RN ship numbers

[OSCSSW]

I would be very grateful if someone would explain the numbering system for RN hull numbers. It really confuses me.
Thanks

[Pdf27]

You mean D, R, F, S, L etc. or the actual numbers? The letters have swapped around a few times over the years so you probably need to be quite specific.

[Craiglxviii]

I would be very grateful if someone would explain the numbering system for RN hull numbers. It really confuses me.
Thanks

You think it’s supposed to make sense..?!?

[kdahm]

You mean D, R, F, S, L etc. or the actual numbers? The letters have swapped around a few times over the years so you probably need to be quite specific.

I think he means the pennant numbers

[Craiglxviii]

Being serious.

“The Royal Navy Pennant Numbering System
Pennant, or Pendant, numbers were introduced to help to abbreviate signalling and to help make signals more secure, they also served to clear up confusion between ships with similar names and as an aid in identifying ships visually, particularly where ships of the same classification were grouped in a Squadron.
During the war, many ships were transferred between Commonwealth and Allied Navies. Where this did occur, the ship usually kept the same Pennant Number (even though the ships name may well have changed). If a ship was sunk in action, it was usual for the Pennant Number of that ship to be allocated to the next ship to be launched. Renaming of ships was also regularly carried out. During and after the war, some ships had received up to three or four changes of Flag Superior, with many destroyers changing from F to G in 1940, then to L, and later to R, and finally to D after the war.
Usually, ships of the same Classification were grouped under the same Flag Superior, although this wasn’t always the case. Due to shear numbers of ships in the Second World War a greater number of Flag Superior allocations were in use. Today, the Flag Superior generally helps to identify the Class of ship, i.e. A – Auxiliaries, D = Destroyers, F = Frigates, R = Aircraft Carriers (A already in use for Auxiliaries), S = Submarine.
Until the Second World War, it was usual for submarines to have only a Pennant Number and no name, Winston Churchill directed that all Submarines be named. Some minor ships had no Pennant Number, whilst others had them removed from photographs due to censorship. It is believed that the pennant system was last revised in 1947.”

It <looks> like the number itself is chosen from a list. As example, we have had the following pennant numbers for carriers:

IMPLACABLE (R86)
INDEFATIGABLE (R10) (both the same class)

COLOSSUS (R61)
GLORY (R62)
OCEAN (R68)
THESEUS (R64)
TRIUMPH (R16)
VENERABLE (R63)
VENGEANCE (R71)
WARRIOR (R31)
PERSEUS (R51)
PIONEER (R76) (all the same class)

Then we have

EAGLE (R05)
ARK ROYAL (R09) (same class)

Then

CENTAUR (R06)
ALBION (R07)
BULWARK (R08)
HERMES (R12- bet you thought it was going to be sequential!)

Then

INVINCIBLE (R05, reused)
ILLUSTRIOUS (R06, reused)
ARK ROYAL (R07, reused)

Now

QUEEN ELIZABETH (R08, reused)
PRINCE OF WALES (R09, reused)

None of this is supposed to make any sense to outsiders.

A lot of info here: https://www.commsmuseum.co.uk/tactical/ ... endant.pdf

[OSCSSW]

Thanks Craig. The RN has succeeded. It makes no sense to me but I guess I'll have to live with it.

[Belushi TD]

Still makes more sense than the Russian naval project numbers.

Belushi TD

[Craiglxviii]

Thanks Craig. The RN has succeeded. It makes no sense to me but I guess I'll have to live with it.

There are books on Amazon with way more detail should you wish!

[Craiglxviii]

Still makes more sense than the Russian naval project numbers.

Belushi TD

And they make more sense than the AFV objekt numbers..!

[jemhouston]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

[Johnnie Lyle]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

Yes.

[Nathan45]

I prefer the US naming simplicity for its small arms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY3RLn2V6D0

[jemhouston]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

Yes.

[1Big Rich]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

I'm of the opinion the worst, most dangerous enemy the the RN ever fought was Exchequer

[jemhouston]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

I'm of the opinion the worst, most dangerous enemy the the RN ever fought was Exchequer

You are correct kind sir.

[kdahm]

Is the numbering system designed to confuse other countries or the enemy (The Treasury)?

I'm of the opinion the worst, most dangerous enemy the the RN ever fought was Exchequer

You are correct kind sir.

They have certainly sunk or taken out of commission more good, workable ships with life left in them than any other enemy of the RN.

[Johnnie Lyle]

I'm of the opinion the worst, most dangerous enemy the the RN ever fought was Exchequer

You are correct kind sir.

They have certainly sunk or taken out of commission more good, workable ships with life left in them than any other enemy of the RN.

It’s not necessarily the Exchequer.

It’s the politicians who want to spend money on other things, especially things that buy votes.