View source for HMS Douglas

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Douglas WWI IWM SP 51.jpg
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country={{nowrap|United Kingdom}}
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Douglas''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=July 1916
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Cammell Laird]]
|Ship laid down=30 June 1917
|Ship launched=20 February 1918
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=2 September 1918
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=Paid off into reserve, February 1945
|Ship renamed=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap on 20 March 1945
|Ship homeport=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Admiralty type destroyer leader]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1580|LT|t|abbr=on}} Normal
*{{convert|2050|LT|t|abbr=on}} deep load
|Ship length={{convert|332|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|31|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|40000|shp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[steam engine]]s
*2 × shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|36.5|kn|mph km/h|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship range={{convert|5000|nmi|mi km|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=164-183
|Ship armament=
* 5 × [[BL 4.7 inch /45 naval gun|BL 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mk I guns]]
* 6 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|inch|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} torpedo]] [[torpedo tube|tubes]]
|Ship armour=
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'''HMS ''Douglas''''' was an [[Admiralty type flotilla leader]] (also known as the ''Scott''-class) of the British [[Royal Navy]]. Built by [[Cammell Laird]], ''Douglas'' commissioned in 1918, just before the end of the [[First World War]]. During the [[Second World War]], ''Douglas'' served with [[Force H]] out of [[Gibraltar]] and as a convoy escort. She was sold for scrap in March 1945.

==Design and construction==
[[File:HMS Douglas (1918).gif|thumb|HMS Douglas (1918) before modifications]]
In December 1916, the [[British Admiralty]] placed orders for two [[Admiralty type flotilla leader|large flotilla leaders]], {{HMS|Bruce|D81|6}} and ''Douglas'' from [[Cammell Laird]] as a follow on to the prototype of the class, {{HMS|Scott|1917|6}}, which had been ordered in April that year.<ref name="Conways06 p83">Gardiner and Gray 1985, p. 83.</ref> The ship was {{convert|320|ft|0|in|m|2}} [[length between perpendiculars|long between perpendiculars]] and {{convert|332|ft|5|in|m|2}} [[length overall|overall]],<ref name="Fried p298">Friedman 2009, p. 298.</ref> with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|31|ft|9|in|m}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m}}.<ref name="Conways06 p83"/> Design [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] was {{convert|1580|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|2050|LT|t|}} full load.<ref name="Fried p298"/> The ship's machinery consisted of four [[Yarrow boiler]]s that fed steam at {{convert|250|psi}} to two sets of [[C. A. Parsons and Company|Parsons]] single-reduction geared-[[steam turbines]], rated at {{convert|40000|shp}}. This gave a design speed of {{convert|36.5|kn}} light, which corresponded to about {{convert|32|kn}} at full load.<ref name="lentv1 p43">Lenton 1970, p. 43.</ref>

''Douglas''{{'}} main gun armament consisted of five [[BL 4.7 inch /45 naval gun|4.7 in (120 mm)/45 calibre BL Mark I]] guns,{{#tag:ref|In British practice, [[List of British ordnance terms#BL|BL]] (Breech Loading) indicated that a separate, bagged charge was used.|group=lower-alpha}} on CP VI mountings capable of elevating to 30 degrees.<ref name="Preston p99,1">Preston 1971, pp. 99, 101.</ref> These guns could fire a {{convert|50|lb|kg|adj=on}} shell to {{convert|15800|yd|m}} at a rate of 5–6 rounds per minute per gun.<ref>{{cite web|last1=DiGiulian|first1=Tony|title=Britain: 4.7"/45 (12 cm) BL Mark I, 4.7"/45 (12 cm) BL Mark II|url=http://navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_47-45_mk1.htm|website=navweapons.com|access-date=22 February 2015|date=25 May 2014}}</ref> 120 rounds per gun were carried.<ref name="Fried p298"/> Anti-aircraft armament consisted of a single [[QF 3-inch 20 cwt|3 inch (76 mm) 20 cwt]] gun.<ref name="Conways06 p82-3">Gardiner and Gray 1985, pp. 82–83.</ref> Torpedo armament consisted of six 21 inch (533&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts.<ref name="Preston p99,1"/>

