HMS Nonpareil
Encyclopedia
Four ships of the Royal Navy
have borne the name HMS Nonpareil, from the French
meaning 'without equal':
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...
have borne the name HMS Nonpareil, from the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
meaning 'without equal':
- HMS Nonpareil was a 56-gun galleonGalleonA galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...
, launched in 1556 as the 44-gun HMS Philip and Mary. She was rebuilt in 1584 and renamed Nonpareil. She was again rebuilt in 1603 and renamed Nonsuch. She was sold in 1645. - HMS Nonpareil was a 14-gun schoonerSchoonerA schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
captured from the Americans in 1807. She was damaged in a storm in 1812 and sold the following year. - HMS Nonpareil was an Admiralty M classAdmiralty M class destroyerThe M class, more properly known as the Admiralty M class, were a class of 85 destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I...
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...
launched in 1916 and sold in 1921. - HMS Nonpareil was an N-class destroyer launched in 1941. She was transferred to the Royal Netherlands NavyRoyal Netherlands NavyThe Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
in 1942 and renamed Tjerk Hiddes. She was transferred to Indonesia in 1951 and renamed Gadjah Mada. She was broken up in 1961. - HMS Nonpareil was to have been an Algerine classAlgerine class minesweeperThe Algerine-class was a class of minesweepers of the Royal Navy and the Commonwealth. 110 ships of the class were launched between 1942 and 1944 and served in World War II....
minesweeperMinesweeper (ship)A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
. She was laid down in 1944 but cancelled later that year.