HMS Badger was originally a Dutch hoy, a type of small, flat-bottomed vessel, acquired by the Royal Navy in 1794 amidst the outbreak of hostilities with France. The Admiralty purchased approximately 19 such Dutch hoys to rapidly establish a class of gun-vessels suited for coastal and shallow-water operations. The vessel was fitted out at Deptford between April and 25 May 1794 and commissioned under Lieutenant Lewis Mortlock. Constructed for durability and maneuverability, Badger served primarily in the coastal waters around the Îles Saint-Marcouf, located off Normandy. Her notable service began with her participation in the British effort to seize and fortify these uninhabited islands in 1795, under the command of Captain Sir Sidney Smith. Badger, along with other gunvessels, helped defend the islands from French attacks, notably during a significant French assault on 7 September 1795, where she and other vessels successfully repelled the enemy. Throughout her service, HMS Badger was active in capturing several French vessels, including Rebekah in December 1796, Souris in February 1797, and Eole, Solide Michael, and Morgonstern later that year. Her most distinguished engagement was during the French attempted invasion on 6 May 1798, where her batteries contributed to inflicting severe losses on the attacking force, forcing the French to retreat. For his role in this defense, Lieutenant Price was promoted, and the action was later commemorated with the awarding of the Naval General Service Medal. In addition to her combat duties, Badger captured multiple prizes, such as Pierre de Issigny, Fortunee, and St. Pierre de Grandcamp in 1799, and her final notable capture was the privateer Victoire in September 1800, after a daring cut-out operation under heavy shore fire. The vessel's service was characterized by her active engagement in coastal defense, interdiction, and prize-taking operations, marking her as one of the most distinguished of the Dutch hoys in the Royal Navy. She was paid off and sold in 1802, ending her noteworthy career.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.