HMS Selby (1798)

HMS Selby was a Royal Navy bomb vessel launched in 1798. She served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, participating in several notable actions.

Selby was commissioned in August 1798 under Commander Edward William Campbell Rich Owen. Her primary role, as a bomb vessel, was to provide heavy, long-range bombardment support to naval operations. This was achieved by mounting mortars, rather than the conventional guns of a ship-of-the-line or frigate.

Her service included operations against the French coast, notably participating in a raid on Dunkirk in July 1800. She also saw action in the Mediterranean.

In 1801, Selby was present at the Battle of Alexandria, providing support to the British forces landing ashore. This battle was crucial in driving the French out of Egypt.

In 1805, Commander Robert Henderson commissioned her. She spent the rest of her career operating primarily in the English Channel and North Sea.

Selby was sold out of the Royal Navy in 1815.