This is a list of all British ship classes that served in World War II. This list includes all British ship classes including those which did not serve with the Royal Navy or British military in general.
Aircraft carriers
Fleet carriers
Light aircraft carriers
1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier
Escort carrier
Poolman, (1972). p 155
Poolman (1972). pp. 155-156
Merchant aircraft carriers
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.
Seaplane carriers
HMS Pegasus - used as training ship and aircraft transport HMS Albatross - ex-RAN, converted to "Landing Ship (Engineering)" to be repair ship for invasion of France
Catapult equipped ships
Fighter catapult ship - convoy escorts fitted with a catapult to launch a fighter CAM ship - civilian ships equipped with a catapult to launch a fighter
Battleships
Iron Duke-class battleship King George V-class battleship (1911)
Battlecruisers
Courageous-class battlecruiser
Cruisers
Heavy cruisers were defined by international agreement pre-war for the purposes of arms limitation as those with guns greater than ; ships of guns of 6-inch or less were light cruisers.
Heavy cruisers
Light cruisers
Armed merchant cruisers
Armed merchant cruisers
Monitors
Destroyers
Destroyer leaders
Thornycroft type destroyer leader Admiralty type flotilla leader
Destroyers
- HMS Skate only
Frigates
Corvettes
Sloops
Lenton, 1998
Minelayers
- minelaying cruiser
- auxiliary minelayer - auxiliary minelayer - auxiliary minelayer - auxiliary minelayer
- auxiliary minelayer - also used as fast transports
Minesweepers
– MMS stands for motor minesweeper.
– known as Catherine class in British service
Submarines
H-class submarine L-class submarine
S-class submarine (also known as the Thames class) minelaying submarines T-class submarine (also known as the Triton class) U-class submarine P611-class submarine V-class submarine
Midget submarines
Naval trawlers
Mersey-class trawler
Round Table-class trawler
Small armed boats Motor Launch Fairmile A motor launch Fairmile B motor launch Harbour Defence Motor Launch Motor torpedo boats Vosper 73 ft motor torpedo boat Fairmile D motor torpedo boat Motor gun boats Fairmile C motor gun boat Steam Gun Boat High-speed launch High-speed launches type boats or HSL were operated only by the Royal Air Force Marine Branch to rescue downed RAF aircrew at sea
Type Two 63 ft HSL
Other
Ocean boarding vessels
Gunboats
Salvage vessels
Repair and maintenance ships
Boom defence
Tugs
Several classes of Admiralty tug were operated as well as other vessels obtained Rescue tugs operated by His Majesty's Rescue Tug Service and civilians through Ministry of War Transport Saint Rollicker Brigand Assurance Favourite Bustler Nimble Envoy Director Harbour tugs, operated by Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, Robust West Alligator
Auxiliary and merchant ships
General purpose ships
Empire ship Empire F coaster Channel Tanker (CHANT) Heavy lift ships "Ocean"-type tanker Norwegian-type tanker Wave-class oiler Three Island type cargo ship Malta type cargo ship Tank landing ships Ocean going tugs Convoy rescue ship Empire Maple-class tug Ramped cargo lighter
Oilers and tankers
Dale-class oiler Ranger-class tanker Sprite-class tanker Ol-class tanker War-class oiler Spa-class coastal water carriers Fresh-class water tank vessels
Stores Fort-class stores ship
Amphibious warfare vessels
Landing ship, infantry Landing Craft Assault Fairmile H landing craft LCPL LCM 1 Landing Ship, Tank Maracaibo-class tank landing ship Boxer-class
Headquarters ships LST1 tank landing ship - later fighter direction ship Headquarters ship
Civilian ships
Little Ships of Dunkirk
See also List of ship classes of World War II
Notes
References
Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships