View source for HMS Gloucester (62)

{{Short description|Gloucester-class cruiser}}
{{Other ships|HMS Gloucester}}
{{Good article}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Gloucester.jpg
|Ship caption=''Gloucester'' at anchor, 1939
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Gloucester''
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Dockyard]]
|Ship sponsor=[[Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester]]
|Ship laid down=22 September 1936
|Ship launched=19 October 1937
|Ship christened=
|Ship namesake=[[Gloucester]]
|Ship completed=31 January 1939
|Ship fate=Sunk by German aircraft, 22 May 1941
|Ship nickname="The Fighting G"<ref name=bbc/>
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: 62
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class={{sclass2|Town|cruiser (1936)|0}} [[light cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|9400|LT|t|0|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|11650|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} ([[full load]])
|Ship length={{convert|588|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship beam={{convert|62|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught={{convert|20|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship power=*4 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|82500|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=4 × shafts; 4 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|32|kn|lk=in|1}}
|Ship range={{convert|6000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|14|kn}}
|Ship complement=800–815
|Ship sensors=
|Ship armament=
*4 × triple [[BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} gun]]s
*4 × twin [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}}]] [[DP gun]]s
*2 × quadruple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pdr ({{cvt|40|mm}})]] [[AA gun]]s
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{cvt|0.5|in|mm|1}}]] AA [[machine gun]]s
*2 × triple [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{cvt|21|in|mm|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=
*[[Belt armor|Waterline belt]]: {{convert|4.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Gun turret]]s: {{convert|1|-|2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|Ship aircraft=2 × [[Supermarine Walrus]] [[flying boat]]s
|Ship aircraft facilities=1 × [[aircraft catapult|catapult]]
|Ship motto=
|Ship honours=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Gloucester''''' was one of the second batch of three {{sclass2|Town|cruiser (1936)|0}} [[light cruiser]]s built for the [[Royal Navy]] during the late 1930s. [[Ship commissioning|Commissioned]] shortly before the start of [[World War II]] in August 1939, the ship was initially assigned to the [[China Station]] and was transferred to the [[Indian Ocean]] and later to [[South Africa]] to search for German [[commerce raider]]s. She was transferred to the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] in mid-1940 and spent much of her time escorting [[Malta Convoys]]. ''Gloucester'' played minor roles in the [[Battle of Calabria]] in 1940 and the [[Battle of Cape Matapan]] in 1941. She was sunk by German [[dive bomber]]s on 22 May 1941 during the [[Battle of Crete]] with the loss of 722 men out of a crew of 807. ''Gloucester'' acquired the nickname "The Fighting G" after earning five [[battle honours]] in less than a year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/crew-of-hms-gloucester-remember-her-wwii-loss |title=Crew of HMS Gloucester remember her WWII loss |date=17 May 2010 |website=[[Gov.uk]] |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] |location=London |access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref>

==Design and description==
The Town-class light cruisers were designed as counters to the Japanese {{sclass|Mogami|cruiser}}s built during the early 1930s and the last batch of three ships was enlarged to accommodate more [[Ship gun fire-control system|fire-control equipment]] and thicker armour.<ref>Raven & Roberts, pp. 172–175</ref> ''Gloucester'' displaced {{convert|9400|LT|t|0|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard load]] and {{convert|11650|LT|t|0}} at [[deep load]]. The ship had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|591|ft|6|in|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|62|ft|4|in|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|20|ft|7|in|m|1}}.<ref name=w4>Whitley, p. 104</ref> She was powered by four [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]] sets, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by four [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|82500|shp|lk=on}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|32|kn|lk=in}}. The ship carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give her a range of {{convert|6000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|14|kn}}. The ship's complement was 800–815 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]].<ref>Lenton, p. 63</ref>

