View source for HMS Bat

{{short description|Destroyer of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:HMS Bat (1896) IWM Q 020998 A.jpg|300px|HMS Bat]]
|Ship caption= HMS ''Bat''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header= 
| Ship country=United Kingdom
| Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
| Ship name=''Bat''
| Ship ordered=8 January 1896
| Ship builder= [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company]], [[Jarrow]]
| Ship laid down=28 May 1896
| Ship launched=7 October 1896
| Ship acquired=
| Ship commissioned=August 1897
| Ship decommissioned=
| Ship in service= 
| Ship out of service=Laid up in reserve, 1919
| Ship struck= 
| Ship reinstated= 
| Ship fate= Sold for breaking, 10 June 1919
| Ship honours= 
| Ship badge= 
| Ship motto=
| Ship identification=
| Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=<ref name="Lyon p78"/>
|Ship class=[[Star-class destroyer|Palmer three funnel - 30 knot]] destroyer
|Ship displacement=*{{Convert|390|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} light
*{{Convert|440|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full load
|Ship length=*{{Convert|220|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
*{{convert|215|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|pp]]
|Ship beam={{convert|20|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|5.5|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{Convert|6200|ihp|kW|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*4 × [[Reed water tube boiler]]s
*2 × vertical triple-expansion [[steam engine]]s
*2 shafts
|Ship speed= {{convert|30|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}
|Ship range=
| Ship complement= 63 officers and men
| Ship armament=
*1 × [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mark I]] L/40 naval gun on a P Mark I low angle mount
*5 × [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|QF 6-pounder 8 cwt]] L/40 naval gun on a Mark I* low angle mount
*2 × single [[Torpedo tube|tube]]s for [[British 18 inch torpedo|18-inch (450mm) torpedoes]]|<ref>{{harvnb|Jane|1905|p=77}}</ref><ref name="Moore p77"/>
| Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|is_multi=
|label= 
|partof=
|codes=
|commanders=
|operations=[[World War I]] 1914–1918
|victories=
|awards=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Bat''''' was a Palmer-built three funnel, 30 knot [[destroyer|torpedo boat destroyer]] ordered by the [[Royal Navy]] under the 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates.  She was the third ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1815 for a revenue cutter in service until 1848.<ref name="Jane-p84-85">{{harvnb|Jane|1898|pp=84–85}}</ref> ''Bat'' was classified along with similar vessels as a [[C-class destroyer (1913)|C-class destroyer]] in 1913.

==Construction==
HMS ''Bat'' was one of four 30-knotter destroyers (''Bat'', {{HMS|Chamois|1896|2}}, {{HMS|Crane|1896|2}} and {{HMS|Flying Fish|1897|2}}) ordered from [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company|Palmer's]] of [[Jarrow-on-Tyne]] on 8 January 1896 as part of the 1895–1896 shipbuilding programme, following on from two destroyers ({{HMS|Star|1896|2}} and {{HMS|Whiting|1896|2}}) ordered from Palmer's on 23 December 1895 as part of the same programme.<ref name="Lyon p78">{{harvnb|Lyon|2001|p=78}}</ref>

''Bat''{{'}}s hull was {{convert|220|ft|m|2}} [[length overall|long overall]] and {{convert|215|ft|m|2}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|20|ft|9|in|m}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|9|ft|9|in|m}}. Four [[Reed water tube boiler]]s fed steam at {{convert|250|psi}} to [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple expansion steam engines]] rated at {{convert|6,200|ihp|lk=in}} and driving two propeller shafts. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|390|LT|t|lk=on}} light and {{convert|440|LT|t|abbr=on}} full load.<ref name="Lyon p78"/>  Three funnels were fitted,<ref name="Conways60 p94">{{harvnb|Chesneau | Kolesnik|1979|p=94}}</ref> and 91 tons of coal carried.<ref name="Brassey02 p274">{{harvnb|Brassey|1902|p=274}}</ref> ''Bat'', like the other "thirty-knotters" was contractually required to maintain a speed of {{convert|30|kn}} for a continuous run of three hours and over 6 consecutively measured runs of {{convert|1|mi|km}} during [[sea trial]]s.<ref name="lyon p23">{{harvnb|Lyon|2001|p=23}}</ref>

