HMS Bellona was one of two Boadicea class scout cruisers which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched from Pembroke Dockyard on 20 March 1909 and completed in February 1910. The class was designed to combine the speed of a destroyer with the hitting power of a light cruiser but her experience in both peace and war highlighted the flawed nature of the concept. She proved barely fast enough, at to keep up with the River class destroyers of the 2nd Flotilla in 1909, despite being the Senior Officer's ship, and was removed from the flotilla entirely in 1912 when outpaced by the new Acorn class destroyers.