BATTLE HONOURS
Lowestoft 1665 Marbella 1705
Orfordness 1666 Egypt 1801
Sole Bay 1672 Baltic 1854
Texel 1673 Crimea 1855

This is a brief history of previous Royal Naval warships to bear the name LEOPARD.


• 1634.The first was built. A third-rate ship of 387 tons and manned by 180 officers and men, In 1655 she was taken by the Dutch.

• 1659. Built at Deptford, a firth-rate, 52 gun ship of 676 tons with 280 officers and men. Purposely sunk at sheerness 1699 to secure the graving-place.

• 1702. The 3rd in line. A forth-rate, 50 gun ship of 683 tons. Built at Rotherhithe.In 1702 rebuilt at Woolwich and her tonnage increased to 762 tons. She was broken up at Plymouth in 1724.

• 1741. Another forth-rate 50 gun ship of 872 tons. Manned by 300 officers and men. Built at Blackwall. Had an uneventful life and broken up at Plymouth in 1761.

• 1776. Forth-rate 50 gun ship of 1056 tons, she was laid down at Portsmouth in 1776. In 1785 the frame was transported to Sheerness: this must have been an immense undertaking, done solely with men and animals, and should be reckoned a remarkable achievement. She was launched at Sheerness in 1790. Manned by 343 officers and men. She was lost in the St Lawrence River in 1814.

• 1850. Built at Dartford, she was one of the first paddle-wheel frigates, of 1412 tons, 560h.p, and mounting 18 guns. After an active service, she was eventually sold in 1867.

• 1897. Built at Barrow in 1897, she was a torpedo-boat destroyer of 385 tons and 6,300 h.p. Armed with one 12-pounder and thee 6-pounders After First World War action, she was sold in 1919.

• 1950. September 15th. The Eighth Leopard is laid down. She was originally ordered in 1944.
• 1955 .Launched on 23rd May, by Her Highness Princess Marie-Louise the grand daughter of- Queen Victoria.
   Commisioned 30th September 1958 at Portsmouth, England.

Ships Motto: “Ready in Peace, Defiant in War”.