Harbour tugs, operated by Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service,Īuxiliary and merchant ships General purpose ships Īmphibious warfare vessels Newly made Landing Craft Assault (LCA) in 1942.Rescue tugs operated by His Majesty's Rescue Tug Service and civilians through Ministry of War Transport.Several classes of Admiralty tug were operated as well as other vessels obtained High-speed launches type boats or HSL were operated only by the Royal Air Force Marine Branch to rescue downed RAF aircrew at sea.Fairmile B motor launch ML 117 underway.Admiralty type flotilla leader ĭestroyers HMS Vanquisher one of the V-class destroyers which took part in evacuating troops from France in Operation Dynamo G-class destroyer HMS Griffin saw most of its notable action in the Battle of Cape Matapan and Operation Vigorous which was mainly around Africa and in the Mediterranean.Monitors The Roberts-class monitor HMS Roberts.ĭestroyers HMS Mackay, one of the Admiralty type destroyer leaders, and saw action in the Channel Dash Destroyer leaders CAM ship - civilian ships equipped with a catapult to launch a fighter.Fighter catapult ship - convoy escorts fitted with a catapult to launch a fighter.HMS Albatross - ex-RAN, converted to 'Landing Ship (Engineering)' to be repair ship for invasion of France.HMS Pegasus - used as training ship and aircraft transport.

Seaplane carriers Pegasus in 1918 when it was called Ark Royal it was renamed before World War II

Merchant aircraft carriers (MAC) were grain ships or tankers with a flying deck mounted on top they were operated by civilian crew with some naval personnel.

Merchant aircraft carrier Empire MacColl sometime between 1943-1945 Merchant aircraft carriers

Light aircraft carriers HMS Activity in the Firth of Forth This list includes all British ship classes including those which did not serve with the Royal Navy or British military in general.Īircraft carriers Fleet carriers Illustrious in 1942 with a Fairey Swordfish on deck. This is a list of all British ship classes that served in World War II.

World of warships british cruisers