HMS ''Decoy'' was a

torpedo boat destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

which served with the

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in home waters. She was launched in 1895 and sunk in a collision with the destroyer in 1904.

Construction

She was built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at

Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and ...

and was launched on 7 February 1894.''

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(London)'', Thursday, 8 February 1894, p.4 Although fitted with multiple

torpedo tube A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed abo ...

s, her bow tube proved useless in practice as — while running at high attack speeds — the ship was prone to overtake its own torpedo. The clumsy tube also reduced living quarters and made the

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very prone to flooding.

Service

''Decoy'' took part in the 1896 British Naval Manoeuvres, attached to the

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operation from

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in southern Ireland.Brassey (1897), pp. 141–143, 149. She served as instructional

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to ''Cambridge'', a gunnery school ship, until August 1901. Lieutenant Cyril Asser was appointed in command in February 1902, when she was based at

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymout ...

as part of the Devonport instructional flotilla, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Henry Ralph Heathcote on 1 July the same year. Heathcote transferred to the following month, and was succeeded in command by Lieutenant L. J. I. Hammond on 8 August 1902. She took part in the

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held at

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on 16 August 1902 for the

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of King

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. She acted temporary as tender to ''Cambridge'' again from late August, when her crew transferred to , which took her place in the flotilla. The following month she was reported to be back in the instructional flotilla. ''Decoy'' was lost in a collision with the destroyer off the

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on 13 August 1904. while taking part in night exercises.Kemp (1999), p. 1. One man was killed while the remaining 40 members of the crew were rescued by ''Arun'' and . Courts martial regarding the sinking were subsequently assembled aboard the battleship . The first, on 22 August, attributed blame to the commander of ''Arun'',

Reginald Tyrwhitt Admiral of the Fleet Sir Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, 1st Baronet, (; 10 May 1870 – 30 May 1951) was a Royal Navy officer. During the First World War he served as commander of the Harwich Force. He led a supporting naval force of 31 destroyers ...

. The second, an appeal, was held on 30 August,''

(London)'', Friday, 31 August 1904, p.4 and dismissed the charge of neglect but confirmed the charge of hazarding both vessels.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Decoy (1894) Daring-class destroyers (1893) 1894 ships Ships built in Chiswick Maritime incidents in 1904 Ships sunk in collisions Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean Ships built by John I. Thornycroft & Company