View source for HMS Dorsetshire (40)

{{Short description|Heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Dorsetshire}}
{{Good article}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = HMS Dorsetshire (40).jpg
| Ship caption = HMS ''Dorsetshire'' in front of the [[Sydney Harbour Bridge]] in 1938.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country = United Kingdom
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
| Ship name = ''Dorsetshire''
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship awarded = 
| Ship namesake = [[Dorset]]
| Ship builder = [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth Dockyard]]
| Ship laid down = 21 September 1927
| Ship launched = 29 January 1929
| Ship christened = 
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 30 September 1930
| Ship motto = "Pro Patria Et Comitatu" (For Country and County)
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honours = 
| Ship fate = Sunk by Japanese air attack, 5 April 1942
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Ship class = {{sclass2|County|cruiser|0}} [[heavy cruiser]]
| Ship displacement = *[[Standard displacement|Standard]]: {{convert|10035|LT|t}}
*[[Full load]]: {{convert|13420|LT|t}}
| Ship length = {{cvt|632|ft|9|in|m}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|66|ft|m}}
| Ship draught = {{cvt|18|ft|m}}
| Ship power = *8 × boilers
*{{cvt|80000|shp|kW|lk=in|-1}}
| Ship propulsion = *4 × Parsons geared or Brown Curtis [[steam turbine]]s
*4 × screw [[propeller]]s
| Ship speed = {{convert|31.5|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = {{cvt|12000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}}
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship complement = 653
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship armament = 
*8 × [[BL 8 inch Mk VIII naval gun|{{cvt|8|in|mm|0}} Mk VIII gun]]s
*8 × [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF {{cvt|4|in|mm|0}}]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s
*24 × [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pounder pom-pom]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft gun]]s
*8 × {{cvt|21|in|mm|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
| Ship armour = 
*Side: {{cvt|1|to|4|in}}
*[[gun turret|Turrets]]: 1&nbsp;in
| Ship aircraft = 2 × [[Supermarine Walrus]] [[floatplane]]s (operated by [[700 Naval Air Squadron]])
| Ship aircraft facilities = 1 × [[Aircraft catapult#Interwar and World War II|catapult]]
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Dorsetshire''''' ([[pennant number]] 40) was a {{sclass2|County|cruiser|0}} [[heavy cruiser]] of the British [[Royal Navy]], named after the English county, now usually known as [[Dorset]]. The ship was a member of the ''Norfolk'' sub-class, of which {{HMS|Norfolk|78|2}} was the only other unit; the County class comprised a further eleven ships in two other sub-classes. ''Dorsetshire'' was built at the [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth Dockyard]]; her [[keel laying|keel was laid]] in September 1927, she was [[ship launching|launched]] in January 1929, and was completed in September 1930. ''Dorsetshire'' was armed with a [[main battery]] of eight {{cvt|8|in|adj=on|0}} guns, and had a top speed of {{convert|31.5|kn|lk=in}}.

''Dorsetshire'' served initially in the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]] in the early 1930s, before moving to become the flagship of the [[Commander-in-Chief, Africa (Royal Navy)|Commander-in-Chief, Africa]] in 1933, and then to the [[China Station]] in late 1935. She remained there until the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] in September 1939, when she was transferred to the South Atlantic. There, she reinforced the search for the German heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Graf Spee||2}}. In late May 1941, ''Dorsetshire'' took part in the [[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck|final engagement with the battleship ''Bismarck'']], which ended when ''Dorsetshire'' was ordered to close and [[torpedo]] the crippled German battleship. She joined searches for the heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Hipper||2}} in August and the [[auxiliary cruiser]] {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Atlantis||2}} in November.

In March 1942, ''Dorsetshire'' was transferred to the [[Eastern Fleet]] to support British forces in the recently opened [[Pacific War|Pacific Theatre]] of the war. At the end of the month, the Japanese fast carrier task force—the ''[[Kido Butai]]''—launched the [[Indian Ocean raid]]. On 5 April, Japanese aircraft spotted ''Dorsetshire'' and her sister {{HMS|Cornwall|56|2}} while en route to [[Colombo]]; a force of [[dive bomber]]s then attacked the two ships and sank them. More than 1,100 men were rescued the next day, out of a combined crew of over 1,500.