Armament was specified as a single [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12 pounder 12 cwt]] ({{convert|3|in|mm|disp=or|adj=mid|-calibre|abbr=on}}) gun on a platform on the ship's [[conning tower]] (in practice the platform was also used as the ship's bridge), backed up by five 6-pounder guns, and two 18-inch (450&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes.<ref name="lyon p98-9">{{harvnb|Lyon|2001|pp=98–99}}</ref><ref name="Friedman p40">{{harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=40}}</ref> She had a crew of 60<ref name="Brassey02 p274"/> to 63 officers and men.<ref name="manning p42">{{harvnb|Manning|1961|p=42}}</ref>

''Bat''was laid down as [[Yard number]] 712 on 28 May 1896 at the Palmer shipyard at Jarrow and launched on 7 October 1896.<ref name="Lyon p78"/> The ship made an average speed of {{convert|30.2|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}} in a three-hour run during [[Sea trials]] on 17 July 1897.<ref>{{cite news |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=19 July 1897 |issue=35259| page=7}}</ref> She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in August 1897.<ref name="Jane-p84-85" /><ref name="Moore p77">{{harvnb|Moore|1990| p=77}}</ref>

==Service==
===Pre-War===
After commissioning ''Bat'' was assigned to the 2nd Fleet and based at Devonport on training duties.

On 22 September 1897, ''Bat'' entered into the Fleet Reserve at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=23 September 1897 |issue=35316 |page=8}}</ref> On 27 November 1987, ''Bat'' was commissioned at Portsmouth by the crew of the destroyer {{HMS|Thrasher|1895|2}} for service with the [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]] Instructional Flotilla.<ref>{{cite news |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=The Times |date=27 November 1897 |issue=35372 |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=The Times |date=29 November 1897 |issue=35373 |page=13}}</ref> In October 1898, the ship became the first destroyer in the Royal Navy to receive a torpedo fitted for a [[gyroscope]].<ref>[http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/H.M.S._Bat_(1896) The Dreadnought Project].</ref>

In 1899 she was the leader of the [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]] Flotilla under the command of Commander [[Alexander Duff (Royal Navy officer)|Alexander Ludovic Duff]] during exercises in July. The following month she had her starboard propeller damaged while in [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]] harbour, when the destroyer {{HMS|Fairy|1897|2}} dragged her moorings and drifted into ''Bat'' and other ships of the flotilla.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=19 February 1900 |page=9 |issue=36069}}</ref> Following repairs in Devonport, she was to go back to the flotilla, but had to withdraw for a longer period as there was an accident in the engine-room during power trials in late February.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=24 February 1900 |page=8 |issue=36074 }}</ref> She paid off into the Dockyard reserve at Devonport on 8 March 1900.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=9 March 1900 |page=12 |issue=36085}}</ref> Her commanding officer, from 1901, was Commander [[Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes|Roger Keyes]], who pioneered new aggressive tactics for destroyers during this period. ''Bat'' was paid off on 4 January 1902, when her crew was turned over to the destroyer {{HMS|Falcon|1899|2}}, which took her place in the flotilla.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=2 January 1902 |page=8 |issue=36654}}</ref> After paying off, she underwent repairs to re-tube her [[Reed water tube boiler|Reed boilers]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=14 May 1902 |page=12 |issue=36767}}</ref>

