HMS Ariadne (M65) was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy that served during World War II. Launched in 1942, the ship was named after a figure from Greek mythology. Initially assigned to the Home Fleet, Ariadne later participated in various operations, including convoy escort duties in the Arctic and Atlantic. In 1943, she was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily and supported operations in the Mediterranean theater. Ariadne was involved in several engagements and bombardments against enemy positions, including the bombardment of Rhodes in 1944. The ship also provided naval gunfire support during the Normandy landings in June 1944 as part of Operation Neptune. After the war, Ariadne was placed in reserve before being sold for scrap in 1950. The ship's service history reflects the strategic importance of light cruisers during World War II, as they played a vital role in convoy protection, shore bombardments, and supporting amphibious operations. The HMS Ariadne's contributions to various operations demonstrate the versatility and firepower of light cruisers in naval warfare during the mid-20th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.