HMS Charybdis

Six ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Charybdis, after the sea monster Charybdis of Greek mythology.

• The first Charybdis was an 18-gun brig-sloop in use from 1809 to 1819.
• The second Charybdis was a 10-gun brig-sloop in use from 1831 to 1843.
• The third Charybdis was a screw corvette launched in 1859, loaned to Canada from 1880 to 1882, and sold 1884.
• The fourth Charybdis was an Astraea-class protected cruiser launched in 1893, converted to a cargo ship in 1918 and sold to Bermuda in 1922.
• The fifth Charybdis was a Dido-class cruiser launched in 1940 and sunk in the English Channel by German torpedo boats in 1943. Many of the sailors' bodies were washed up on the shores of Guernsey, where they were given a burial with full military honours by the German occupying forces. Every year a commemoration service is held, which is attended by local naval veterans, Sea Cadets and representatives of the Royal Navy.
• The sixth Charybdis was a Leander-class frigate launched in 1968 and sunk as a target in 1993.