HMS Helena (1778)

HMS Helena was a Swan-class sloop-of-war launched in 1778 for the Royal Navy. She was commissioned in May 1778 under Commander Robert Faulknor and saw service during the American Revolutionary War.

Her early deployments included escorting convoys and patrolling the English Channel. In 1780, she participated in the capture of a number of enemy privateers and merchant vessels.

In 1782, under the command of Commander David Rattray, HMS Helena was involved in the Battle of the Saintes, a crucial British victory over the French fleet. She played a supporting role in the battle, engaging enemy vessels and providing assistance to larger British warships.

Following the American Revolutionary War, HMS Helena remained in service, primarily engaged in peacetime duties such as suppressing smuggling and patrolling coastal waters.

The vessel was eventually paid off and sold out of the Royal Navy in 1797. No further details are readily available regarding her subsequent fate. Records detailing her service history are limited, reflecting the typical challenges of researching lower-rated naval vessels from that period.