Loss HMS_Dorsetshire_(40)

dorsetshire , cornwall under heavy air attack japanese carrier dive bombers on 5 april 1942. photographed japanese aircraft.

in 1942, dorsetshire, under command of augustus agar, assigned eastern fleet in indian ocean. in march, dorsetshire assigned force a, commanded admiral james somerville, battleship warspite , carriers indomitable , formidable. somerville received reports of impending japanese attack in indian ocean—the indian ocean raid—and put fleet sea on 31 march. having not encountered hostile forces 4 april, withdrew refuel. dorsetshire , sister ship cornwall sent colombo replenish fuel.

the next day, , cornwall spotted reconnaissance aircraft heavy cruiser tone. 2 british cruisers attacked force of fifty-three aichi d3a val dive bombers 320 km (200 mi) southwest of ceylon. in span of 8 minutes, dorsetshire hit ten 250 lb (110 kg) , 550 lb (250 kg) bombs , several near misses; sank stern first @ 13:50. 1 of bombs detonated ammunition magazine , contributed rapid sinking. cornwall hit 8 times , sank bow first ten minutes later. between 2 ships, 1,122 men out of total of 1,546 picked cruiser enterprise , destroyers paladin , panther next day.

a model depicting hms dorsetshire undergoing refit in no. 14 dry dock, portsmouth, norman a. ough, held imperial war museum.