''Douglas'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at Cammell Laird's [[Birkenhead]] shipyard on 30 June 1917, [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 8 June 1918 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 30 August 1918.<ref name="Preston p101">Preston 1971, p. 101.</ref><ref name="Whit p85">Whitley 2002, p. 85.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Friedman states that ''Douglas'' was launched on 20 February 1918 and completed on 2 September 1918.<ref name="Fried p314">Friedman 2009, p. 314.</ref>|group=lower-alpha}}

===Modifications===
While ''Douglas'' had only limited modifications between the wars,<ref name="Whitley p86">Whitley 2000, p. 86.</ref> an early change during the Second World War was the replacement of the amidships 4.7-inch gun by two [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom"]] [[autocannon]], with the aft funnel shortened to improve the field of fire for the 3 inch anti-aircraft gun.<ref name="Whitley p86"/><ref name="Fried p242">Friedman 2009, p. 242.</ref> Three [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]] later supplemented the short-range anti-aircraft armament, while a further two Oerlikons finally replaced the 2-pounders.<ref name="lentv1 p43"/> [[Radar]] ([[List of World War II British naval radar#Type 286|Type 286]], later replaced by [[List of World War II British naval radar#Type 290|Type 290]] and [[Type 271 radar|Type 271]]) was fitted during the war,<ref name="lentv1 p43"/> as was [[High-frequency direction finding|HF/DF]] radio direction-finding gear.<ref name="Preston cap">Preston 1971, plate 13 caption, between p. 64 and 65.</ref>

Conversion to a short-range escort involved removal of two more 4.7 inch guns and a bank of torpedo tubes, with the forward gun replaced by a [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] anti-submarine mortar, and the aft gun and tubes removed to allow a heavy depth charge armament of 70 charges.<ref name="Fried p252">Friedman 2009, p. 252.</ref>

==Service history==
On commissioning ''Douglas'' joined the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, part of the [[Dover Patrol]], as leader.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: IV: Dover Patrol|journal=The Navy List|date=August 1918|page=14|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92290290&mode=fullsize|access-date=20 February 2015}}</ref> On 16 September 1918, ''Douglas''{{'}} boats helped to pick up survivors from the monitor {{HMS|Glatton|1914|2}}, which was scuttled in Dover harbour following a magazine fire and explosion. In October, ''Douglas'' was employed escorting monitors off the Belgian coast, taking part in the bombardment of [[Ostend]] on 17 October 1918 and rescuing survivors from {{HMS|M21||2}} when the monitor was mined and sunk off Ostend on 20 October.<ref name="engp26">English 2019, p. 26.</ref> On 25 October that year ''Douglas'' transferred to the [[Grand Fleet]], joining the 11th Destroyer Flotilla at [[Scapa Flow]].<ref name="engp26"/><ref>{{cite web|title=World War One At Sea: Ships of the Royal Navy – Location/Action Data, 1914–1918: Part 2 – Admiralty "Pink Lists", 11 November 1918|url=http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Locations2PL1811.htm|publisher=naval-history.net|access-date=22 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: I: The Grand Fleet: Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet|journal=The Navy List|date=August 1918|page=12|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92315614&mode=fullsize|access-date=20 February 2015}}</ref>

