HMS Decoy (1894)

Decoy

HMS Decoy was a torpedo boat destroyer which served with the Royal Navy 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 and was launched on 7 February 1894.

Although fitted with multiple torpedo tubes, 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 bridge very prone to flooding.

Service

Decoy took part in the 1896 British Naval Manoeuvres, attached to the Channel Fleet operation from Berehaven in southern Ireland. She served as instructional tender 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 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 fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII. 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 Scilly Islands on 13 August 1904. while taking part in night exercises. 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. The second, an appeal, was held on 30 August, and dismissed the charge of neglect but confirmed the charge of hazarding both vessels.