HMS Arethusa

HMS Arethusa

Nine ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Arethusa or HMS Arethuse, after the Greek mythological nymph Arethusa who was transformed by Artemis into a fountain.

• HMS Arethusa (1759) was a 32-gun fifth rate captured from the French Navy in 1759 and wrecked in 1779.
• HMS Arethusa (1781) was a 38-gun fifth rate launched in 1781 and broken up in 1814.
• HMS Arethuse (1793) was a 38-gun fifth rate captured from the French in 1793 and wrecked in 1796.
• HMS Arethusa (1817) was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1817, and renamed HMS Bacchus in 1844 upon her conversion into a hulk. She was broken up in 1883.
• HMS Arethusa (1849) was a 50-gun fourth rate launched in 1849. She was fitted with screw propulsion in 1861 and became a training ship in 1874. She was broken up in 1934.
• HMS Arethusa (1882) was a Leander-class protected cruiser launched in 1882 and scrapped in 1905.
• HMS Arethusa (1913) was an Arethusa class light cruiser launched in 1913 and wrecked after being damaged by a mine in 1916.
• HMS Arethusa (26) was an Arethusa class light cruiser launched in 1934 and scrapped in 1950.
• HMS Arethusa (F38) was a Leander-class frigate launched in 1963 and sunk as training target in 1991.