View source for HMS Duncan (D99)

{{short description|D-class destroyer leader built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s}}
{{other ships|HMS Duncan}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Duncan.jpg
|Ship caption=''Duncan'' in March 1943
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[United Kingdom]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Duncan''
|Ship ordered=2 February 1931
|Ship namesake=[[Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan|Admiral Adam Duncan]]
|Ship builder=[[Portsmouth Dockyard]]
|Ship laid down=3 September 1931
|Ship launched=7 July 1932
|Ship christened=
|Ship commissioned=5 April 1933
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=May 1945
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap in September 1945
|Ship badge=*On a Field Red, a silver hunting horn 
*[[Image:HMS Duncan (D99) Badge.jpg|100px]]
|Ship motto=*''Secundis dubusque rectus''
*("Upright in prosperity and peril")
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=Spartivento (1940), Malta Convoys (1941), Mediterranean (1941), Atlantic (1941–45), Diego Suarez (1942)
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[C and D-class destroyer|D-class]] [[flotilla leader]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|1400|LT|t}}
|Ship length= {{convert|329|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|33|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught= {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship power=*{{convert|36000|shp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
*3 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
|Ship propulsion=*2 × shafts
*2 × [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5870|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=175
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]]
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|QF 4.7-inch Mark IX gun]]s
*1 × [[QF 3-inch 20 cwt|12-pounder]] (3&nbsp;in (76.2&nbsp;mm)) [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) gun
*2 × single [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder Mk II]] AA guns
*2 × quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 rail and 2 throwers 
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Duncan''''' was a [[C and D-class destroyer|D-class]] [[destroyer leader]] built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the early 1930s. The ship was initially assigned to the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] before she was transferred to the [[China Station]] in early 1935 where she remained until mid-1939. ''Duncan'' returned to the Mediterranean Fleet just after [[World War II]] began in September 1939. She was transferred to the [[Home Fleet]] in December 1939, although she was badly damaged in a collision the following month, and required repairs that lasted until July 1940. The ship joined [[Force H]] at [[Gibraltar]] in October, escorting the larger ships and various convoys until March 1941 when she was transferred to West Africa for convoy escort duties for a few months. ''Duncan'' rejoined the [[13th Destroyer Flotilla]] at Gibraltar in July and escorted several convoys to [[Malta]] during the rest of the year. After a refit, she briefly returned to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla before joining the [[Eastern Fleet]] in the Indian Ocean to participate in [[Operation Ironclad]] in May 1942. The ship was recalled home to be converted into an [[escort destroyer]] in late 1942.

''Duncan'' was assigned to [[Escort Group (naval)|Escort Group]] B-7 in the North Atlantic after her conversion was complete in May 1943. She escorted a number of convoys before she required a lengthy refit from November to May 1944. She helped to sink two German submarines in October 1943. The ship was assigned to anti-submarine duties in the [[Western Approaches]] after her refit was finished in May 1944, and ''Duncan'' remained there until April 1945. At that time she was transferred to coastal anti-submarine patrols to counter any last-gasp effort by the [[Kriegsmarine]] to interfere with the Allied supply lines to the Continent. Placed in [[Reserve Fleet (United Kingdom)|reserve]] the following month, ''Duncan'' was in bad shape and was sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]] later that year. The demolition, however, was not completed until 1949.

==Design and construction==
''Duncan'' displaced {{convert|1400|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load. The ship had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|329|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. She was powered by [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, driving two shafts, which developed a total of {{convert|36000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}. Steam for the turbines was provided by three [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s. ''Duncan'' carried a maximum of {{convert|390|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave her a range of {{convert|5870|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. The ship's complement was 175 officers and men.<ref name=w78>Whitley, p. 101</ref>

The ship mounted four 45-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|4.7-inch Mk IX guns]] in single mounts designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from front to rear. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, ''Duncan'' had a single 12-pounder AA gun between her [[funnel (ship)|funnel]]s and two quadruple Mark I mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|QF 0.5-inch Vickers Mark III]] machine guns mounted on the sides of her [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]]. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple [[torpedo tube]] mounts for [[British 21-inch torpedo|21-inch torpedoes]].<ref name=w78/> One [[depth charge]] rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref> In 1936, the 12-pounder was replaced by two [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder Mk II]] AA guns. Sometime after the [[Dunkirk evacuation]], the ship's rear torpedo tube mount was removed and replaced by a 12-pounder AA gun and the quadruple 0.5-inch machine guns were replaced by {{convert|20|mm|adj=on}} [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon AA guns]].<ref>Lenton, pp. 155–56</ref>

''Duncan'' was ordered under the 1930 Naval Estimates on 2 February 1931 from [[Portsmouth Dockyard]]. She was laid down on 25 September 1931, launched on 7 July 1932 and finally commissioned into the Navy on 31 March 1933. Built as a [[flotilla leader]], she displaced 25 long tons more than the rest of her class and carried an extra 30 personnel. These personnel formed the staff of the [[Captain (D)]] of the flotilla.<ref>English, p. 51</ref>

