Hecla, 1798
Type: Bomb ; Armament 12
Purchased : 1798 ; Disposal date or year : 1813
Notes:

Circa May 1799 Captain Oughton, of the Hecla bomb, is appointed to the command of the Sphynx sloop, vice Lord Augustus Fitzroy.

14-20 May 1798 Involved in expedition to Ostende, supporting the army.

13 Aug-Oct 1799 employed on expedition to Holland.

Circa May 1800 Captain Bover, appointed from the Hecla bomb, to the Alecto fire ship.

9 Aug 1800 a squadron under Vice-Admiral Dickson consisting of the Monarch, Glatton, Polyphemus, Ardent, Veteran, Romney, Isis, Waakzamheid, and Martin ; Volcano, Hecla, Sulphur, and Zebra bombs ; Boxer, Furious, Griper, Swinger, and Haughty gun-vessels, departed North Yarmouth Roads for Copenhagen to be present during Lord Whitworth's negotiations with the Danish authorities! 15 Aug arrived in the Skaw and then went through a number of manoeuvres etc. ; and then departed for England. For more details see p. 240 of vol 4 of the Naval Chronicles.

14 Sep 1800 the squadron arrived back at Yarmouth.

7 Jan 1801 Captain Digby of the Hecla, at Sheerness, is appointed to the Kite, in the room of Captain Lydiard, promoted post-captain.

10 Mar 1801 the North Sea Fleet has come together at N. Yarmouth, and consists of the London, and St George, 98 guns, Adm. Sir Hyde Parker having transferred his flag from the Ardent to the St George ; Monarch, Bellona, Saturn, Ramilies, Ganges, Warrior, Russell and Defence, 74 ; Veteran, Ardent, Polyphemus, Raisonable, Agamemnon, 64 ; Glatton, 54 ; Isis, 50 ; Desiree, Blanche, and Amazon frigates ; Pylades, Hyaena, Dart, and Arrow, sloops ; Harpy ; Biter, Blazer, Bruiser, Tigress, Pelter, Teazer, Hasty, Force, Sparkler Brigs ; Terror, Volcano, Explosion, Hecla, Zebra, Albion, Sulphur, and Discovery bombs ; Eling, schooner ; cutters Fox and Hazard ; and luggers Rover and Lark.

Circa 12 Mar 1801 fleet under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker departed from Yarmouth roads for Copenhagen. 30 Mar the vessels initially detailed to take part in the forthcoming Battle of Copenhagen. 1 Apr the vessels detailed sail for Copenhagen ; the British ships held in reserve ; the Danish positions : 2 Apr the battle commences : the truce : the casualties : the wash-up :

12 Apr 1801 the fleet departed from Copenhagen into the Baltic.

19 Jul 1801 would appear to have arrived N. Yarmouth with the Baltic fleet under the command of Adm Graves, but wasn't included in the listing ; she was, however, included in the list of vessels that departed on the 20th.

20 Jul 1801 departed N. Yarmouth today, for the Downs : for the revised make up of the fleet click on Polyphemus.

22 Jul 1801 arrived in the Downs, from Yarmouth, and remains.

3 Aug 1801 wind NE, departed the Downs last night the Zebra, Volcano, Discovery, Sulpher and Hecla bombs and tenders to the coast of France.

6 Aug 1801 arrived in the Downs the Sulphur, Volcano, Zebra, Discovery and Hecla, bombs and tenders, from off Boulogne, having destroyed 10 sail of French gun vessels.

25 Sep 1801 arrived in the Downs, the Hecla, with the gun brig Attack and remains.

27 Sep 1801 departed the Downs, the bomb Hecla, Capt Hatherill, for Beachy Head.

5 Oct 1801 arrived Sheerness from Dungeness, with a view to her coming into the harbour this evening.

11 Oct 1801 at Sheerness to prepare to be paid off following the recent signing of the Peace of Amiens.

21 Jul 1802 head money for those present at the Engagement at Copenhagen, on the 2d April 1801, due for payment.

17 Nov-30 Dec 1802 prize money resulting from the expedition to Holland due for payment.

10 Jun 1803 paid off at Sheerness.

8 Jul 1803 arrive N Yarmouth Roads and remain, the Leda, Adm Thornborough ; Gelykheid, and Penelope, frigates ; Zebra, and Locust, gun brigs ; Hecla, bomb ; from a cruise in the North Sea.