==Description==
{{main|County-class cruiser}}
[[File:4inch-gun-MkVHMSDorsetshire.jpg|thumb|left|''Dorsetshire''{{'}}s twin 4-inch guns, installed in 1937]]

''Dorsetshire'' was at maximum {{cvt|632|ft|9|in|m}} [[length overall|long overall]], and had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|66|ft|m}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{cvt|18|ft|m}}. She [[displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{convert|9925|-|9975|LT|lk=on}} at standard displacement, in compliance with the tonnage restriction of the [[Washington Naval Treaty]], and up to {{convert|13425|LT|abbr=on}} at [[full load]]. ''Dorsetshire'' was propelled by four [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] [[steam turbine]]s that drove four screw [[propeller]]s. Steam was provided by eight oil-fired 3-drum [[water-tube boiler]]s. The turbines were rated at {{cvt|80000|shp|lk=in}} and produced a top speed of {{convert|32.3|kn}}. The ship had a capacity of {{convert|3210|MT|abbr=on}} of fuel oil as built, which provided a cruising radius of {{convert|12500|nmi|lk=on}} at a speed of {{convert|12|kn}}. She had a crew of 710&nbsp;officers and enlisted men.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}}{{sfn|Raven & Roberts|p=413}}

''Dorsetshire'' was armed with a [[main battery]] of eight [[BL 8 inch Mk VIII naval gun|BL {{cvt|8|in|0}} Mk VIII 50-cal. guns]] in four twin [[Gun turret|turrets]], in two [[superfire|superfiring pairs]] forward and aft. As built, the cruiser had a [[secondary armament|secondary battery]] that included four {{cvt|4|in|0}} [[dual-purpose gun]]s (DP) in single mounts. She also carried four [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder]] anti-aircraft guns, also in single mounts. Her armament was rounded out by eight {{cvt|21|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s mounted in two quadruple launchers.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}}

Unlike most heavy cruisers, the County-class cruisers dispensed with traditional [[belt armour]] and used {{cvt|1|in}} side plating to protect the hulls against shell fragments only. The ammunition [[magazine (artillery)|magazines]] received {{Cvt|4|in|0}} of armour plate on the sides. The gun turrets and their supporting [[barbette]]s also received only 1&nbsp;in splinter protection.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}}

In 1931, ''Dorsetshire'' began to carry a [[seaplane]]; a [[aircraft catapult|catapult]] was installed the following year to allow her to launch the aircraft while underway. In 1937, her secondary battery was overhauled. Eight [[QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XVI|QF 4-inch Mk XVI]] DP guns in twin turrets replaced the single mounts, and the single 2-pounders were replaced with eight twin-mounts. During the [[World War II|Second World War]], her anti-aircraft battery was strengthened by the addition of nine {{convert|20|mm|abbr=on}} guns.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}}

==Service history==
===Pre-war===
''Dorsetshire'' was laid down at the [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth Dockyard]] on 21 September 1927 and was launched on 21 January 1929. After completing [[fitting-out]] work on 30 September 1930 she was commissioned into the Royal Navy.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}} Upon commissioning, ''Dorsetshire'' became the [[flagship]] of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron.{{sfn|Harris|p=110}} In 1931, she was part of the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]] during the [[Invergordon Mutiny]]. During the incident, some of her men initially refused to assemble for duty but after an hour and a half, the ship's officers had restored order and no further unrest troubled ''Dorsetshire'' during the mutiny.{{sfn|Roskill|pp=104–110}} From 1933–1935, she served as the flagship for the [[Commander-in-Chief, Africa (Royal Navy)|Commander-in-Chief, Africa]]; she was replaced by {{HMS|Amphion|1934|2}}.{{sfn|Belling|pp=22–25}} By September 1935, ''Dorsetshire'' was assigned to the [[China Station]].{{sfn|Willmott|p=50}} From 1–4 February 1937, ''Dorsetshire'', the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Hermes|95|2}} and the cruiser {{HMS|Cumberland|57|2}} participated in an exercise to test the defences of Singapore against a hypothetical Japanese attack.{{sfn|Farrell & Hunter|p=62}}

===Second World War===
[[File:HMS Hermes June 1940.jpg|thumb|''Dorsetshire'' (left distance) and ''Hermes'' (centre) underway in June 1940]]

