HMS Electra (1896)

HMS Electra was a Clydebank-built, three-funnelled, 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895–1896 Naval Estimates. She was the fourth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1806 for a 16-gun brig-sloop.

In 1913 she was grouped along with similar vessels as a C-class destroyer.

Construction
She was laid down as yard number 289 on 18 October 1895, at J & G Thompson shipyard in Clydebank, and launched on 14 July 1896. During her builder's trials, she had problems attaining her contract speed. Her hull was lengthened by 4 ft, then she made her contract speed of 30 knot. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in July 1900.

Service
After commissioning Electra was assigned to the Chatham Division of the Harwich Flotilla. She was deployed in home waters for her entire service life. On 1 January 1901 she was commissioned by Lieutenant Bertram Sutton Evans as part of the Portsmouth instructional flotilla, taking the place and crew from HMS Star (1896), but he was succeeded in command only two weeks later by Lieutenant Cecil Dacre Staveley Raikes. In June 1902 she took the place of HMS Fervent (1895) in the Portsmouth instructional flotilla, under the command of Lieutenant Rowland Henry Bather, but he transferred to HMS Lightning (1895) after two months. The destroyer took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII.

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

In 1914 she was in active commission at the Nore based at Sheerness tendered to HMS Actaeon, a Royal Navy training establishment. With the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 she was assigned to the Nore Local Flotilla. Her duties included anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols in the Thames Estuary.

In 1919 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 29 April 1920 to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking.