HMS Penelope

Nine ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Penelope, after the faithful wife Penelope of Greek mythology.


 * The first HMS Penelope (1778) was a 24-gun sixth rate launched in 1778 and captured by her Spanish prisoners in 1780.
 * The second HMS Penelope (1783) was a 32-gun fifth rate launched in 1783 and broken up 1797.
 * The third HMS Penelope (1798) was a 36-gun fifth rate launched in 1798 and wrecked in 1815.
 * The fourth HMS Penelope (1829) was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1829 but completed in 1843 as a paddle frigate, and sold for breakup in 1864.
 * The fifth HMS Penelope (1867) was an armoured corvette launched in 1867 that became a prison hulk in 1897 and was sold in 1912.
 * The sixth HMS Penelope (1914) was an Arethusa-class cruiser (1913) light cruiser launched in 1914 and sold in 1924.
 * The seventh HMS Penelope (1918) was a tender purchased in 1918 and sold in 1922.
 * The eighth HMS Penelope (97) was an Arethusa-class cruiser (1934) light cruiser launched in 1935 and sunk off Naples in 1944.
 * The ninth HMS Penelope (F127) was a Leander-class frigate launched in 1962 and sold to Ecuador in 1991, which operated her as Presidente Eloy Alfaro.

Battle honours
Ships named Penelope have earned the following battle honours:


 * Guillaume Tell, 1800
 * Egypt, 1801
 * Martinique, 1809
 * Baltic, 1854
 * Alexandria, 1882
 * Norway, 1940
 * Mediterranean, 1941−43
 * Malta Convoys, 1941−42
 * Sirte, 1942
 * Sicily, 1943
 * Salerno, 1943
 * Aegean, 1943
 * Anzio, 1944
 * Falkland Islands, 1982