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{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}__NOTOC__
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}__NOTOC__


Seven ships of the [[Royal Navy]] have been named '''''Warspite'''''. The origins of the name are unclear, although it is probably from the Elizabethan-era spelling of the word 'spite' 'spight' – in part embodying contempt for the Navy's enemies, but which was also the common name for the [[European green woodpecker|green woodpecker]], suggesting the 'Warspight' would poke holes in enemy ships' (wooden) hulls.<ref name=Ballantyne>{{cite book|last=Ballantyne|first=Iain|title=Warspite: From Jutland Hero to Cold War Warrior|publisher=pen & Sword Maritime|location=Barnsley, UK|year=2013|isbn=978-1-84884-350-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5dNX612zp1gC |ref=Ballantyne2013}}</ref>{{Rp|page=10}} Until 1919 a woodpecker was used as the ships' crest; the official badge was a cannon, although the woodpecker continued to be used on the ships' tompions or gun muzzle plugs. ''Warspite'' carries the most [[battle honour]]s of any ship in the Royal Navy, with the sixth ''Warspite'' being awarded fifteen of them.<ref name=Ballantyne/>{{Rp|page=6}}
Seven ships of the [[Royal Navy]] have been named '''''Warspite'''''. The origins of the name are unclear, although it is probably from the word ''[[wikt:spight|spight]]'' – an Elizabethan-era spelling variation of both ''[[wikt:spite|spite]]'' and ''[[wikt:speight|speight]]'' – in part embodying contempt for the Navy's enemies, but which was also the common name for the [[European green woodpecker|green woodpecker]], suggesting the 'Warspight' would poke holes in enemy ships' (wooden) hulls.<ref name=Ballantyne>{{cite book|last=Ballantyne|first=Iain|title=Warspite: From Jutland Hero to Cold War Warrior|publisher=pen & Sword Maritime|location=Barnsley, UK|year=2013|isbn=978-1-84884-350-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5dNX612zp1gC |ref=Ballantyne2013}}</ref>{{Rp|page=10}} “Spight” is also aUntil 1919 a woodpecker was used as the ships' crest; the official badge was a cannon, although the woodpecker continued to be used on the ships' tompions or gun muzzle plugs. ''Warspite'' carries the most [[battle honour]]s of any ship in the Royal Navy, with the sixth ''Warspite'' being awarded fifteen of them.<ref name=Ballantyne/>{{Rp|page=6}}


* {{ship|English ship|Warspite|1596}} was a 29-gun [[galleon]], originally known as ''Warspight''. She was launched in 1596 and sold in 1649.
* {{ship|English ship|Warspite|1596}} was a 29-gun [[galleon]], originally known as ''Warspight''. She was launched in 1596 and sold in 1649.

Revision as of 08:12, 14 April 2023

Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named Warspite. The origins of the name are unclear, although it is probably from the word spight – an Elizabethan-era spelling variation of both spite and speight – in part embodying contempt for the Navy's enemies, but which was also the common name for the green woodpecker, suggesting the 'Warspight' would poke holes in enemy ships' (wooden) hulls.[1]: 10  “Spight” is also aUntil 1919 a woodpecker was used as the ships' crest; the official badge was a cannon, although the woodpecker continued to be used on the ships' tompions or gun muzzle plugs. Warspite carries the most battle honours of any ship in the Royal Navy, with the sixth Warspite being awarded fifteen of them.[1]: 6 

Battle honours

See also

Citations

  1. ^ a b Ballantyne, Iain (2013). Warspite: From Jutland Hero to Cold War Warrior. Barnsley, UK: pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 978-1-84884-350-9.

General and cited references