''Bat'' was deployed to the Mediterranean between 1902 and 1905.<ref name="Lyon p78"/> On 2 September 1902 she commissioned at Devonport to join the [[Mediterranean Fleet]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=25 August 1902 |page=8 |issue=36855}}</ref> Arriving at [[Malta]], she became [[Ship's tender|tender]] to {{HMS|Orion|1879|6}}, [[depot ship]] for [[torpedo boat]]s.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=3 September 1902 |page=4 |issue=36863}}</ref> In early January 1903 she took part in a three-weeks cruise with other ships of her squadron in the Greek islands around [[Corfu]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=21 January 1903 |page=8 |issue=36983}}</ref> On the night of 27 October 1904, ''Bat'' was in collision with the destroyer {{HMS|Panther|1897|2}} off [[Gozo]], with both ships having to return to Malta for repairs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=31 October 1904 |issue= 37539 |page=10 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=General Cable Messages: Destroyers in Collision |newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |date=1 November 1904 |page=5 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19310662 |access-date=10 April 2022}}</ref>

In 1910, ''Bat'' was part of the [[Fourth Destroyer Flotilla]], based at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]] and tendered to the depot ship {{HMS|Hecla|1878|2}}.<ref name="nmm">{{cite web|url=http://www.rmg.co.uk/upload/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_v.pdf|title=NMM, vessel ID 380631|work=Warship Histories, vol v|publisher=[[National Maritime Museum]]|access-date=16 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030115558/http://www.rmg.co.uk/upload/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_v.pdf|archive-date=30 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Manning p25">{{harvnb|Manning|1961|p=25}}</ref> By March 1913, ''Bat'' was part of the Sixth Flotilla at Portsmouth, which was equipped with older destroyers for patrol purposes.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Patrol Flotillas|journal=The Monthly Naval List|date=March 1913|page=269d|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=94246554|access-date=18 October 2014}}.</ref><ref name="Manning p25"/> The destroyer transferred to the Eighth Flotilla, based at [[Chatham Dockyard|Chatham]] in early 1914.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Patrol Flotillas|journal=The Monthly Naval List|date=February 1914|page=269b|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=91820645&mode=fullsize|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

On 30 August 1912 the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by letters starting with 'A'.  Since her design speed was {{convert|30|knots}} and she had three funnels, she was assigned to the {{nobr|C class}} on 30 September 1913.<ref name="Conway06 p18">{{harvnb|Gardiner |Gray|1985|p=18}}</ref><ref name="Manning p17-8">{{harvnb|Manning|1961|pp=17–18}}</ref>  The class letter 'C' was painted on the hull below the bridge area and on a funnel.<ref name="Manning p34">{{harvnb|Manning|1961|p=34}}</ref>

===World War I===
In July 1914 ''Bat'' was assigned to the [[8th Destroyer Flotilla]] based at [[Chatham Dockyard|Chatham]] tendered to {{HMS|Tyne|1878|6}}.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Patrol Flotillas|journal=The Naval List|date=July 1914|page=269c|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/91861766|access-date=29 January 2021 |via=National Library of Scotland}}</ref>  On the outbreak of war, the Eighth Flotilla was deployed to the [[Firth of Forth]], carrying out patrol duties in support of the [[Grand Fleet]].<ref name="Ditt p16">{{harvnb|Dittmar|Colledge|1972|p=16}}</ref><ref name="Manning p26">{{harvnb|Manning|1961|p=26}}</ref> By January 1915, ''Bat'', although still supported by ''Tyne'', was attached to the Grand Fleet.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=91953402&mode=fullsize|title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=January 1915|page=8|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref> She remained attached to the Grand Fleet through the rest of 1915 and 1916.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92098750&mode=fullsize |title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=December 1916|page=12|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

On 3 May 1917, ''Bat'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Ouse||2}} opened fire on the British submarine {{HMS|C10||2}} off [[Blyth, Northumberland]]. Although one man was killed and a second was wounded, the submarine survived.<ref>{{Harvnb|Naval Staff Monograph No. 35|1939|p=115}}</ref> In July 1917 ''Bat'' was redeployed to the East Coast Convoy Flotilla,<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92148774 |title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=June 1917|page=12|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=94241426 |title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=July 1917|page=16|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref> this merging into the [[7th Destroyer Flotilla]] based at the [[Humber]] the next month, continuing in escort operations for East coast convoys.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=94241858 |title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=August 1917|page=16|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref> She would remain there for the remainder of the war.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92315650 |title=Supplement to the Monthly Naval List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c|journal=The Naval List|date=December 1918|page=15|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