By March 1919, ''Douglas'' had moved to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: I: The Grand Fleet: Destroyers|journal=The Navy List|date=March 1919|page=11|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92444274&mode=fullsize|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> but by May 1919, ''Douglas'' was in reserve at [[Rosyth Dockyard|Rosyth]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: IV: Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases|journal=The Navy List|date=May 1919|page=18|url=http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=92444274&mode=fullsize|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> On 18 March 1920, ''Douglas'' recommissioned as leader for the [[4th Destroyer Flotilla]] of the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]]. On 2 December, she was damaged by a collision at [[Cobh|Queenstown]] in the south of Ireland, and was under repair at [[Pembroke Dock]] until 26 January 1921.<ref name="engp26"/> ''Douglas'' reduced to reserve (with a reduced complement) on 26 June 1921,<ref name="engp26"/> and was still laid up at Rosyth at the end of 1921.<ref name="Preston p36">Preston 1971, p. 36.</ref> In March 1922, ''Douglas'', still under reserve, moved to [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]], and from June to November that year was employed testing cradles for new [[slipway]]s at Pembroke, before returning to reserve at Devonport.<ref name="engp26"/>

''Douglas'' was refitted at [[Sheerness dockyard]] in January to March 1928, and then commissioned as leader of the 1st Submarine Flotilla of the [[Mediterranean Fleet]], based at [[Malta]] on 7 April 1928.<ref name="engp26"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Watson |first=Graham |title=Between the Wars: Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1919–1939 |publisher=Naval-history.net |date=2 September 2015 |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGW-RNOrganisation1919-39.htm |access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref> ''Douglas'' was again refitted at Sheerness from October 1933 to May 1934, where her boilers were retubed, before returning to the 1st Submarine Flotilla.<ref name="engp26"/> ''Douglas'' was refitted at Malta in August 1935, and in September that year, as a result of the [[Abyssinia Crisis]], reinforcing the [[1st Destroyer Flotilla]].<ref name="engp27">English 2019, p. 27</ref> In July 1936, following the outbreak of the [[Spanish Civil War]], the Royal Navy sent ships to Spanish harbours to evacuate British subjects, with ''Douglas'' being one of several ships sent to [[Barcelona]].<ref>{{cite news|title=British Warships sent to Spanish Ports|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87396818?|access-date=27 February 2015|work=[[Kalgoorlie Miner]]|date=24 July 1936|page=5}}</ref> ''Douglas'' returned to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in September 1936,<ref name="engp27"/> and remained part of that flotilla in March 1939.<ref>{{cite journal|title=IV: Mediterranean|journal=The Navy List|date=March 1939|page=206|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92664466|access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref> ''Douglas'' was refitted at [[Gibraltar]] from March to July 1939.<ref name="engp27"/>

===Second World War===
In September 1939, at the start of the [[Second World War]], ''Douglas'' was a member of the 13th Destroyer Flotilla, based at [[Gibraltar]], having joined the flotilla on 22 August.<ref name="engp27"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=Royal Navy Ships: September 1939|work=British and Other Navies in World War Two Day-by-Day|publisher=Naval-History.net|date=9 April 2012 |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-3909-04RN.htm|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> On 24 October, ''Douglas'', along with the leader {{HMS|Keppel|D84|2}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Watchman|D26|2}} and {{HMS|Vidette|D48|2}}, set out to hunt the German submarine {{ship|German submarine|U-37|1938|2}}, which had sunk three merchant ships. ''Douglas'' picked up the survivors from one of the ships, the {{ship|SS|Tafna||2}}. A [[Saro London]] [[flying boat]] from Gibraltar-based [[No. 202 Squadron RAF]] alighted in an attempt to rescue survivors, but was unable to take-off again, and was towed back to Gibraltar by ''Douglas'' as she returned the survivors to land.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=Naval Events, October 1939 (Part 2 of 2): Sunday 15th-Tuesday 31st|work=British and Other Navies in World War Two Day-by-Day|publisher=Naval-History.net|date=7 April 2012|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-3910-07OCT02.htm|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> On 21 January 1940, ''Douglas'' was escorting the Gibraltar bound convoy OG.15F off the coast of [[Portugal]] when she spotted a German submarine {{Ship|German submarine|U-44|1939|2}} and attacked. ''U-44'' sustained only minor damage.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=Naval Events, January 1940 (Part 2 of 2): Tuesday 16th – Wednesday 31st|work=British and Other Navies in World War Two Day-by-Day|publisher=Naval-History.net|date=7 April 2012|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4001-10JAN02.htm|access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="Whitley p86"/>