At the start of the Second World War in September 1939, ''Dorsetshire'' was still on the China Station.{{sfn|Konstam|p=31}} In October, ''Dorsetshire''—with other Royal Navy ships—was sent to South American waters in pursuit of the German [[heavy cruiser]] {{Ship|German cruiser|Admiral Graf Spee||2}}, which was attacking British merchant traffic in the area. ''Dorsetshire'' was assigned with her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Cornwall|56|2}} and the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Eagle|1918|2}}.{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=6, 8}} ''Dorsetshire'' had just arrived in [[Naval Base Simon's Town|Simonstown]], South Africa, from Colombo on 9 December, with orders to proceed to [[Tristan da Cunha]] and then to [[Port Stanley]] in the [[Falkland Islands]] to relieve {{HMS|Exeter|68|2}}. After departing Simonstown, she received the order to join the hunt for ''Admiral Graf Spee''.{{sfn|Grove|pp=23, 33}} She left South Africa on 13 December in company with the cruiser {{HMS|Shropshire||2}} and was in transit on 17 December when the Germans [[Scuttling|scuttled]] ''Admiral Graf Spee'' following the [[Battle of the River Plate]].{{sfn|Rohwer|p=11}}

''Exeter'' had been badly damaged in the battle with ''Admiral Graf Spee'', and ''Dorsetshire'' escorted her back to Britain in January 1940, before returning to South American waters to search for German supply ships.{{sfn|Konstam|p=31}} On 11 February, her reconnaissance aircraft spotted the German supply freighter ''Wakama'' {{cvt|12|nmi}} off the coast of Brazil, which was promptly scuttled by her crew.{{sfn|Cressman|p=19}} ''Dorsetshire'' arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, picked up ten officers and thirty-five crewmen and sank ''Wakama'' to prevent her from being a navigational hazard.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=15}}{{sfn|Baptiste|p=23}} The following month, the President of Panama, [[Augusto Samuel Boyd]], sent a formal complaint to the British government protesting against ''Dorsetshire''{{'}}s violation of the [[Pan-American Security Zone]] in the ''Wakama'' incident.{{sfn|Cressman|p=20}}

In May, ''Dorsetshire'' underwent a short refit in Simonstown, before returning to Britain for a more thorough overhaul.{{sfn|Konstam|p=31}} On 23 June, she set out from Freetown to watch the French [[battleship]] {{Ship|French battleship|Richelieu||2}}, which left [[Dakar]] for [[Casablanca]] two days later. While ''en route'', ''Dorsetshire'' rendezvoused with the aircraft carrier ''Hermes'' off Dakar. ''Richelieu'' was ordered to return to Dakar by Admiral [[François Darlan]] later that day and she arrived on 27 June. ''Dorsetshire'' continued to monitor the French Navy off Dakar and on 3 July, the French [[submarine]]s {{Ship|French submarine|Le Glorieux|Q168|2}} and {{Ship|French submarine|Le Héros|Q170|2}} attempted to intercept her. ''Dorsetshire'' was able to evade their attacks through high-speed manoeuvres. On 5 July, ''Hermes'' and the Australian cruiser {{HMAS|Australia|D84|6}} joined her there. On 7 July, the squadron was ordered to issue an ultimatum to the French fleet, to either surrender and be interned under British control or to scuttle their ships; the French refused, so a fast [[Sloop-of-war|sloop]] was sent in to drop [[depth charge]]s under the stern of ''Richelieu'' to disable her screws.{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=29–32}}

On 4 September, she was dry-docked at [[Durban]] and on the 20th she arrived back in Simonstown. She sailed for [[Sierra Leone]] the next day. Operating in the Indian Ocean, on 18 November she bombarded Zante in [[Italian Somaliland]]. On 18 December she departed to join the search for the heavy cruiser {{Ship|German cruiser|Admiral Scheer||2}}, which had recently sunk the British refrigerator ship ''Duquesa'' in the [[Atlantic Ocean|South Atlantic]]. The British were unsuccessful in their search and ''Admiral Scheer'' remained at large.{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=49, 51}}

====''Bismarck''====
[[File:HMS Dorsetshire Bismarck survivors.jpg|thumb|upright|Survivors from ''Bismarck'' are pulled aboard ''Dorsetshire'' on 27 May 1941.]]
{{main|Last battle of Bismarck}}