The Town-class ships mounted twelve [[BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun|BL six-inch (152&nbsp;mm) Mk XXIII guns]] in four triple-[[gun turret]]s. The turrets were designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from front to rear. Their secondary armament consisted of eight [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|adj=on|0|spell=in}} Mk XVI]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s in twin mounts. Their light anti-aircraft armament consisted of a pair of quadruple mounts for the [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|two-pounder ({{cvt|40|mm}})]] [[AA gun]] ("pom-pom") and two quadruple mounts for [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|adj=on|1}} Vickers AA machine gun]]s. The ships carried two above-water, triple mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}} torpedoes]].<ref name=r12>Raven & Roberts, p. 418</ref>

The Towns lacked a full-length [[waterline]] [[Belt armor|armour belt]]. The sides of ''Gloucester''{{'}}s [[Engine room|boiler and engine room]]s and the sides of the [[magazine (artillery)|magazine]]s were protected by {{convert|4.5|in|0}} of armour. The top of the magazines and the machinery spaces were protected by {{convert|2|in|mm}} of armour.<ref name=r12/> The armour protecting the main gun turrets had a thickness of {{convert|1|-|2|in|mm}}.<ref name=w4/>

==Construction and career==
''Gloucester'', the ninth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy,<ref>Colledge, p. 143</ref> was [[laid down]] on 22 September 1936. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 19 October 1937 by [[Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester]].<ref>{{cite news |date=21 October 1937 |title=Duchess of Gloucester launches a cruiser |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-duchess-of-gloucester-launches-a-cruiser |work=www.britishpathe.com |publisher=[[British Pathé]] |access-date=21 December 2019}}</ref> During sea trials off the coast of [[Talland]], [[Cornwall]], in November 1938, the cruiser recorded an average speed at a [[standard displacement]] of {{convert|31.92|kn}} against the [[Nautical measured mile|measured mile]]. This was the slowest trial speed recorded out of nine ships from the class,{{NoteTag|Only nine of the ten ships can be compared as a portion of the trial data for {{HMS|Birmingham|C19|2}} has been lost. ''Birmingham'' had been the only other ship of the class to undergo trials at Talland.<ref>Waters, p. 61</ref>}} with {{HMS|Liverpool|C11|2}} achieving the highest average speed at {{convert|33.05|kn}} off the [[Isle of Arran]]. However, trials at Talland generally resulted in lower speeds than at other locations due to its shallow depth affecting propulsion efficiency.<ref>Waters, pp. 60–61</ref>

Following completion on 31 January 1939, the ship was assigned as the [[flagship]] of the [[4th Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|4th Cruiser Squadron]] (CS) on the China Station, where she served until the beginning of World War II in September.<ref>Whitley, pp. 104, 109</ref> In mid-November, ''Gloucester'' and the {{ship|French aviso|Rigault de Genouilly}} were assigned to patrol the Indian Ocean between [[Madagascar]] and [[Seychelles]] in an unsuccessful search for the German commerce raider {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Graf Spee||2}}.<ref>Rohwer, p. 8</ref> In December, she was transferred to Force I at [[Naval Base Simon's Town|Simonstown]], South Africa, where she fruitlessly patrolled the [[South Atlantic]] against other commerce raiders.<ref name=w9>Whitley, p. 109</ref> The ship carried a large contingent of seconded South African personnel.<ref>Keene, John (1995) ''South Africa in World War II.'' Chap 5, ‘’The South African naval forces at war” by G Swinney Human & Rousseau (Pty) Ltd, pp. 134. {{ISBN|0-7981-3388-0}}</ref>

===In the Mediterranean===
The ship was transferred to the [[7th Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|7th Cruiser Squadron]] of the Mediterranean Fleet at [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]], in May 1940.<ref name=w9/> A few days after Italy joined the war on 10 June, ''Gloucester'' and her sister ship, {{HMS|Liverpool|C11|2}}, bombarded [[Tobruk]], [[Libya]], sinking a small auxiliary [[minesweeper]] on the 12th. Several weeks later, the 7th CS was covering several convoys to and from Malta when British [[Short Sunderland]] [[flying boat]]s spotted an Italian convoy on the 28th. The [[squadron (naval)|squadron]] was ordered to intercept and sank the [[destroyer]] {{ship|Italian destroyer|Espero|1927|2}} with a prodigious expenditure of ammunition.<ref>Greene & Massagnani, pp. 63–64; Rohwer, pp. 28, 30</ref>

