Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the navy of the United Kingdom. The Royal Navy has
historically played an extremely important role in the defence of the UK and
the British Empire. Because the UK is a country in which all locations are
within 74 miles (120 km) of the sea, any power which achieved naval
superiority would put it in great peril. Moreover, a strong navy was vital
in maintaining supply and communication links with distant locations in the Empire.

England's first navy was established by King Alfred, but soon fell into
disrepair. The first reformation and major expansion of the Royal Navy
occurred during the reign of King Henry VIII whose ships the "Great Harry"
and the "Mary Rose" engaged the French navy in a battle in the Solent in
1545. The second reformation was under Admiral Robert Blake during Oliver
Cromwell's Commonwealth.

The Naval Service didn't really exist until the mid 17th century when the
Fleet Royal was incorporated into the Government following the defeat of
Charles I in the English Civil War. The incorporation of the royal navy was
in contrast to the land forces, which are descended from parliamentary
forces and hence are not royal.

Between 1690 and World War I, the Royal Navy was the strongest navy in the
world with almost uncontested power over the world's oceans. Between 1690
and 1916, the Royal Navy suffered only one major defeat, at the Battle of
the Chesapeake, and was able to defeat decisively all challengers, as at the
Battle of Trafalgar. They did, however, lose numerous small engagements.

During World War II, the Royal Navy played a vital role in keeping the UK
supplied with food, arms and raw materials. See Battle of the Atlantic
(1940). It was also vital in guarding the sea lanes that enabled Britain to
fight in remote parts of the world such as North Africa, the Mediterranean
and the Far East. Naval supremacy was vital to the amphibious operations
carried out, such as the invasions of West Africa, Sicily, Italy and
Normandy. See British military history of World War II.

After World War II, the growing power of the United States and the retreat
from empire reduced the role of the Royal Navy. The most important post-war
operation conducted solely by the Royal Navy involved defeating Argentina in
the Falkland Islands War. The Royal Navy also participated in the Gulf War,
the Kosovo conflict, the Afghanistan Campaign and the 2003 Iraq War.

Nicknames include "The Mob", "The Andrew" and "The Senior Service". One
point of pride of the Royal Navy is that it is known simply as the Royal
Navy as opposed to other navies which have the national name in them.

The formation of Royal Dockyards at London; Devonport in Plymouth;
Portsmouth; Chatham; Rosyth...

The Napoleonic campaigns of the navy have been the subject of many novels
including Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey, C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower,
Alexander Kent's Richard Bolitho.

HMS (acronym) = Her (or His) Majesty's Ship

Components of the Royal Navy

   * Royal Fleet Auxiliary
   * Fleet Air Arm
   * Royal Marines / Commando
   * Womens Royal Naval Service (WRNS)
   * Royal Yacht
   * Royal Naval College

   * Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) - disbanded 1918

Royal Navy Timeline

   * 1690 Battle of Beachy Head
   * 1692 Battle of La Hogue
   * 1781 Battle of the Chesapeake
   * 1797 Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797)
   * 1798 Battle of the Nile
   * 1805 Battle of Trafalgar
   * 1821 First steam paddle ships for auxiliary use (tugs etc)
   * 1840 First screw driven Steamship, HMS Rattler
   * 1905 First Steam turbine battleship, HMS Dreadnought
   * 1914 Battle of Heligoland Bight, Battle of Coronel, Battle of the
     Falkland Islands
   * 1916 Battle of Jutland
   * 1939 Battle of the River Plate
   * 1940 Operation Dynamo (Dunkirk)
   * 1941 Sinking of HMS Hood and the Bismarck
   * 1944 D-day invasion
   * 1950 Korean War begins
   * 1962 Indonesian Konfrontasi begins in Borneo
   * 1982 Falklands War Task force despatched
   * 1991 Gulf War
   * 1999 Kosovo conflict
   * 2001 Afghanistan Campaign
   * 2003 Iraq War

Famous members of the Royal Navy

   * Admiral Robert Blake
   * Francis Drake
   * Admiral Horatio Nelson
   * Captain William Bligh
   * Admiral Jellicoe
   * Admiral Beatty
   * Admiral John "Sandy" Woodward
   * Admiral Hood
   * Admiral Rodney
   * Lt. Charles Robert Malden

Famous ships of the Royal Navy

   * HMS Ark Royal
   * HMS Victory - Nelson's flagship.
   * HMS Bounty - scene of the mutiny.
   * HMS Hood - destroyed by the Bismark
   * HMS Beagle - carried Charles Darwin on his voyage.
   * HMS Dreadnought
   * HMS Resolution - first submarine of the Resolution Class
   * HMS Warrior
   * HMS Hercules
   * HMS Nelson

Weapons Systems

   * Trident missile
   * Polaris missile

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