Delight
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Delight
Ordered	12 July 1805
Builder	Richard Thorne, Fremington
Laid down	June 1805
Launched	June 1806
Commissioned	July 1806
Fate	Grounded off Reggio Calabria in January 1808
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	16-gun brig-sloop
Tons burthen	28444⁄94 (bm)
Length	93 ft 0+1⁄2 in (28.4 m) (overall) 76 ft 1+7⁄8 in (23.2 m) (keel)
Beam	26 ft 6 in (8.1 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 0+1⁄4 in (3.7 m)
Sail plan	Sloop
Complement	95
Armament	14 × 24-pounder carronades 2 × 6-pounder bow guns

HMS Delight was a British Royal Navy 16-gun brig-sloop of the Seagull class launched in June 1806, six months late. She grounded off Reggio Calabria in January 1808 and was burnt to prevent her being salvaged.

Career

Commander Phillip Handfield commissioned Delight in July 1806.^[1] He then sailed her for the Mediterranean in November.^[2]

In February 1807, Delight was part of the Rear Division, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, at Admiral Duckworth's Dardanelles Operation, which was the Royal Navy's unsuccessful attempt to impose British demands on the Ottoman Empire as part of the Anglo-Turkish War (1807-1809).

On 6 April 1807 Delight brought to Vice Admiral Lord Collingwood at Cadiz the news of the capitulation of Alexandria to British forces on 28 March.^[3]

Fate

Delight was with a British squadron at Palermo in January 1808 when news arrived that the French had captured four Sicilian gunboats and taken them to Reggio di Calabria. Delight and HMS Glatton sailed to attempt to recapture the boats, and more importantly their guns, to prevent the French from using them against the British forces at Scylla (Scilla, Calabria).^[4] While attempting to prepare for action at the port, Delight grounded. Captain Thomas Secombe came over from Glatton to assist in the attempt to free Delight. Delight came under heavy fire from the shore, which she returned, but during the exchange French fire killed Handfield and seriously wounded Secombe. Eventually the decision was made to abandon Delight and the crew took to the boats.^[4] However, the French arrived before everyone could escape, and they captured a number of men, including Secombe. The French permitted Secombe to come to Messina on parole, but he died on 3 February from his wounds.^[5]