There have been five ships in the Royal Navy to bear the proud name HMS Illustrious. The ship's motto is "Vox Non Incerta" which translates as "No Uncertain Voice".

• The first HMS Illustrious was a 74-gun Third-rate, and launched at Buckler's Hard in 1789. She had two engagements against the French Navy. The first was off the southern French city of Toulon in 1793 during the British action to capture the city. The second was at Genoa where she suffered severe damage and won a Battle Honour. While returning home in tow for repairs she ran aground due to an extremely violent storm. Shortly afterwards she was set ablaze and abandoned.
• The second HMS Illustrious was launched at Rotherhithe in 1803 and was like her predecessor a 74-gun Third-rate. Though she did not serve in the historic Battle of Trafalgar her career was very successful. She was involved in battles off Basque Roads, in which she won a Battle Honour, and off Java in Indonesia. In 1854 she became a training ship and continued as one until she was broken up in 1868 in Portsmouth.
• The third HMS Illustrious was a Majestic-class pre-dreadnought, launched in 1896 and scrapped in 1920. Two of her 12" guns were remounted in the Tyne Turrets.
• The fourth HMS Illustrious was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1940. In the same year she became the first carrier to strike against an enemy fleet, and was in service until 1954.
• The fifth HMS Illustrious is an Invincible class aircraft carrier launched in 1981 and on active service as of 2008.

Battle honours

Genoa 1795, Basque Roads 1809, Taranto 1940, Mediterranean 1940–1941, Malta Convoys 1941, Diego Suarez 1942, Salerno 1943, Sabang 1944, Palembang 1945, Okinawa 1945

References

Royal Navy History