Almost forgotten by history is the paddle minesweeper HMS Ascot. This unfortunate ship became the last warship to be lost to enemy action in the Great War. On November 10, 1918, one day before the Armistice was signed, HMS Ascot was operating five miles from the Farne Islands when she was torpedoed by SMS UB-67. Even though orders had been sent on Oct. 20 to all U-boats to return to Kiel, Oberleutnant zur See Hellmuth von Doemming either did not receive it or just disregarded the order. I cannot know his motivation and it would be pure speculation to guess. It is however a sad commentary that this man, who must have known that the war was over, would sink just one more ship before the end of hostilities. Because of his decision to fire the torpedo fifty-three more names were added to the Roll of Honour. What happened on board Ascot in her final minutes is unknown because the last warship sunk in the Great War took every man in her to the bottom.