On 8 July 1940, ''Douglas'' sortied as part of the escort for [[Force H]], which had left Gibraltar to act as a distraction while the British Mediterranean Fleet escorted two convoys between Malta and [[Alexandria]]. While the Mediterranean Fleet clashed briefly with Italian forces at the [[Battle of Calabria]], Force H's movements caused Italian submarines, one of which sank the destroyer {{HMS|Escort|H66|2}}, to be redeployed away from the convoy, and attracted heavy air attacks.<ref name="Rohwer p28">Rohwer and Hümmelchen 1992, p. 28.</ref> Later that month, ''Douglas'' returned to Britain, undergoing condenser repairs before joining to the [[Home Fleet]], based at Scapa Flow, carrying out patrol duties, as well as escorting the fleet and minelaying operations.<ref name="engp27"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=Naval Events, July 1940 (Part 1 of 2): Monday 1st – Sunday 14th|work=British and Other Navies in World War Two Day-by-Day|publisher=Naval-History.net|date=7 April 2012|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4007-20JUL01.htm|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="navhist">{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Geoffry B.|title=HMS Douglas (D90) – Scott-class Flotilla Leader: including Convoy Escort Movements|work=Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2|publisher=Naval-History.net|year=2004|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-03Scott-HMS_Douglas.htm|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref> On 2 November, ''Douglas'' rescued twelve survivors from the naval trawler {{ship|HMT|Wardour||2}}, which had been sunk by a mine on 31 October.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=Naval Events, November 1940 (Part 1 of 2): Friday 1st – Thursday 14th|work=British and Other Navies in World War Two Day-by-Day|publisher=Naval-History.net|date=7 April 2012|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4011-24NOV01.htm|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref>

In February 1941, ''Douglas'' was transferred from the Home Fleet to [[Western Approaches Command]], joining the 2nd Escort Group. On 28 April, Convoy HX 121 came under heavy U-boat attack, and the 2nd Escort Group, including ''Douglas'', was detached from Convoy OB 314 to reinforce HX 121. On approaching the convoy, ''Douglas'' rescued 18 survivors from the tanker {{ship|MV|Capulet||2}}, which had been torpedoed by {{ship|German submarine|U-552||2}}, but failed in an attempt to sink ''Capulet''{{'}}s abandoned wreck with gunfire.{{#tag:ref|The hulk of ''Capulet'' was sunk by {{ship|German submarine|U-201||2}} on 2 May.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Helgason|first1=Guðmundur|title=Ships hit by U-Boats: Capulet|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/896.html|website=u-boat.net|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} ''Douglas'' then depth-charged and sank the submarine {{ship|German submarine|U-65|1940|2}}.{{#tag:ref|The sinking of ''U-65'' was originally attributed to the [[corvette]] {{HMS|Gladiolus|K34|2}} in an attack on 29 April, but credit for the sinking was reassigned to ''Douglas'' following postwar research.<ref name="Blairv1 p272-3">Blair ''Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942'' 2000, pp. 272–273.</ref><ref name="uboat u65"/>|group=lower-alpha}} In all four ships were lost from HX 121, with one U-boat being sunk.<ref name="Blairv1 p271-2">Blair ''Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942'' 2000, pp. 271–272.</ref><ref name="uboat u65">{{cite web|last1=Helgason|first1=Guðmundur|title=U-65|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u65.htm|website=u-boat.net|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="uboat doug">{{cite web|last1=Helgason|first1=Guðmundur|title=HMS Douglas (D90)|website=u-boat.net|url=http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4284.html|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref> On 11 September, the 2nd Escort Group, led by [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] W. E. Banks aboard ''Douglas'', left Convoy ON 13F to reinforce [[Convoy SC 42]] under heavy attack off the east coast of [[Greenland]] from the U-boats of the [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]] ''Markgraf'', which had sunk 15 ships from the convoy already. Banks took charge of the convoy's defence, ordering the destroyers {{HMS|Leamington|G19|2}} and {{HMS|Veteran|D72|2}} to investigate a sighting by an aircraft of a submarine ahead of the Convoy, which resulted in the two destroyers sinking {{ship|German submarine|U-207||2}}, and managing to drive off several attacking U-boats over the next few days.<ref name="Blairv1 p363-4">Blair ''Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942'' 2000, pp. 363–364.</ref><ref name="Rohwer p82">Rohwer and Hümmelchen 1992, p. 82.</ref>

