Britannia HMS (1762)
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:32 pm
She was built as a First Rate ship-of-the-line by the Portsmouth Dockyard for the Royal Navy.
28 March 1751 ordered.
1751 Keel laid down.
19 October 1762 launched under the name HMS BRITANNIA, she was the third ship in the Royal Navy that carried this name.
Tonnage 2.065 ton (bm), dim. 178 x 51.10 x 21.6ft.
Armament: Lower deck 30 – 32pdr, middle deck 28 – 24pdr, upper deck 30 – 12pdr, quarter deck 10 – 6pdr, forecastle 2 – 12pdr. and 2 – 24pdr. carronades.
Crew 837.
She took part in the actions of the American War of Independence (1756-1783).
She was one of Admiral Kempenfelt’s squadron which intercepted a French convoy en route to the west Indies on 12 December1781 (Battle of Ushant), where 15 merchantmen were captured loaded with military stores.
1793 Under command of Captain J. Holloway as flagship of Vice Admiral Hotham off Toulon, she had several skirmishes with the French fleet.
January 1996 under command of Captain S. Peard.
May 1996 under command of Captain D.Foley as flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Hyde Parker.
Took part in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on 14 February 1797as flagship of Vice Admiral C. Thompson, but was too distant to become closely involved.
June 1797 under command of Captain E.Marsh.
1800 At Portsmouth being fitted out as a convalescent ship under command of Lieutenant Conolly.
1801 In ordinary at Portsmouth.
1803 Under command of (acting) Captain Edward Kittoe, fitting out at Portsmouth for active service as flagship of the Admiral William Carnegie Earl of Northesk.
On 15 August, while she was lying in the harbour, she was visited by the Dukes of York and Cambridge who were touring the dockyard.
21 August she sailed for Spithead to join the Channel fleet.
On 29 and 30 January 1804 BRITANNIA although under orders to join the fleet was storm bound at St Helen’s. It was 05 February before she managed to sail, in spite of contrary winds.
June 1804 under command of Captain Charles Bullen and flagship of the Earl of Northesk, at first forming part of the Channel fleet but then detached under the orders of Sir Robert Calder to reinforce Vice Admiral Collingwood off Cadiz.
21 October 1805 was she stationed in the column led by Nelson. Sailing slightly out of line abreast HMS NEPTUNE when the battle commenced. She was the oldest British warship what took part in this battle
She opened fire at long range on several ships of the French and Spanish fleets at 1 p.m., but it was 3 p.m. before she had sailed into a position where she could break through the enemy line.
BRITANNIA remained in the action until the end of the battle, she had 10 men killed and 42 wounded.
She was slightly damaged during the battle.
She destroyed the French INTRÉPIDE after the prize had cut adrift by the HMS AJAX in the gale after the battle.
After Trafalgar Lord Northesk resigned his command due to ill health and Captain Bullen refitted BRITANNIA at Gibraltar before returning to England with three of the prizes as a private ship.
June 1806 out of commission at Plymouth and laid up till 1812.
06 January 1812 renamed PRINCESS ROYAL.
18 January 1812 renamed in SAINT GEORGE and used as prison ship at Plymouth in December 1813.
July 1815 in use as a receiving ship.
02 June 1819 renamed in BARFLEUR.
February 1825 broken up at Plymouth.
Source: Mostly copied from, The Sail and Steam Navy List by Lyon and Winfield. http://www.treeforall.org.uk/trafalgar/ ... /Britannia http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk?B2.HTM