Three ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Desperate, the adjective having the sense of "having reckless abandon in the pursuit of an extreme desire":
, a 12-gun gun brig launched in 1805,Colledge has "White, Broadstairs, 2.1.1905", but given the sale date of 1814, this is an obvious typographical error. converted to a mortar brig in 1811 and sold in 1814. , a wooden screw sloop launched in 1849 and broken up in 1865. , a Thornycroft two funnel, 30-knot destroyer (classified as a destroyer in 1912) launched in 1896 and sold for breaking in 1920.
A further two vessels were ordered and later cancelled: HMS Desperate (1918), a light cruiser ordered in March 1918 and cancelled in November the same year. HMS Desperate (1945), a destroyer ordered in March 1945 and cancelled in January 1946.
See also , an 8-gun schooner in service from 1799 to 1811.
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