On 7 July, the Mediterranean Fleet sortied to cover more [[Malta convoys]], but they were spotted by the Italians that evening. The next day, a bomb dropped by [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] bombers struck the ship's [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]], killing 18 crew members instantly, including the [[captain (nautical)|captain]].<ref>Greene & Massagnani, pp. 68–69</ref> As a result of the attack, the ship could not be steered from the bridge and was uncontrolled for a time before the aft steering position could take over. Despite an inoperable bridge, the ship remained with the fleet and participated in the Battle of Calabria on the 9th, although she was ordered away from the [[battleline]] to escort the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Eagle|1918|2}}.<ref>O'Hara, p. 31; Otter, pp. 31–36</ref> Repairs were completed by the end of August when ''Gloucester'', now assigned to the [[3rd Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|3rd Cruiser Squadron]], participated in [[Operation Hats]]. At the end of September, the ship ferried 1,200 troops to Malta, together with ''Liverpool''. ''Gloucester'' spent most of the rest of the year escorting convoys to and from Greece and Malta, although she escorted the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} during the [[Battle of Taranto]] on 11 November and ferried troops to [[Piraeus]], Greece, on the 17th.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 38, 42–44, 47, 49–50, 52</ref>

On 11 January 1941, while supporting [[Operation Excess]] (several coordinated convoys), ''Gloucester'' and sister ship {{HMS|Southampton|83|2}} came under attack from [[Junkers Ju 87|Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka"]] dive bombers from [[StG 2]] while leaving Malta. ''Gloucester'' was hit by a {{convert|250|kg|adj=on}} bomb which failed to explode after penetrating through five decks. ''Southampton'' was hit by at least two bombs and caught fire; heavily damaged and without power, the ship was [[scuttling|scuttled]] by torpedoes from the light cruiser {{HMS|Orion|85|2}}.<ref>Rohwer, p. 55; Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987b, p. 117</ref>

====Battle of Cape Matapan====
{{main|Battle of Cape Matapan}}
On 27 March, ''Gloucester'', now reassigned to the 7th CS, departed Piraeus bound for [[Souda Bay]], Crete as part of [[Vice-Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral]] [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Andrew Cunningham]]'s plan to trap and destroy a large portion of the Italian Fleet which was at sea in an attempt to intercept British convoys operating between Greece and Egypt. British [[signals intelligence]] had revealed the Italian plan and Cunningham attempted to consolidate his ships, but was delayed and missed his rendezvous with the 7th CS scheduled for the following morning. The Italians located the squadron first and the 3rd Cruiser Division with three heavy cruisers, escorted by three destroyers, opened fire at 08:12 at very long range. Only ''Gloucester'' returned fire as the British attempted to disengage, but the Italians followed, against orders, when Admiral [[Angelo Iachino]] recalled them at 08:55. The 7th CS turned around to observe the Italian manoeuvre and Iachino attempted to pincer the British cruisers between his 3rd Cruiser Division and his flagship, the [[battleship]] {{ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||2}}. Although Vice-Admiral [[Henry Pridham-Wippell]] knew that the Italians had a battleship at sea, he was still caught by surprise when ''Vittorio Veneto'' opened fire at 10:55 at ''Orion''. The 3rd Cruiser Division joined in shortly afterwards, but gunnery problems plagued the Italians and they scored no hits against their primary targets, ''Gloucester'' and ''Orion''. The British ships laid [[smoke screen]]s and turned south towards the main body of the Mediterranean Fleet. An unsuccessful attack by torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Formidable|67|2}} persuaded Iachino to turn back at 11:40. The 7th CS was able to keep up the pursuit that afternoon after another torpedo bomber attack damaged the ''Vittorio Veneto'' at 15:20 and reduced her speed. A subsequent attack crippled the heavy cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Pola||2}} and ''Orion''{{'}}s radar picked up ''Pola'', and the two other heavy cruisers that had been sent to her assistance, at 20:15. Cunningham's three battleships quickly sank all three heavy cruisers at [[point-blank range]] later that night.<ref>Greene & Massagnani, pp. 148–56</ref>