By May 1941, ''Dorsetshire'' had been assigned to [[Force H]], along with the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|2}}, the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Renown|1916|2}}, and the [[light cruiser]] {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}}. ''Dorsetshire'' was at that time commanded by Captain Benjamin Martin.{{sfn|Bercuson & Herwig|pp=136, 240}} Late in the month, the German battleship {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}} and heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Prinz Eugen||2}} broke out into the North Atlantic to attack convoys sailing for Britain, and ''Dorsetshire'' was one of the ships deployed to hunt the German raiders. ''Dorsetshire'' had been escorting convoy SL74 from Sierra Leone to the UK on 26 May, when she received the order to leave the convoy and join the search for ''Bismarck''; she was some {{cvt|360|nmi}} south of ''Bismarck''{{'}}s location. ''Dorsetshire'' steamed at top speed, though heavy seas later in the night forced her to reduce to {{convert|25|kn}} and later to {{convert|20|kn}}. By 08:33, ''Dorsetshire'' encountered the [[destroyer]] {{HMS|Cossack|F03|2}}, which had been engaging ''Bismarck'' throughout the night. The German battleship's gun flashes could be seen, only {{cvt|6|nmi}} away, by 08:50.{{sfn|Grove|p=30}}<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Supplement to the London Gazette|title=Sinking of the German Battleship Bismarck On 27th May 1941|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38098.pdf|date=16 October 1947|access-date=28 January 2020}}</ref>

Shortly thereafter, ''Dorsetshire'' took part in [[last battle of the battleship Bismarck|''Bismarck''{{'}}s last battle]]; after the battleships {{HMS|Rodney|29|2}} and {{HMS|King George V|41|2}} neutralised ''Bismarck''{{'}}s main battery early in the engagement, ''Dorsetshire'' and other warships—including her sister {{HMS|Norfolk|78|2}}—closed in to join the attack.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}} ''Dorsetshire'' opened fire at a range of {{cvt|20000|yd}}, but poor visibility forced her to check her fire for lengthy periods.{{sfn|Grove|p=33}} In the course of the engagement, she fired 254&nbsp;shells from her main battery. In the final moments of the battle, she was ordered to move closer and torpedo ''Bismarck'' and fired three torpedoes, two of which hit the crippled battleship.{{sfn|Campbell|p=28}}{{sfn|Rohwer|p=74}} The Germans had by this time detonated scuttling charges, which with the damage inflicted by the British, caused ''Bismarck'' to rapidly sink at 10:40.{{sfn|Garzke & Dulin|p=246}}

''Dorsetshire'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Maori|F24|2}} then moved in to pick up survivors. Martin had ropes lowered down the sides of the ship so the men in the water could climb aboard. A reported [[U-boat]] sighting forced the two ships to break off the rescue effort. Historians [[Holger Herwig]] and [[David Bercuson]] state that only 110 men were rescued: 85 aboard ''Dorsetshire'' and 25 aboard ''Maori''.{{sfn|Bercuson & Herwig|p=297}} Historian [[Angus Konstam]], however, writes that his research indicated a total of 116 saved, 86 on ''Dorsetshire'' (one of whom died), 25 on ''Maori'', 3 rescued by {{Ship|German submarine|U-74|1940|2}} and a further 2 picked up by the German weather ship {{ship||Sachsenwald|1939|2}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Konstam |first=Angus|date= 20 December 2012|title=The Bismarck 1941: Hunting Germany's greatest battleship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sje3CwAAQBAJ&dq=HMS+dorsetshire+torpedo+bismarck&pg=PA85|publisher=Praeger |isbn=978-1849083836 |author-link=Angus Konstam |page=87}}</ref>

''Rodney'', ''King George V'' and the destroyers {{HMS|Sikh|F82|2}}, {{HMS|Zulu|F18|2}} and ''Cossack'' had meanwhile begun to steam north-west to return to Scapa Flow. After abandoning the rescue effort, ''Dorsetshire'' and ''Maori'' caught up with the rest of the fleet shortly after 12:00. Late that night, as the fleet steamed off Britain, ''Dorsetshire'' was detached to stop in the [[River Tyne|Tyne]]. She had suffered no casualties in the battle with ''Bismarck''.{{sfn|Grove|p=26}}

====Deployment to South Africa and the Indian Ocean====
[[File:HMS Dorsetshire.jpg|thumb|''Dorsetshire'' at anchor in [[Scapa Flow]] in August 1941]]

