HMS CENTURION

Eight ships of the British Royal Navy have been named 'HMS ''Centurion''', after the centurions of ancient Rome.

★ The first ''Centurion'' was a 34-gun ship launched in 1650 and wrecked in 1689.

★ The second ''Centurion'' was a 48-gun fourth-rate in service from 1691 to 1728.

★ The third ''Centurion'' was a 60-gun fourth-rate, launched in 1732 and broken up 1769.

★ The fourth ''Centurion'' was a 50-gun fourth-rate that existed from 1774 to 1825.

★ The fifth ''Centurion'' was an 80-gun third-rate, launched in 1844 later converted to screw propulsion, and sold in 1870.

★ The sixth ''Centurion'' was a battleship launched in 1892 and sold in 1910.

★ The seventh ''Centurion'' was a battleship launched in 1911, still later converted to a target ship, and sunk off Arromanches shortly after D-Day to serve as a breakwater.

★ The eighth ''Centurion'' was planned as a 9,000 ton cruiser in 1945, but was cancelled in 1946.

★ Although not a ship as such there is a Ministry of Defence-owned establishment, residing in the shore base of HMS Sultan in Gosport, called (HMS) Centurion which is mainly responsible for personnel & what would be described in business as Human Resources functions.