The Fearsome Legacy of H.M.S. Lightning

The Dawn of a New Era in Naval Warfare

We all know that H.M.S Dreadnought was a game changer, but this little craft had almost every single Admiral in fear.

Built and designed by John I. Thornycroft of Chiswick and launched in 1876, H.M.S. Lightning was the first seagoing vessel to be armed with self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. As well as being, at the time, the fastest “warship” the Royal Navy had in service. She had a top speed of 18.5 knots, which was breakneck speed for any ship at the time.

The Indomitable Potential of Torpedo Boats

Now I know what you are wondering, why did this torpedo boat have many admirals in fear? Well, it was not the vessel itself, but its potential in combat. Lightning was the first warship to be fitted with not only self-propelled torpedoes, but could easily deploy them at speed against moving targets… Like battleships and cruisers.

The Vanguard of Naval Innovation

It also didn’t help that during one fleet review, HMS Lightning was seen speeding between larger vessels with ease. Add to the fact that a torpedo boat can be easily built by anyone in large numbers, it soon became clear that boats like Lightning could be a serious threat.

As a result, many nations began to develop other ships that were just as fast, but a bit larger and carried more guns to counter the looming threats of torpedo boats. These vessels would ultimately be known as…