HMS Victorious - Definition and Overview

Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Victorious.

• The first Victorious, launched in 1785 at Blackwall, London, was a third-rate ship of the line, with an armament of 74 guns.
• The second Victorious, launched in 1808 at Portsmouth, was another 74-gun third-rate lineage.
• The third Victorious, launched in 1895, was a Majestic-class battleship. She had a quiet career, spending World War I as a dockyard repair ship before being broken up in 1923.
• The fourth Victorious (R38) was an Illustrious-class fleet aircraft carrier, launched in 1939. She saw much action in World War II. She was scrapped in 1969.
• The fifth and current Victorious (S29), launched in 1993, is a nuclear ballistic missile submarine, the second of the Vanguard class.

Battle honours

• Rivoli 1812
• Bismarck 1941
• Arctic 1941–1942
• Norway 1941–1942
• Biscay 1942
• Malta Convoys 1942
• North Africa 1942
• Sabang 1944
• Palembang 1945
• Okinawa 1945
• Japan 1945