Cressy (ship)

The name Cressy (sometimes spelled Cressi) has been applied to several ships, most notably within the Royal Navy:

• HMS Cressy (1853): A wood-hulled screw-propelled battleship of the Cressy class. She served in the Crimean War and later saw service in the Mediterranean.

• HMS Cressy (1899): The lead ship of the Cressy-class armoured cruisers. She was sunk by a German U-boat (U-9) on 22 September 1914, along with her sister ships HMS Aboukir and HMS Hogue, resulting in a significant loss of life during the early stages of World War I. The sinking was a major shock to the British public and highlighted the vulnerability of large warships to submarine attack. These Cressy-class cruisers were somewhat outdated at the time of their loss, being primarily manned by reservists. The event is often referred to as the "Live Bait Squadron" incident.

The name Cressy may also refer to merchant ships or other vessels named after the Battle of Crécy (often anglicized as "Cressy"). The origin of the name refers to the Battle of Crécy (1346), a significant English victory during the Hundred Years' War.