SS Duchess of York was one of a class of four steam turbine ocean liners built in Glasgow in 1927–29 for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd's transatlantic service between Britain and Canada.

[4][5] Her first captain between 1929 and 1934 was Ronald Niel Stuart, VC whose First World War service record entitled him to fly the Blue Ensign whilst he was aboard.

In 1939 it was proposed that Duchess of York or one of her sisters be modified for use on Canadian-Australasian Line's transpacific route between Sydney and Vancouver via Auckland, Suva and Honolulu.

On 9 July 1943, she sailed Greenock as part of the small, fast Convoy Faith, for Freetown, Sierra Leone, in company with California and the cargo ship Port Fairy.

Fearing the flames from the ships would attract U-boats, the Royal Navy sank Duchess of York and California by torpedoes in position 41°15′N 15°24′W / 41.250°N 15.400°W / 41.250; -15.400[11] in the early hours of 12 July.