HMS Mercury

Eighteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Mercury, or HMS Mercure, after the God Mercury, of Roman mythology:

• HMS Mercury was a 6-gun galley launched in 1592 and sold in 1611.
• HMS Mercury was a ship launched in 1620. Her fate is unknown.
• HMS Mercury was a ship purchased in 1622. Her fate is unknown.
• HMS Mercury was a 6-gun advice boat launched in 1694 and captured by a French privateer in 1697.
• HMS Mercury was an 8-gun fireship purchased in 1739 and foundered in 1744.
• HMS Mercury was a 16-gun brigantine launched in 1744 and captured in 1745.
• HMS Mercury was a 24-gun sixth rate launched in 1745 and broken up in 1753.
• HMS Mercury was a 20-gun sixth rate launched in 1756 and wrecked in 1777.
• HMS Mercury was a 28-gun sixth rate launched in 1779 and broken up in 1814.
• HMS Mercure was an 18-gun sloop. She was formerly a French privateer that Phaeton and Anson captured in 1798. She was renamed HMS Trompeuse in 1799 and foundered in 1800.
• HMS Mercury was a 14-gun brig launched in 1806 and converted to a coal hulk by 1865.
• HMS Mercury was a tender launched in 1807 and broken up in 1835.
• HMS Mercury was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1826, used as a coal hulk from 1861 and sold in 1906.
• HMS Mercury was a cutter tender launched in 1837, renamed YC6 in 1866, HMS Plymouth in 1876 and was sold in 1904.
• HMS Mercury was an Iris class cruiser and despatch vessel launched in 1878, converted to a depot ship in 1906 and sold in 1919. She was to have been named HMS Columbine in 1912, but this did not happen.
• HMS Mercury was an auxiliary minesweeper sunk during WWI.
• HMS Mercury was a paddle steamer requisition during WWII for use as an auxiliary minesweeper which struck a mine and sank in 1940.
• HMS Mercury was a Royal Naval Communications/Signal School located at the site of Leydene House near Petersfield, England. The establishment was in commission between 1941 and 1993.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.