In late August, ''Dorsetshire'' participated in the search for the heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Hipper||2}}. ''Dorsetshire'', ''Eagle'' and the light cruiser {{HMS|Newcastle|C76|2}} left Freetown on 29 August, though they were unable to locate the German raider.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=94}} On 4 November, ''Dorsetshire'' and the [[auxiliary cruiser]] {{HMS|Canton||2}}, were sent to investigate reports of a German surface raider in the South Atlantic but neither ship found anything.{{sfn|Cressman|p=55}} In November–December, WS-24, a convoy of 10 troop transport ships, steamed out from [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax, Canada]] en route to [[Basra]], Iraq. After arriving in Cape Town on 9 December, ''Dorsetshire'' took over the escort duties and the convoy was diverted to Bombay, where it arrived on 24 December.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=114}}

''Dorsetshire'' was deployed in November, to join the search for the German commerce raider {{Ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Atlantis||2}}, that had been attacking [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] shipping off the coast of Africa. Admiral [[Algernon Willis]] formed Task Force 3, with ''Dorsetshire'' and {{HMS|Devonshire|39|2}} to patrol likely refuelling locations for ''Atlantis''.{{sfn|Forczyk|p=70}} On 1 December, ''Dorsetshire'' intercepted the German supply ship ''Python'', based on [[Ultra (cryptography)|Ultra]] intelligence. The German ship was refuelling a pair of U-boats— {{GS|UA|1939|2}} and {{Ship|German submarine|U-68|1940|2}}—in the South Atlantic. The U-boats dived while ''Python'' tried to flee. ''UA'' fired five torpedoes at ''Dorsetshire'' but all missed her due to her evasive manoeuvres. ''Dorsetshire'' fired a salvo to stop ''Python'' and the latter's crew abandoned the ship, after detonating scuttling charges. ''Dorsetshire'' left the Germans in their boats, since the U-boats still presented too much of a threat for the British to pick up the Germans.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=120}}{{sfn|Mohr & Sellwood|pp=237–239}}

====Loss====
[[File:Dorsetshire&Cornwall.jpg|thumb|''Dorsetshire'' and ''Cornwall'' under heavy air attack by Japanese dive bombers on 5 April 1942]]

In 1942, ''Dorsetshire'', under the command of [[Augustus Agar]], was assigned to the [[Eastern Fleet]] in the Indian Ocean. In March, ''Dorsetshire'' was assigned to Force A, which was commanded by Admiral [[James Somerville]], with the battleship {{HMS|Warspite|03|2}} and the carriers {{HMS|Indomitable|92|2}} and {{HMS|Formidable|67|2}}. Somerville received reports of an impending Japanese attack in the Indian Ocean—the [[Indian Ocean raid]]—and so he put his fleet to sea on 31 March. Having not encountered any hostile forces by 4 April, he withdrew to refuel. ''Dorsetshire'' and her sister ship ''Cornwall'' were sent to Colombo to replenish their fuel.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=154}}

The next day, she and ''Cornwall'' were spotted by reconnaissance aircraft from the heavy cruiser {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Tone|1937|2}}. The two British cruisers were attacked by a force of 53 [[Aichi D3A]]2 "Val" [[dive bomber]]s {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Ceylon]]. In the span of about eight minutes, ''Dorsetshire'' was hit by ten {{cvt|250|lb}} and {{cvt|550|lb}} bombs and several near misses; she sank stern first at about 13:50. One of the bombs detonated an ammunition magazine and contributed to her rapid sinking. ''Cornwall'' was hit eight times and sank bow first about ten minutes later. Between the two ships, 1,122&nbsp;men out of a total of 1,546 were picked up by the cruiser {{HMS|Enterprise|D52|2}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Paladin|G69|2}} and {{HMS|Panther|G41|2}} the next day.{{sfn|Campbell|pp=27–28}}{{sfn|Rohwer|p=155}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|20em}}