[[File:HMS Douglas FL4188.jpg|thumb|''Douglas'' after conversion to a short range escort]]
On 15 January 1942, ''Douglas'' was part of the escort of Convoy ON 55 off [[Iceland]] in a severe storm (described as the worst seen in Iceland for 15 years), when the American destroyer {{USS|Mayo|DD-422|2}}, part of an American escort group attempting to relieve the 2nd Escort Group, collided with ''Douglas'', badly damaging both ships, with one seaman lost from ''Douglas''.<ref name="Blairv1 p453">Blair ''Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942'' 2000, p. 342.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=January 1942 events of the Battle of the Atlantic|url=http://ww2timelines.com/batlantic/bat42/bat0142.htm|website=WW2Timelines.com|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=1st – 31st January 1942 – in date, ship/unit & name order|work= Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies, World War 2|publisher=Naval-History.net|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1942-01JAN.htm|access-date=28 February 2015}}</ref> After temporary repair by the [[depot ship]] {{HMS|Hecla|1940|2}} at Iceland and returning to the United Kingdom, it was decided to convert ''Douglas'' to a Short-Range Escort while she was under repair at [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company|Palmers]] in [[Jarrow]]. This involved reducing the ship's gun and torpedo armament to accommodate better anti-submarine weaponry.<ref name="engp27"/><ref name="navhist"/>

''Douglas'' was under repair and refit until April 1942, joining the Home Fleet in May. ''Douglas'' formed part of the ill-fated Arctic Convoy [[Convoy PQ 17]], but left the convoy to join Convoy QP-13, which was returning from the Soviet Union at the same time as PQ 17 was sailing to the Soviet Union, on 2 July 1942, before PQ 17 had come under serious attack.<ref name="ruegg p39,1">Ruegg and Hague 1993, pp. 39, 41.</ref><ref name="navhist"/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hague|first1=Arnold|title=QP Convoy Series|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/qp/index.html|website=Convoyweb|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref> The ship continued in escort operations, and in November 1942, rescued 29 survivors from the merchant ship {{SS|Louise Moller||2}}, sunk by {{ship|German submarine|U-172||2}} on 13 November south-east of [[Durban]].<ref name="uboat doug"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Helgason|first=Guðmundur|title=Ships hit by U-Boats: Louise Moller|website=uboat.net|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2422.html|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref> On 11 July 1943, ''Douglas'', together with the destroyer {{HMCS|Iroquois|G89|6}} and the frigate {{HMS|Moyola|K260|2}}, were escorting a [[Convoy Faith|convoy]] consisting of the troopships {{Ship|SS|California|1923|2}} and {{Ship|SS|Duchess of York|1928|2}} and the munitions ship {{Ship|MV|Port Fairy||2}}, when the convoy was attacked by three [[Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor]]s of [[Kampfgeschwader 40]] {{convert|300|mi}} off [[Vigo]]. Both ''California'' and ''Duchess of York'' were badly hit, with 46 killed aboard ''California'' and 27 aboard ''Duchess of York'', and the blazing ships were sunk by the convoy's escorts early the next day after the survivors were rescued, in order to avoid the attentions of U-boats.<ref name="Rohwer p222">Rohwer and Hümmelchen 1992, p. 222.</ref><ref name="navhist iroquois">{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Geoffry B.|title=HMCS Iroquois (G 89) – Tribal-class Destroyer: including Convoy Escort Movements|work=Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2|publisher=Naval-History.net|year=2001|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-35Tribal-HMCS_Iroquois.htm|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=SS California (+1943)|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?32081|website=www.wrecksite.eu|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="dow">{{cite web|title=SS Duchess Of York (+1943)|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?15465|website=www.wrecksite.eu|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|<ref name="dow"/> states that ''Duchess of York'' was scuttled by ''Douglas''{{'}}s torpedoes, while <ref name="navhist iroquois"/> states that the wrecks of both troopships were sunk by ''Douglas''.|group=lower-alpha}}

