HMS Ruby was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the Royal Navy, launched in 1745. It was initially assigned to the North Sea and Baltic Sea during the War of the Austrian Succession. The ship later participated in the capture of a French privateer and saw action in the Mediterranean during the Seven Years' War. HMS Ruby was also involved in the Battle of Lagos in 1759 and the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1760. In 1761, the ship was present at the capture of Belle Île and later participated in the Invasion of Martinique in 1762. After a long and eventful service history, HMS Ruby was eventually broken up in 1772. The ship had a crew complement of around 300 men and was under the command of several notable naval officers throughout its career. HMS Ruby's service highlights the important role that fourth-rate ships played in naval operations during the 18th century, particularly in European conflicts and colonial engagements.

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