HMS Osprey was a three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer built for the Royal Navy, ordered under the 1896–1897 Naval Estimates from the Fairfield shipyard in Govan, Glasgow. Laid down as yard number 397 on 14 November 1896, she was launched on 7 April 1897 and completed by July 1898, during which she met her contracted speed requirements. As a vessel of her class, she featured three funnels and was designed for high-speed operations typical of early 20th-century destroyers. Upon commissioning, HMS Osprey was assigned to the Portsmouth Flotilla of the 1st Fleet. In February 1900, she was commissioned as a tender to HMS Vivid at Devonport, serving within the Devonport Instructional Flotilla under Lieutenant Godfrey Edwin Corbett. She underwent boiler re-tubing repairs in May 1902. Notably, on 5 July 1911, she was involved in a collision with the destroyer Bonetta while leaving Berehaven harbour; Osprey remained undamaged, though Bonetta sustained bow damage. In 1912, the Admiralty classified her as a C-class destroyer, based on her three funnels and 30-knot contract speed, with class markings painted on her hull and funnel. During the mobilization for World War I in July 1914, Osprey was assigned to the 8th Destroyer Flotilla at Chatham, where she conducted anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols. In August 1914, she was redeployed to the Scapa Flow Local Flotilla to provide protection for the fleet anchorage. Her wartime service included patrols in the North Channel, based at Larne, Ireland, from November 1916. Her duties encompassed anti-submarine warfare, counter-mining, and contraband enforcement. In 1918, she was transferred to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Londonderry, remaining based at Larne. After the war, HMS Osprey was paid off in 1919, laid up in reserve, and subsequently sold for scrap on 4 November 1919 to J.H. Lee of Dover. HMS Osprey earned the battle honour "Belgian Coast 1914–17" for her wartime service, marking her as a notable participant in naval operations along the Belgian coast during World War I.

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