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HMS Albion (L14)

HMS Albion is one of the Royal Navy’s two amphibious assault ships. Together, their mission is to deliver the punch of the Royal Marines ashore by air and sea. 

Role

HMS Albion has been described as the Royal Navy’s ‘Swiss Army knife’ – and for good reason. This amphibious transport dock is capable of carrying 400 sailors and Royal Marines with a huge range of skills and experience, from technicians and engineers to medics and chefs.

The loading dock of HMS Albion is packed with the trucks, machinery and water craft her crew use to carry out their duties. The ship also carries emergency supplies for use in disaster relief operations, from food supplies to water pumps.

HMS Albion is being decommissioned; amphibious operations will be carried out by Bay Class ships.

Bay Class

Unit history

1763

The First Albion

There have been eight previous ships with the name HMS Albion, beginning with a sailing line-of-battle ship launched in 1763, which – just as the current Albion – was the name ship of the class.
1779

War of American Independence

The first Albion saw action during the War of American Independence, where from 1779 she bore the brunt of the battle in fights off Grenada, Dominica and Martinique.
1798

The Second Albion

The second Albion, a 366-ton sloop, was bought for the Navy in 1798. An ex-merchant vessel, she served as a hired armed ship with a Royal Navy crew.
1803

The Third Albion

The third Albion was a 74-gun third rate line-of-battle ship with a crew of 590. She took part in Admiral Cornwallis’ blockade of Brest in 1803 before heading out for service in the Indian Ocean.
1812

Fourth and Fifth Albions

The name Albion was put into service twice more upon two smaller cutters (1808 and 1812).
1812

Fourth and Fifth Albions

The name Albion was put into service twice more upon two smaller cutters (1808 and 1812).
1842

The Sixth Albion

The sixth Albion was launched at Plymouth in 1842, springing into action at the first bombardment of Sebastapol in the Crimean War in 1854.
1898

The Seventh Albion

The seventh Albion was a Canopus-class battleship launched in 1898. Early in the war, she bombarded Turkish positions in the Dardanelles and was badly damaged by Turkish fire.
1919

Sold

HMS Albion was sold in 1919, and once again, during her time, smaller ships also bore the name: the trawler Albion II; the Bristol Channel paddle steamer; and the steam yacht Albion III.
1919

Sold

HMS Albion was sold in 1919, and once again, during her time, smaller ships also bore the name: the trawler Albion II; the Bristol Channel paddle steamer; and the steam yacht Albion III.
1954

The Eighth Albion

The eighth Albion was a Centaur-class light aircraft carrier/commando helicopter carrier, of 22,000 tons, that served from 1954 to 1973. She was known as ‘The Old Grey Ghost’.

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