HMS Vanguard

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Eleven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Vanguard, meaning the forefront of an action or movement:

English ship Vanguard (1586) was a 31-gun galleon launched in 1586, rebuilt twice and was broken up in 1630, with some parts being reused in the next HMS Vanguard.
HMS Vanguard (1631) was a 56-gun second rate launched in 1631, active in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and scuttled in 1667.
HMS Vanguard (1678) was a 90-gun three-decker second-rate launched in 1678, sunk in 1703 but raised in 1704, rebuilt twice and renamed HMS Duke in 1728. She was broken up in 1769.
HMS Vanguard (1748) was a 70-gun third rate launched in 1748 and sold in 1774.
HMS Vanguard (1780) was a 4-gun gunvessel captured in 1780, purchased in 1781 and sold in 1783.
HMS Vanguard (1787) was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1787. She became a prison ship in 1812, a powder hulk in 1814 and was broken up in 1821.
HMS Vanguard (1835) was a 78-gun third rate launched in 1835, renamed HMS Ajax in 1867, and broken up in 1875.
HMS Vanguard (1869) was an Audacious-class ironclad battleship launched in 1869 and sunk in a collision with HMS Iron Duke in 1875.
HMS Vanguard (1909) was a St Vincent-class battleship launched in 1909 and sunk in an explosion in 1917.
HMS Vanguard (23) was a unique battleship, the only one of her class. She was launched in 1944 and broken up in 1960.
HMS Vanguard (S28) is a Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarine launched in 1992 and currently in service.