On 29 January 1918, ''Bat'' collided with the tug {{ship|ST|Guiana|1886|2}} off [[Whitby]], sinking the tug and killing four of ''Guiana''{{'}}s crew.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thamestugs.co.uk/DEFIANCE---HER-MAJESTY.php|title=Williams Watkins Limited: Fleet List: Defiance–Her Majesty|work=Thames Tugs|date=11 September 2014|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

In 1919 ''Bat'' was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal.  She was sold on 30 August 1919 to Hayes of [[Porthcawl]] for breaking.<ref name="Ditt p57">{{harvnb|Dittmar|Colledge|1972|p=57}}</ref><ref name="Lyon p78-9">{{harvnb|Lyon|2001|pp=78–79}}</ref><ref name="gwpda">{{cite web|last=Arrowsmith|first=John|title="Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class|work=The World War I Primary Documents Archive|url=http://www.gwpda.org/naval/s0420000.htm|date=27 January 1997|access-date=1 Jun 2013}}</ref>

==Pennant numbers==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Pennant number<ref name="gwpda" /> ||From||To
|-
|P97||6 Dec 1914||1 Sep 1915
|-
|D46||1 Sep 1915||1 Jan 1918
|-
|D09||1 Jan 1918||13 Sep 1918
|-
|H87||13 Sep 1918|| -
|}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Brassey|first=T. A.|title=The Naval Annual 1902|year=1902|publisher=J. Griffin and Co|location=Portsmouth, UK|url=https://archive.org/details/brasseysnavala1902brasuoft}}
*{{cite book|last=Brown|first=D. K.|title=Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860–1905|year=2003|publisher=Caxton Editions|location=London|isbn=1-84067-529-2}}
*{{cite book|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|editor2-last=Kolesnik|editor2-first=Eugene M.|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905|year=1979 |name-list-style=amp |publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London |isbn=0-85177-133-5}}
*{{Cite Colledge2006}}
*{{cite book|last1=Dittmar|first1=F.J.|last2=Colledge|first2=J.J.|title=British Warships 1914–1919|year=1972|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton, UK|isbn=0-7110-0380-7}}
*{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War|year=2009|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-049-9}}
*{{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-245-5}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Hepper|first1=David|last2=Conway|first2=Michael S.|title=Question 18/57|ISSN=0043-0374 |journal=Warship International |date=June 2021 |volume=LVIII |issue=2 |pages=100–101}}
*{{cite book|last=Jane|first=Fred T.|title=Jane's All the World's Fighting Ships 1898|year=1969|publisher=ARCO Publishing Company|location=New York|orig-year=first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1898|ref={{harvid|Jane|1898}} }}
*{{cite book|last=Jane|first=Fred T.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1905|year=1969|publisher=ARCO Publishing Company|location=New York|orig-year=first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1905|ref={{harvid|Jane|1905}}}}
*{{cite book|last=Lyon|first=David|title=The First Destroyers|year=2001|orig-year=1996|publisher=Caxton Editions|location=London|isbn=1-84067-3648}}
*{{cite book|last=Manning|first=T. D.|title=The British Destroyer|year=1961|publisher=Putnam & Co.|location=London|oclc= 6470051}}
*{{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|location=London |OCLC=164893555}}
*{{cite book|last=Moore|first=John|title=Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I|year=1990|publisher=Studio|location=London|orig-year=Content originally published by Jane's Publishing Company, 1914, 1919|isbn=1-85170-378-0}}
*{{cite book|title=Monograph No. 35: Home Waters—Part IX: 1st May 1917 to 31st July 1917|series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical)|volume=XIX|year=1939|publisher=The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.XIX_opt.pdf|ref={{Harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 35|1939}} }}
{{C class destroyer}}
{{January 1918 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bat (1898)}}
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1896 ships]]
[[Category:C-class destroyers (1913)]]
[[Category:World War I destroyers of the United Kingdom]]