H.M.S. Decoy (1894)
| H.M.S. Decoy (1894) | |
|---|---|
| Builder: | John I. Thornycroft & Company[1] |
| Ordered: | 1892[2] |
| Laid down: | Jul, 1892[3] |
| Launched: | 7 Feb, 1894[4] |
| Commissioned: | Jun, 1895[5] |
| Collision: | 13 Aug, 1904[6] |
H.M.S. Decoy was one of six 26 Knotters, early Torpedo Boat Destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the 1890s.
She was lost in a collision in 1904.
Service
Decoy was launched on Thornycroft's yard at Chiswick on the afternoon of 7 February, 1894. Miss Frances Donaldson, daughter of one of the partners of the firm, named the new torpedo boat destroyer.[7]
In the Annual Manoeuvres of 1901, it appears that she was to be part of Fleet "B" under the command of Lt. George V. W. Carey, operating from Devonport.[8] However, in the official report of the exercises, she seems to have been replaced by the "A" Class destroyer H.M.S. Hasty.
On 8 August, 1904, Decoy joined exercises in the Irish Sea to practice defending a force against torpedo attack, she being one of the "Blue" force based in Queenstown. On 13 August, a Blue Force comprised of four battleships screened by two flotillas of destroyers was to "attack" Falmouth. At 9pm, Decoy found herself one of four Blue destroyers lying off the Scilly Isles, hoping to catch any sortieing Red destroyers. When lights were seen to the South, the Blues followed their leader, Arun, as she got underway to investigate, but Decoy found herself being left behind. At 10.15pm, Decoy spotted a destroyer she judged to be at a stop and manoeuvred to clear her, but the other vessel, Arun proved to be rushing back after having investigated the enemy, and struck Decoy amidships despite her emergency backing of her engines. Decoy broke in two after a half hour of flooding and sank at 11pm. One of Decoy's men could not be found in the aftermath. Her Lieutenant & Commander William Douglas Paton was cleared of blame in the incident, and Arun's Commander Reginald Tyrwhitt was faulted to having failed to signal his intentions.[9][10][11]
In 1938, her bell was among a number of ships' bells the Royal Navy offered for sale to officers and others interested. It commanded a price of between £3-£10 plus packing and shipping. Interested parties were to apply to win one at its stated price, stating any special attachment or claim they had to the item(s) applied for.[12]
Captains
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
- Lieutenant Spencer V. Y. de Horsey, 24 July, 1895[13][14] – 24 August, 1895[15] (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1895)
- Commander Arthur H. Shirley, 6 February, 1896[16] – 2 December, 1897 (in lieu of a Lieutenant, at Jubilee Naval Review and the Annual Manoeuvres of 1897)
- Lieutenant & Commander Gerald W. Vivian, 2 December, 1897[17][18] – 9 January, 1899[19]
- Lieutenant & Commander George V. W. Carey, 16 July, 1901[20] – July, 1901 (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1901)
- Lieutenant & Commander Cyril Asser, 14 February, 1902[21][22] – 1 July, 1902[23]
- Lieutenant & Commander Henry R. Heathcote, 1 July, 1902 – August, 1902
- Lieutenant & Commander Leslie J. L. Hammond, 1 August, 1902[24] – 1902[25] (temporary)
- Lieutenant & Commander Arthur D. Barrow, 21 July, 1903[26][27] – 1903[28] (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1903)
- Gunner in Command James Creber, 11 September, 1903[29] – 10 November, 1904
- Lieutenant & Commander William D. Paton, 14 July, 1904[30][31] – 13 August, 1904[32] (vessel lost under his command)
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 91.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 90.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 90.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Feb 08, 1894; pg. 4; Issue 34182.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 91.
- ↑ Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. p. 17.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Feb 08, 1894; pg. 4; Issue 34182.
- ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), 11 July 1901, p. 8.
- ↑ Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. pp. 17, 18.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Aug 23, 1904; pg. 9; Issue 37480.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Aug 31, 1904; pg. 4; Issue 37487.
- ↑ "Ships' Bells for Sale." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Dec 17, 1938; pg. 19; Issue 48180.
- ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), July 19, 1895, Issue 34633, p.14.
- ↑ de Horsey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 446.
- ↑ de Horsey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 446.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1897). p. 217.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. Friday, 3 December, 1897. Issue 35377, col D, p. 5.
- ↑ Vivian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 63.
- ↑ Vivian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 63.
- ↑ "The Naval Manœuvres". The Times. Thursday, 11 July, 1901. Issue 36504, col B, p. 8.
- ↑ Asser Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/11. f.12.
- ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Thursday, 20 February 1902. (36696), p. 10.
- ↑ Asser Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/11. f.12.
- ↑ Hammond Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/429. f. 436.
- ↑ Hammond Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/429. f. 436.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. Thursday, 16 July, 1903. Issue 37134, col D, p. 8.
- ↑ Barrow Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 433.
- ↑ Barrow Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 433.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1904). p. 300.
- ↑ "Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442.
- ↑ Paton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/60. f. 68.
- ↑ Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. pp. 17, 18.
Bibliography
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