HMS Illustrious was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy that served during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Launched in 1896, she was part of the six-ship Majestic-class. The ship saw action in various conflicts, including the First World War where it was used for coastal defense and as a training ship. During peacetime, HMS Illustrious was involved in training exercises and fleet reviews. She underwent several modernizations and upgrades over her service life, including improvements to her armament and equipment. In 1919, the ship was renamed HMS Ganges to free up the name for a planned aircraft carrier. Eventually, she was decommissioned in 1920 and sold for scrap in 1922. HMS Illustrious had a relatively short but eventful career, playing a role in naval operations and training during a period of significant technological advancements in naval warfare.

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