==Career==
The ship was initially assigned as the leader of the [[1st Destroyer Flotilla]] in the Mediterranean and made a brief deployment to the [[Persian Gulf]] and [[Red Sea]] in September–November 1933. After refitting at Portsmouth between 3 September and 23 October, ''Duncan'' led most of her flotilla to the China Station, arriving at Hong Kong on 3 January 1935. The next few years were spent "showing the flag" around the Far East, and visiting Japan, the [[Philippines]], the [[Dutch East Indies]], Singapore, [[Thailand]] and [[British Malaya|Malaya]]. The ship was under repairs between 14 December 1936 and 4 January 1937 from damage sustained when testing refuelling at sea techniques. She was in Shanghai during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|Japanese invasion of 1937]] and evacuated British civilians to [[Wusong|Woosung]], together with the [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Falmouth|1932|6}}. On 28 October 1938, ''Duncan'' was struck by the Greek steamer ''Pipina'' whilst lying at anchor at [[Foo Chow]], China. The ship was repaired and given a refit at Hong Kong between 31 October and 14 January 1939. She was lightly damaged when struck by a high-speed target at [[Wei Hai Wei]], China, in July 1939.<ref name=e2>English, p. 52</ref>

===World War II===
With the outbreak of war, ''Duncan'' and her [[sister ship|sisters]] {{HMS|Diana|H49|2}}, {{HMS|Daring|H16|2}}, and {{HMS|Dainty|H53|2}}, were transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, arriving at Alexandria on 30 September. All the ships were in poor condition, and, after repair, they conducted [[contraband]] control duties. In December ''Duncan'', along with her sister {{HMS|Duchess|H64|2}}, was assigned to escort the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Barham|04|2}} back to the UK, and they departed Gibraltar on 6 December. During the morning of 10 December, ''Barham'' collided with ''Duchess'' off the [[Mull of Kintyre]] in heavy fog, sinking the destroyer with the loss of 124 lives. ''Duncan'' was assigned to the [[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]] of the [[Home Fleet]] on 12 December.<ref>English, pp. 52, 60</ref>

She was damaged in a collision with a merchant vessel on 17 January whilst escorting [[ON convoys|Convoy ON18]], causing a twenty-foot hole in her side but fortunately she did not sink and was taken under tow.<ref name=whinney55>Whinney 1998, pp. 55–57</ref> After temporary repairs at [[Invergordon]], she was towed to [[Grangemouth]] for repairs that were not completed until 22 July. She carried out post-refit trials and returned to [[Scapa Flow]] to rejoin the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla. She transferred to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based at Gibraltar in October, escorting the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|2}}, ''Barham'', the [[heavy cruiser]] {{HMS|Berwick|65|2}}, and the [[light cruiser]]s {{HMS|Glasgow|C21|2}} and {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}} from the [[Firth of Clyde]] to Gibraltar. Joining Force H, she escorted ''Ark Royal'' during [[Operation Coat]], the carrier {{HMS|Argus|I49|2}} when she flew off [[Hawker Hurricane]] fighters to Malta during Operation White and escorted Force F to Malta during [[Operation Collar (Convoy)|Collar]] during November. During the [[Battle of Cape Spartivento]] in late November, ''Duncan'' was detailed to escort the convoy away from the Italians.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 47, 49–50</ref>

On 1 January 1941, she led four ships of the 13th Destroyer Flotilla as they intercepted a [[Vichy French]] convoy near [[Mellila]] and seized all four merchant ships of the convoy.<ref>Osborne, p. 26</ref> A few days later she took part in [[Operation Excess]], a military convoy taking stores to [[Piraeus]] and [[Alexandria]].<ref name=e2/> During [[Operation Grog]] in early February, the ship escorted the larger ships of Force H as they bombarded Genoa.<ref>Rohwer, p. 58</ref> She then escorted the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Repulse|1916|2}} and the carrier {{HMS|Furious|47|2}} from Gibraltar to West Africa in early March and remained there afterwards. Based at Freetown, the ship escorted convoys through West African waters until July when she was recalled to the Mediterranean to escort the [[Operation Substance]] convoy from Gibraltar to Malta in July 1941<ref name=e2/> Reassigned to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla, ''Duncan'' remained at Gibraltar and was part of the close escort for the [[Operation Halberd]] convoy in late September.<ref>Rohwer, p. 103</ref>