24 Jul 1803 arrived N Yarmouth Roads the frigates Penelope, Fortun�e, and bombs Hecla and Vesuvius, from off the Elbe, where they had formed a part of a squadron blockading the Elbe. They have also detained a number of foreign ships, all laden, their prizes.

1 Aug 1803 arrived N Yarmouth.

23 Aug 1803 arrived N Yarmouth from the Nore, with dispatches for Adm Thornborough.

25 Aug 1803 departed N Yarmouth, the Hecla, Vesuvius, bombs, and the Bold, gun brig, to cruise off the Coast of Holland.

2 Sep 1803 arrived N Yarmouth, the Hecla, with the Censor, and Constant.

9 Sep 1803 departed N Yarmouth on a cruise.

14 Sep 1803 departed Hull for Spithead with several vessels bound for Portugal and Spain. I should perhaps point out that in the Morning Chronicle this vessel was described as the Hector sloop, but the Hector was a 74 gun ship of the line and whilst the Hecla was a bomb and not a sloop, she was was operating on the right part of coast in the North Sea, and from the following item appears to have performed the right task ;-) So, shall we say an educated and perhaps lucky guess ?

24 Sep 1803 arrived Spithead the Hecla, bomb, Capt Sykes, from the Downs.

27 Sep 1803 departed Spithead for the Downs.

2 Oct 1803 arrived in the Downs from Spithead.

7 Oct 1803 departed the Downs, the Circe, the Hecla, and the Vesuvius, bombs, and the Minx, gun brig, on a cruise off the coast of France.

30 Oct 1803 arrived in the Downs from Guernsey.

31 Oct 1803 departed the Downs for the Westward.

7 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise.

12 Nov 1803 a boat from the Hecla was upset in a gale off Reculver, near Margate, by which Capt Parsons, his Surgeon, Master, and four Sailors were drowned.

1 Dec 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise the Hecla, Capt Sykes.

23 Jul -1 Aug 1804 bombardment of H�vre.

24 Jul 1804 the Melpomene reports that since writing on the 17th winds were light and variable, succeeded by a gale from the north when the the bombs had difficulty keeping clear of the shore. Yesterday the wind veered round to the SW and the squadron stood in towards Havre, and at 11 the bombs tested their range, and at a quarter past eleven began a tremendous fire of shell and carcasse, which continued for an hour and a half, and not long afterwards the town was observed to be on fire and it was agreed that vessels in the vicinity of the peers were so closely packed that it was impossible for them not to have suffered considerably. The enemy's mortar batteries had been considerably increased since the bombardment of the 16th, and whilst some damage was done to some of the bombs no injuries were experienced by the crews. A shell passed through the mizen stay sail of the Zebra, and another carried away the spare topsail yard of the Merlin, and two chain plates grazed her side. Similarly a 42 pound shot cut the spare topmast and some other spars, and lodged in the booms of the Hecla. And whilst the RN crews of the bombs received their due commendations for the way the vessels were handled and positioned, so a too were the officers and men of the Royal Artillery who were responsible for manning the mortars. Unfortunately due to the tight binding of the newspapers the resulting poor quality of the print close to the binding precludes a more full account from the Hampshire Telegraph of 30 Jul 1804.

Circa 28 Jul 1804 the Pluto, Capt Janverin, brings an account of a more serious attack being made by Capt Oliver, of the Melpomene, and the Havre squadron, on the gun boats of that port, than any yet effected. The Squadron has been strengthened by the Trusty, Magnanime, Locust, Gun vessels, and Explosion, Zebra and Hecla, bombs.

31 Jul 1804 in company with the Melpomene, Trusty, Ariadne, Magnanime, Pluto, Meteor, Favorite, Merlin, Hecla, and Zebra, Locust Brig, and Nancy and King George Cutters captured the Postilion.

4 Aug 1804 arrived Spithead, the Hecla, from off Havre, for ammunition.

22 Sep 1804 departed Portsmouth harbour for Spithead.

25 Sep 1804 departed Spithead, the Hecla, Capt Sykes, for off Havre.

17 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead the Hecla, from off Havre.

Circa 29 Dec 1804 came into Portsmouth harbour the Meteor, Prospero, and Hecla to be fitted with mortars.

Circa 29 Dec 1804 departed Portsmouth harbour for Spithead, and is under order for the Cork station.

May 1805 Spithead