===Sinking===
[[File:HMS Gloucester sinking.jpg|thumb|left|Photograph taken by a German airman recording the sinking of ''Gloucester'' off the coast of [[Crete]], 22 May 1941]]
''Gloucester'' repeatedly bombarded targets in Libya during April. After covering another convoy to Malta, the ship, together with the battleships {{HMS|Warspite|03|2}}, {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}, and {{HMS|Barham|04|2}}, and various destroyers, attacked [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] harbour on the night of 20/21 April with some success. At the end of the month, the ship was briefly transferred to [[Force H]] at [[Gibraltar]] before escorting a convoy eastward to Malta and rejoining the Mediterranean Fleet in [[Operation Tiger (1941)|Operation Tiger]] in early May.<ref>Rohwer, pp. 68–69, 71–72</ref>

To counter the German [[Battle of Crete|invasion of Crete]], Cunningham split his fleet into several forces, which would act independently to intercept German sea transports. After German [[paratrooper]]s landed on Crete on 20 May, ''Gloucester'' was assigned as the command ship of Force B and tasked with interdicting any efforts to reinforce the German forces on the island. Force B was ordered on a night patrol between [[Cape Elephonsi]] and [[Cape Matapan]] but encountered no enemies and joined up with Rear Admiral [[Bernard Rawlings (Royal Navy officer)|Rawlings]]' Force A1 on the morning of 21 May. A German and Italian convoy was sighted by allied reconnaissance later that day and Forces B, C and D were ordered to intercept and engage, with Force D making contact at 23:30.<ref>Otter, Chapter 13</ref>

Force B again encountered no enemy naval vessels but came under attack from fifty "Stuka"s of [[8th Air Corps (Germany)|VIII. Fliegerkorps]] at 06:30 on 22 May, as they returned westwards to rejoin Rawlings and Force A1. ''Gloucester'' and the light cruiser {{HMS|Fiji|58|2}} took damage from near misses. Force B made the rendezvous with Force A1 and Force D (Rear Admiral [[Irvine Glennie]]) at about 08:30 and the combined force was ordered to report on their levels of high-angle anti-aircraft ammunition at 09:30. Of the cruisers, {{HMS|Ajax|22|2}} had 40%, {{HMS|Orion|85|2}} 38%, ''Fiji'' 30%, {{HMS|Dido|37|2}} 25% and ''Gloucester'' only 18%. ''Ajax'', ''Orion'' and ''Dido'' were ordered to return to Alexandria with Glennie's Force D to rearm but ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji'' remained with Rawlings' Force A1.<ref name="OtterC14">Otter, Chapter 14</ref><ref>Cunningham, Section 2, paragraphs 29-30.</ref>

At 12:25 Force A1, stationed 20 to 30 miles west of [[Antikythera]], received a request from Rear Admiral [[Edward King (naval officer)|Edward Leigh Stuart King]] to support the damaged {{HMS|Naiad|93|2}} and the rest of his Force C. Force A1 headed east into the [[Kythira Strait]], rendezvousing with Force C between 13:30 and 14:00. As the more senior admiral, King took command, with air attacks now inflicting damage on both forces. At 14:02 and 14:07 respectively, ''Fiji'' and ''Gloucester'' were detached to provide anti-aircraft support for the [[destroyer]]s {{HMS|Kandahar|F28|2}} and {{HMS|Kingston|F64|2}}. The two destroyers having already been ordered to rescue the survivors of the destroyer {{HMS|Greyhound|H05|2}}, which had been sunk at 13:50. Writing in despatches after the battle, Cunningham stated that King was unaware of the shortage of anti-aircraft ammunition in ''Fiji'' and ''Gloucester''. At 14:13 King and Rawlings exchanged messages about the shortage of ammunition within both Force C and Force A1, with Rawlings expressing concern about the orders given to ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji''. Following this communication, King issued an order to recall both ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji'' at 14:57.<ref name="OtterC14"/><ref>Cunningham, Section 1, paragraph 8, and Section 2, paragraphs 30-35.</ref>

