HMS Woodpecker (U08)

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HMS Woodpecker (U08)
HMS Woodpecker FL9733.jpg
Ship data
flag United KingdomUnited Kingdom (Naval War Flag) United Kingdom
Ship type Sloop
class modified
Black Swan class
Shipyard William Denny , Dumbarton
Build number 1359
Order April 13, 1940
Keel laying February 23, 1941
Launch June 29, 1942
Commissioning December 14, 1942
Whereabouts Sank after being hit by a torpedo on February 27, 1944
Ship dimensions and crew
length
91.3 m ( Lüa )
width 12.0 m
Draft Max. 3.4 m
displacement 1,350 ts
 
crew 192 men
Machine system
machine 2 boilers ,
2 Parsons turbines
Machine
performance 		4300 hp
Top
speed 		20 kn (37 km / h)
propeller 2
Armament
Sensors

Radar , sonar

The HMS Woodpecker (U08) was a modified Black Swan class sloop of the British Royal Navy . She was one of several ships of this class that took part in the famous " six-in-one trip " (English: "six on one trip") under the command of Frederic John Walker in January / February In 1944 six German submarines (all of the VIIC type ) could be sunk on patrol : U-592 on January 31, U-762 on February 8, U-734 and U-238 on February 9, U-424 on February 11th and U-264 on February 19th. The Woodpecker was hit by a torpedo from U 256 on February 20 . The attempt to haul in the heavily damaged sloop failed on the 27th near the Isles of Scilly . The remaining crew on board could be recovered.

History of the Woodpecker

The ship was built by William Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton , Scotland . The keel was laid on February 23, 1941 June 29, 1942, was launched in , which is the first ship of the Royal Navy after the woodpecker was named, and then put into service on 14 December 1942nd The sloop received a Hedgehog launcher and was equipped with radar.
The shipyard had already completed two very similar sloops for the Royal Indian Navy in 1942 and seven more new buildings for the Royal Navy followed.

After its commissioning, the sloop was assigned to the 7th Escort Group . It was used for the first time on the convoy ON164 to Newfoundland and the incoming convoy SC120 , which suffered no losses.

In April 1943 the Woodpecker was assigned to the 2nd Escort Group under Frederic John Walker on the HMS Starling , which had recently been in service . Initially, the group also included the sloops HMS Cygnet , HMS Kite , HMS Wild Goose and HMS Wren . The group was intended as reinforcement for attacked convoys.

Involvement of the Woodpecker in submarine sinkings

  • June 24, 1943: sinking of U 449 ( type VIIC ) northwest of Cape Ortegal by depth charges along with Wren , Kite and Wild Goose (49 deaths, total loss), Starling had previously U 119 sunk and was damaged by ramming.
  • July 30, 1943: sinking of the outgoing U 462 underground utility in the Bay of Biscay by a Handley Page Halifax and depth charges from the Wren , Kite , Wild Goose and HMS Woodcock (1 dead)
  • July 30, 1943: Sinking of U 504 ( Type IX C ) in the North Atlantic off Cape Ortegal by depth charges with the kite and Wild Goose (53 dead, total loss)
  • November 6, 1943: Sinking of U 226 (Type VII C) in the North Atlantic, east of Newfoundland by depth charges together with Starling , Woodcock and Kite (51 dead, total loss)
  • February 8, 1944: Sinking of U 762 (Type VII C) in the North Atlantic by depth charges with the sister ship Wild Goose (51 dead, total loss)
  • February 11, 1944: Sinking of U 424 (Type VII C) southwest of Iceland by depth charges again with Wild Goose , (50 dead, total loss)
  • February 19, 1944: U 264 (Type VII C) sunk in the North Atlantic with sisters Wild Goose and Starling (no dead)

Whereabouts

In February 1944, the Woodpecker escorted convoy ON-224 under the command of HL Pryse . On February 20, 1944, the ship was hit at the stern by an acoustic torpedo shot down by U 256 and was therefore unable to maneuver, but it did not sink. When the woodpecker by the auxiliary ship Storm Cloud was dragged towards the UK, she sank on February 27, 1944 in the Atlantic Ocean on the position 48 ° 49 '  N , 22 ° 11'  W . The emergency crew who were on board during the return trip could be rescued.

Other web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Service History HMS Woodpecker
  2. ↑ HMS Woodpecker at uboat.net, with picture (English)