HMS Bat (1896)

HMS Bat was a Palmer three funnel, 30 knot 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.

Construction
HMS Bat was one of four 30-knotter destroyers (Bat, Chamois, Crane and Flying Fish) ordered from Palmer's of Jarrow on 8 January 1896 as part of the 1895–1896 shipbuilding programme, following on from two destroyers (Star and Whiting) ordered from Palmer's on 23 December 1895 as part of the same programme.

She was laid down on 28 May 1896 at the Palmer shipyard at Jarrow-on-Tyne and launched on 7 October 1896. During her builder’s trials she made her contracted speed requirement. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in August 1897.

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

In October 1898, the ship became the first destroyer in the Royal Navy to receive a torpedo fitted for a gyroscope, drawn from the Portsmouth Depot, a single 18-in R.G.F. Mark IV Torpedo, SL type, manufactured by Whitehead.

In 1899 she was the leader of the Devonport Flotilla under the command of Commander Ludvik Duff during exercises in July. Her next commanding officer, from 1901 to 1903, was Commander Roger Keyes, who pioneered new aggressive tactics for destroyers during this period.

Bat was deployed to the Mediterranean between 1902 and 1905.

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by alpha characters starting with the letter 'A'. Since her design speed was 30-knots and she had three funnels she was assigned to the C Class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as an C-class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.

World War I
For the test mobilization in July 1914 she was assigned to the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Chatham tendered to HMS Tyne (1878). During her deployment there she was involved in anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols.

In November 1916 she was redeployed to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla based at the Humber River. During her deployment there she was employed in anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols. She would remain there for the remainder of the war.

Disposition
In 1919 Bat was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 10 June 1919 to Hayes of Porthcawl for breaking.