HMS Delight (1806)

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]

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• Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1861762467.

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