== References ==
* {{cite book
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  |isbn=0313254729
  |url-access=registration
  |url=https://archive.org/details/warcooperationco0000bapt
  |ref={{sfnref|Baptiste}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Belling
  |first=Ron
  |title=A Portrait of Military Aviation in South Africa
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  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1=Bercuson
  |first1=David J.
  |last2=Herwig
  |first2=Holger H.
  |title=The Destruction of the Bismarck
  |year=2003
  |location=New York
  |publisher=The Overlook Press
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  |ref={{sfnref|Bercuson & Herwig}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Campbell
  |first=N.J.M.
  |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946
  |editor1-last=Chesneau
  |editor1-first=Roger
  |publisher=Mayflower Books
  |location=New York
  |year=1980
  |isbn=0-8317-0303-2
  |chapter=Great Britain
  |pages=2–85
  |ref={{sfnref|Campbell}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Cressman
  |first=Robert
  |title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II
  |url=https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII
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  |isbn=1-55750-149-1
  |ref={{sfnref|Cressman}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last1=Farrell
  |first1=Brian
  |last2=Hunter
  |first2=Sandy
  |title=A Great Betrayal: The Fall of Singapore Revisited
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  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Forczyk
  |first=Robert
  |title=German Commerce Raider vs British Cruiser: The Atlantic & The Pacific 1941
  |year=2012
  |publisher=Osprey
  |location=Oxford
  |isbn=9781782008446
  |ref={{sfnref|Forczyk}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1=Garzke
  |first1=William H.
  |last2=Dulin
  |first2=Robert O.
  |title=Battleships: Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II
  |year=1985
  |location=Annapolis
  |publisher=Naval Institute Press
  |isbn=978-0-87021-101-0
  |ref={{sfnref|Garzke & Dulin}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Grove
  |first=Eric
  |title=German Capital Ships and Raiders in World War II: Volume I: From Graf Spee to Bismarck, 1939–1941
  |year=2013
  |publisher=Routledge
  |isbn=9781135283223
  |ref={{sfnref|Grove}}
  }}
* {{cite book
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  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Konstam
  |first=Angus
  |title=British Heavy Cruisers 1939–45
  |publisher=Osprey
  |location=Oxford
  |year=2012
  |isbn=9781849086868
  |ref={{sfnref|Konstam}}
  }}
* {{cite book
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  |first1=Ulrich
  |last2=Sellwood
  |first2=Arthur V.
  |title=Ship 16: The True Story of a German Surface Raider Atlantis
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  }}
* {{cite book
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  |first1=Alan
  |last2=Roberts
  |first2=John
  |title=British Cruisers of World War Two
  |publisher=Naval Institute Press
  |location=Annapolis
  |year=1980
  |isbn=0-87021-922-7
  |name-list-style=amp
  |ref={{sfnref|Raven & Roberts}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Rohwer
  |first=Jürgen
  |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two
  |publisher=Naval Institute Press
  |location=Annapolis
  |year=2005
  |edition=Third Revised
  |isbn=1-59114-119-2
  |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer
  |ref={{sfnref|Rohwer}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Roskill
  |first=Stephen W.
  |title=Naval Policy Between the Wars: The Period of Reluctant Rearmament, 1930–1939
  |year=1968
  |publisher=Walker
  |location=New York
  |isbn=0870218484
  |ref={{Sfnref|Roskill}}
  }}
* {{Cite book
  |last=Willmott
  |first=H. P.
  |title=The Last Century of Sea Power (Volume 2, From Washington to Tokyo, 1922–1945)
  |year=2009
  |location=Bloomington
  |publisher=Indiana University Press
  |isbn=9780253004093
  |ref={{sfnref|Willmott}}
  }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book
  |last=Friedman
  |first=Norman
  |title=British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After
  |year=2010
  |publisher=Seaforth Publishing
  |location=Barnsley
  |isbn=978-1-59114-078-8
  |author-link=Norman Friedman
  |ref={{sfnref|Friedman}}
  }}
* {{cite book|title=H.M.S. Dorsetshire: An Illustrated Account of Her Commission on the China Station, 1935&ndash;1937|publisher=Ye Olde Printerie|location=Hong Kong|year=1937|oclc=426032821}}
* {{cite book
  |last=Whitley
  |first=M. J.
  |title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia
  |publisher=Cassell
  |location=London
  |year=1995
  |isbn=1-86019-874-0
  |author-link=Michael J. Whitley
  |ref={{sfnref|Whitley}}
  }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Dorsetshire (40)}}
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RN-II/maps/map4.jpg Official History map of the loss of Dorsetshire]

{{coord|1|54|N|77|45|E|display=title}}
{{County class cruiser}}
{{April 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorsetshire (40)}}
[[Category:Kent-class cruisers]]
[[Category:County-class cruisers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Portsmouth]]
[[Category:1929 ships]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1942]]
[[Category:Cruisers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by Japanese aircraft]]
[[Category:Naval magazine explosions]]