In October she was assigned as part of the escort for [[Convoy HG 75]], from Gibraltar to [[Liverpool]],<ref>Rohwer, p. 109</ref> because she was scheduled for a refit in the [[Sheerness Dockyard]]. It began on 16 November and lasted until 23 January 1942, after which ''Duncan'' rejoined the 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar.<ref name=e3>English, p. 53</ref> In late February and March, the ship escorted the carriers {{HMS|Eagle|1918|2}} and ''Argus'' as they flew off fighters for Malta.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 149, 153</ref> The following month, ''Duncan'' was transferred to the [[22nd Destroyer Flotilla]] of the Eastern Fleet to support Operation Ironclad, the invasion of [[Diego-Suarez|Diego Suarez]].<ref>Rohwer, p. 161</ref> After four months of operations in the Indian Ocean, the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] decided to convert her to an escort destroyer, and accordingly she returned to the United Kingdom via the [[Cape of Good Hope]] as an escort for the battleship {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|05|2}}. The ship arrived in Greenock on 16 November, but did not begin her conversion at [[Tilbury]] until 24 November.<ref name=e3/>

This involved the replacement of 'A' gun by a [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] anti-submarine [[spigot mortar]], the removal of her [[List of British ordnance terms#DCT|director-control tower]] and [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]] above the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]] in exchange for a [[Type 271 radar|Type 271]] target indication [[radar]], exchanging her two 2-pounder AA guns mounted between her funnels for two Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm AA guns, the addition of two Oerlikon guns to her [[searchlight]] platform, and the removal of her 12-pounder AA gun.<ref>Lenton, p. 156</ref> 'Y' gun was also removed to allow her depth charge stowage to be increased to 98 depth charges.<ref>Friedman, p. 237</ref>

In March 1943, ''Duncan'' carried out [[sea trial]]s and went to [[Tobermory, Mull|Tobermory]] to work up. In April she joined [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force#Escort Group B-7|Escort Group B-7]] as the Senior Officer's ship, with Commander [[Peter Gretton (Royal Navy officer)|Peter Gretton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersG4.html#Gretton|title=Peter Gretton at unithistories.com|access-date=27 August 2011|publisher=World War II unit histories and officers}}</ref> in command at the height of the [[Battle of the Atlantic#Climax of the campaign (March–May 1943, "Black May")|Battle of the Atlantic]]. She escorted [[Convoy ONS 5]] in early May, a major convoy battle which saw the destruction of six U-boats for the loss of thirteen ships, although ''Duncan'' was forced to withdraw for lack of fuel before the battle was over. Later that month, she escorted [[Convoy SC 130]], in which three U-boats were destroyed for the loss of no ships.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 247, 250–51</ref> ''Duncan'' continued on North Atlantic escort duty until October 1943; on 16 October the ship rescued 15 survivors from {{GS|U-470||2}} which had been sunk earlier by a [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]] bomber of the Royal Air Force.<ref name=e3/> Whilst defending Convoy ON 207 on 23 October, ''Duncan'', together with the destroyer {{HMS|Vidette|D48|2}} and a Liberator of [[No. 224 Squadron RAF]], sank {{GS|U-274||2}}.<ref>Rohwer, p. 283</ref> Later the same month, on 29 October, ''Duncan'' shared the sinking of {{GS|U-282||2}} with ''Vidette'' and the [[corvette]] {{HMS|Sunflower|K41|2}} whilst protecting Convoy ON 208.<ref name=e3/>

By this time the ship was in poor shape and required an extensive refit; the work last from 12 November to 17 May 1944 at the [[North Woolwich]], London shipyard of [[Harland and Wolff]]. After working up, she was assigned to the 14th Escort Group for anti-submarine operations in the Western Approaches. ''Duncan'' conducted convoy escort and anti-submarine operations with the group through April 1945 when she was assigned to the Greenock Coastal Escort Pool. The ship was placed in reserve on 13 May, transferred to [[Barrow-in-Furness|Barrow]] on 9 June and approved for immediate disposal on 8 July as she was leaking five tons of water a day. ''Duncan'' was turned over to [[British Iron & Steel Corporation|BISCO]] for scrapping immediately afterwards, but demolition was not completed until 1949.<ref name=e3/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2009|isbn=978-1-59114-081-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Commonwealth Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite journal|last=Osborne|first=Richard, Dr.|date=February 2011|title=Ration: Royal Navy Operations Against the Vichy French Merchant Fleet 1940–1942 Part One|journal=Warships|publisher=World Ship Society|location=London|issue=165|pages=21–34|issn=0966-6958}}
* {{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, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Whinney|first=Bob|title=The U-Boat Peril: A fight for survival|publisher=Cassell Military Classics|location=London, United Kingdom|year=1998|isbn=0-304-35132-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/uboatperilfightf0000whin}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

==External links==
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/c+d_class.htm C- & D-class destroyers at Battleships-cruisers.co.uk]
* [http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-18D-Duncan.htm HMS ''Duncan'' on Naval-History.net]

{{C and D class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan (D99)}}
[[Category:C and D-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Portsmouth]]
[[Category:1932 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]