On 31 October 1943, the [[naval trawler]] {{HMT|Imperialist|FY126|2}} depth-charged the German submarine {{GS|U-732||2}} west of Gibraltar, forcing the submarine to the surface, and scored several gun hits before ''U-732'' managed to submerge, which resulted in ''Imperialist'' subjecting ''U-732'' to another heavy depth-charging. After dark, ''U-732'' attempted to escape on the surface but was spotted by an aircraft. On being spotted, the commanding officer of ''U-732'' ordered that the submarine be scuttled, but before the submarine sank, ''Douglas'' attacked with 10 more depth charges. Eighteen of ''U-732''{{'}}s crew were rescued, eight by ''Douglas'', with 31 killed. ''Imperialist'' and ''Douglas'' were jointly credited with the sinking of ''U-732''.<ref name="Blairv2 p455-6">Blair ''Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942–1945'' 2000, pp. 455–456.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Helgason|first1=Guðmundur|title=U-732|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u732.htm|website=u-boat.net|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Preston p271">Preston 1971, p. 271.</ref>

''Douglas'' continued in use as a convoy escort until February 1945 when she was paid off into reserve. She was sold for scrap on 20 March 1945 to the [[British Iron & Steel Corporation]] (BISCO) who passed the ship on to TW Ward.<ref name="navhist"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Citations==
{{reflist|40em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Blair|first=Clay|title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942|year=2000|publisher=Cassell & Co.|location=London|isbn=0-304-35260-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Blair|first=Clay|title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945|year=2000|publisher=Modern Library|location=New York|isbn=0-679-64033-9}}
* {{cite book |last=English |first=John |title=Grand Fleet Destroyers: Part I: Flotilla Leaders and 'V/W' Class Destroyers |year=2019 |location=Windsor, UK |publisher=World Ship Society |isbn=((978-0-9650769-8-4)) }}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War|year=2009|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-049-9}}
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Gardiner|editor-first1=Robert|editor-last2=Chesneau|editor-first2=Roger|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year=1980|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=1985|isbn=0-85177-245-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British Fleet and Escort Destroyers: Volume One|year=1970|publisher=Macdonald & Co.|location=London|isbn=0-356-02950-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Preston|first=Antony|title='V & W' Class Destroyers 1917–1945|publisher=Macdonald|location=London|year=1971|oclc=464542895}}
* {{cite book|last1=Rohwer|first1=Jürgen|last2=Hümmelchen|first2=Gerhard|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945|year=1992|publisher=Greenhill Books|location=London|isbn=1-85367-117-7}}
* {{cite book|last1=Ruegg|first1=Bob|last2=Hague|first2=Arnold|title=Convoys to Russia: 1941–1945|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, UK|isbn=0-905617-66-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M.J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|year=2000|publisher=Cassell & Co|location=London|isbn=1-85409-521-8}}

{{Admiralty type destroyer leader}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas}}
[[Category:Ships built on the River Mersey]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:Admiralty type flotilla leaders]]