While in the Kythira Strait, about {{convert|14|mi|nmi km}} north of Crete, ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji'' were attacked by "Stuka"s of [[StG 2]]. Between 15:30 and 15:50, while attempting to rejoin Force A1, ''Gloucester'' was hit by several bombs and the decision was taken to leave her behind due to the air attacks.<ref name="OtterC14"/><ref>Cunningham, Section 2, paragraph 35.</ref> ''Fiji'', under heavy fire, dropped rafts as she passed ''Gloucester'' but was unable to stop and was herself sunk within a few hours.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/70/a7122070.shtml |title=HMS Fiji – The Battle of Crete |date=20 November 2005 |last=Walker |first=Brian |website=WW2 People's War |publisher=BBC |access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref><ref>Otter, Chapter 15</ref>

The [[5th Destroyer Flotilla]], led by [[HMS Kelly|''Kelly'']], was dispatched to search for survivors of both the ''Gloucester'' and the ''Fiji'' in the evening but was diverted to bombard the Germans at [[Maleme]] airfield before reaching the search area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=890 |title=HMS Kelly |last=Chanter |first=Alan |website=World War II Database |access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref> Eventually the Germans picked up the survivors and brought them to [[Kythira]]. Of the 807 men aboard at the time of her sinking, only 85 survived to reach shore; two more subsequently died after being taken into captivity, one in 1941 and another in 1945.<ref>Otter, p. 1 & Roll of Honour</ref><ref name="Independent17Jun01">{{cite news |last1=Boggan |first1=Steve |date=17 June 2001 |title=Navy survivors thank Greek war hero 60 years on |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/navy-survivors-thank-greek-war-hero-60-years-on-9175209.html |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |publisher=Independent Digital News & Media |access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref>{{NoteTag|There is some disagreement between sources on the number of survivors. Otter (1999), Boggan (2001) and Waters (2019) all agree that 85 men survived to be taken into captivity in 1941 but only 83 survived to return home in 1945. The BBC (1999) states that 84 survived to be taken into captivity in 1941 but does not comment on numbers that returned home after the war. Earlier sources, such as Thomas (1972) and Shores (1987a) reported 500 survivors, but Otter suggests this may have been a result of taking speculation by contemporary sources as fact.}}

The circumstances of the sinking were featured by a [[BBC]] programme. According to this, the despatch of ''Gloucester'', alone and low on fuel and anti-aircraft ammunition (less than 20% remaining), into danger was a "grievous error". Furthermore, the failure to attempt to rescue survivors after dark was "contrary to usual Navy practice". A survivor commented "''The tradition in the Navy is that when a ship has sunk, a vessel is sent back to pick up survivors under cover of darkness. That did not happen and we do not know why. We were picked up by Germans.''"<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/281741.stm|work=BBC News|title=WWII battleship 'sunk by blunder'|date=18 February 1999|access-date=27 August 2016}}</ref> On 30 May 1941, in a letter to the [[First Sea Lord]], [[Dudley Pound|Sir Dudley Pound]], Cunningham wrote, "The sending back of ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji'' to the ''Greyhound'' was another grave error and cost us those two ships. They were practically out of ammunition but even had they been full up I think they would have gone. The Commanding Officer of ''Fiji'' told me that the air over ''Gloucester'' was black with planes."<ref>Otter, p. 136</ref>

Following the loss of both ''Gloucester'' and ''Fiji'' to air attacks after their anti-aircraft ammunition was exhausted, all British cruisers were instructed not to allow their anti-aircraft ammunition reserves to fall below 40%.<ref>Preston, p. 45</ref>

