A question about HMS! Help!

[Nikola Bur]

There is one question that bothers me recently, and i simply cannot find an answer! I am sure one will be given by some of you guys, seeing that you have a lot of knowledge about these things...
What does HMS mean???

Perhaps this is a stupid question, but remember: "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers."

Oh, and, this question also applies to USS, KMS, HNMS, etc. (i can figure out everything except the last S. This is not a "ship", isn't it?)

Anyone? I would really appreciate it!!

[Greg Kubasek]

HMS = Her/His Magesty's Service

[Adam H]

Well....

In the naval sense HMS stands for His/Her Majesty's SHIP

Similarly:

HMCS = Her Majesty's Canadian Ship
HMAS = " " Australian "

etc, etc,

Cheers!

Adam

[SHEARING-CROSS]

Hiya ...may be wrong here but can HMS also stand for his / her majesties station ie a shore based camp or are camps also called ships ?

regards Michael

[Nikola Bur]

Ah, "His Majesties"... Thank you, guys!


So, that means the following: HMS - His\Her Majesties Ship
USS - United States Ship
KMS - Kriegsmarine Ship
Am I right?

As far as i can tell, HMS cannot mean HM's station or service, because you can see HMS only in front of the name of a British capital ship...

[Tony Farrell]

In the Royal Navy, shore establisments are referred to as 'ships'. They usually have dual identity, e.g. RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Yeovilton is also HMS Heron. RNAS Lee-on-Solent is also HMS Daedalus, and RNAS Culdrose is also HMS Seahawk.

OHMS means 'On Her Majesty's Service'. This is used on official service & governmental stationary - predominantly envelopes.

[Nikola Bur]

Ok, but when we reffer to the British capital ship, HMS stands for His Majesties Ship, right?

[coastie]

Ok, but when we reffer to the British capital ship, HMS stands for His Majesties Ship, right?

Correct as well as:

United States:
USS - United States Ship
USCGC - U.S Coast Guard Cutter
USATS - U.S Army Transport Ship

Italy:

AMB - 'Asa My Boat

[leigh kitchen]

Is KMS Dutch, rather than German?

[Ed Tainton]

H.m.s.

We used to call shore bases (such as H.M.C.S. Chippawa ,Winnipeg, Manitoba) Stone Frigates

[Douglas Jr.]

Is KMS Dutch, rather than German?

I think it means "Kriegsmarine Shiff" - for III Reich Navy. The "old" Imperial Kaiserliche Marine uses the SMS (Sie Mäjestat Shiff).

Douglas

[Tony Farrell]

One of our cloggies might corrct me here, but the Dutch navy KMS stands for Koninklijke Marine Schip (Royal Navy Ship).

[Mooyman]

Hi Folks,

HMS ...used in British Navy Ships and Navy Air Bases...examples:












Regards,

Ricardo.

[Jim Maclean]

Difficult one the Netherlands Navy, I spent some time with Stanavforlant in the 70s. The Leander class frigate Isaac Sweers was the Dutch contingent. I can only remember their cap tallies as being "Koninklijke Marine", I can't remember the actual ship being named. In all our orders it was published as H.Nl.M.S. Isaac Sweers, However having just had a look at the Netherlands Navy website it would appear that they refer to their ships as Hr.Ms.XXXXXXXX. Just about as confusing as their language.

Fantastic hospitality though

Oh yes, as an afterthought H.M.S. does stand for Her(His) Majesties Ship regardless of it's ability to float. There is also H.M.Y. for Yacht and occasionally H.M.S/M for submarine, usually used in the written context but I think cap tallies have been produced in this format.

[leigh kitchen]

Are there any HMY left now Brittania's gone - traing vessels perhaps?