hit in Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
.
She was placed in reserve
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
from 1946 until 1951 when she was converted to a drill ship for the Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
and used for training. In 1968 she was finally decommissioned and sent to the breakers.