The ship's wreck is a controlled site under the [[Protection of Military Remains Act 1986]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20062616.htm|title=Statutory Instrument 2006 No. 2616 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2006|publisher=Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament|access-date=20 November 2009}}</ref> Amongst the crewmen lost was the former [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] footballer [[Norman Catlin]].<ref>Holley & Chalk, p. 65</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CATLIN, NORMAN JOHN|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2476777/CATLIN,%20NORMAN%20JOHN|website=Casualty Details|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|access-date=29 August 2016}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{London Gazette |issue =38296 |date =21 May 1948 |pages =3103–3119 |supp =y |title =Cunningham, A. B., The Battle of Crete, Despatch to the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, 4 August 1941}}
* {{cite book|last1=Greene|first1=Jack|last2=Massignani|first2=Alessandro|title=The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1940–1943|date=2011|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-561-5|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|title=The Alphabet of the Saints|last1=Holley|first1=Duncan |last2=Chalk |first2=Gary|publisher=ACL & Polar Publishing|year=1992|isbn=0-9514862-3-3|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998 |isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
* {{cite book |last1=McCart |first1=Neil |title=Town Class Cruisers |date=2012 |publisher=Maritime Books |location=Liskeard, UK |isbn=978-1-904-45952-1}}
* {{cite book|last=O'Hara|first=Vincent P.|chapter=The Action off Calabria and the Myth of Moral Ascendancy|pages=26–39|editor-last1=Jordan|editor-first1=John|publisher=Conway |location =London|year=2008|title=Warship 2008|isbn=978-1-84486-062-3 |author-link=Vincent P. O'Hara}}
* {{cite book|last=Otter|first=Ken|title=HMS ''Gloucester'': The Untold Story|orig-year=First published 1999|edition=2nd|year=2001|publisher=G.A.M. Books| location=Durham, UK |isbn=0-9522194-2-5|oclc=59524624}}
* {{cite book |last=Preston |first=Antony |year=1982 |title=Cruisers |location=Greenwich, Connecticut |publisher=Bison Books|isbn=0-86124-064-2 |author-link=Antony Preston |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/cruisersantonypr00pres }}
* {{cite book|last1=Raven|first1=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John|title=British Cruisers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1980 |isbn=0-87021-922-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{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|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Shores|first=Christopher |author2=Cull, Brian |author3=Malizia, Nicola|title=Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete |publisher=Grub Street|location=London|year=1987a|isbn=0-948817-07-0|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last1=Shores|first1=Christopher|last2=Cull|first2=Brian|last3=Malizia |first3=Nicola|title=Malta: The Hurricane Years 1940–41|date=1987b|publisher=Grub Street|location=London|isbn=0-948817-06-2|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book |last=Thomas |first=David Arthur |year=1980 |orig-year=First published 1972 |title=Crete 1941: The Battle at Sea |location=Athens |publisher=Efstathiadis Group |language=en |isbn=9780233962726 |oclc=11023583 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/crete1941battlea0000thom }}
* {{cite book |last=Waters |first=Conrad |year=2019 |title=British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development & Performance; Southampton & Belfast Classes |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=978-1-5267-1885-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Cassell|location=London|date=1995|isbn=1-86019-874-0|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Gloucester (C62)}}
*[http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1233.html HMS Gloucester at Uboat.net]
*[http://www.world-war.co.uk/Gloucester/gloucester.php3 HMS Gloucester – WWII cruisers]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070614110858/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.4728 Royal Navy history]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/281741.stm BBC article on HMS ''Gloucester'']
*[http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c2df95f745d94a02b48da2edca8b7090 Archive footage of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester inspecting the ship, 27 February 1939] from [[British Movietone]].
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010762 IWM Interview with survivor Arthur Stevens]
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80011235 IWM Interview with survivor Peter Raymond]
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80030621 IWM Interview with survivor Melvin Baker]
{{Town class cruiser 1936}}
{{May 1941 shipwrecks}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gloucester}}
[[Category:Town-class cruisers (1936)]]
[[Category:Ships built in Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Protected wrecks of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1941]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by aircraft during the Battle of Crete]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German aircraft]]
[[Category:Cruisers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Greece]]