View source for HMS Woodpecker (U08)

{{short description|Sloop of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Woodpecker}}

{{More citations needed|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:HMS Woodpecker IWM FL 9733.jpg|300px|Photograph of HMS Woodpecker in December 1942, from IWM]]
|Ship caption=''Woodpecker'' in December 1942
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Woodpecker''
|Ship namesake=[[Woodpecker]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[William Denny & Brothers]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=29 June 1942
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=14 December 1942
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto= Inveniet qui exquirit:   'He who seeks carefully shall find'
|Ship badge= On a Field White, a woodpecker clinging to a stump of a tree proper
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*Biscay 1943
*[[Battle of the Atlantic|Atlantic]] 1943–44
|Ship fate=*Torpedoed by {{GS|U-256||2}} on 20 February 1944.
*Sank while under tow 27 February 1944
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=<ref>Conway p57</ref>
|Ship class={{sclass|Black Swan|sloop|0}} [[sloop-of-war|sloop]]<ref name=Elliott>Elliott p140. Some sources list ''Woodpecker'' as a Modified ''Black Swan'' class vessel. See "Construction"</ref>
|Ship type=
|Ship displacement=	1,350&nbsp;tons
|Ship length= {{convert|299|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|38|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught= {{convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*Geared turbines, 2 shafts
*{{convert|4,300|hp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|20|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship range= {{convert|7500|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship complement=192
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*6 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|0|adj=on}}]] AA guns (3 × 2)
*8 × [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pdr AA pom-pom (2 x 4)]]
*[[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20&nbsp;mm guns]] AA (2 × 2, 2 x 1)
|Ship armour=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label= 
|partof=[[2nd Support Group]]
|codes=
|commanders=*Lt.Cdr RES Hugonin,
*Cdr HL Pryse.
|operations=[[Battle of the Atlantic]]
|victories=6 U-boats (shared)
|awards=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Woodpecker''''', [[pennant number]] U08, was a {{sclass|Black Swan|sloop|0}} [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] of the [[Royal Navy]].<ref name=Elliott/> She was active during the [[Second World War]] and was a successful [[anti-submarine warfare]] vessel, being credited with the destruction of six [[U-boat]]s.

==Construction==
''Woodpecker'' was ordered on 13 April 1940 under the 1940 Building Programme; she was laid down by [[William Denny & Brothers]] of [[Dumbarton]], [[Scotland]] on 23 February 1941. She was launched on 29 June 1942, and commissioned 14 December the same year, with a build time of 23 months and 10 days.<ref>Elliott p140</ref>
The ''Black Swan'' design was subject to many modifications during the building process, which were later consolidated into the Modified ''Black Swan'' design. Although ''Woodpecker'' was ordered under the original design, her late build meant she incorporated many of these modifications and is consequently listed in some sources as one of the Modified ''Black Swan'' class.<ref name=Elliott/>

==Service history==
After commissioning, ''Woodpecker'' was assigned to convoy escort duty. In April, ''Woodpecker'' joined [[2nd Support Group]], a highly successful [[anti-submarine warfare]] group under the command of [[Frederic John Walker|FJ Walker]].

In February ''Woodpecker'', and 2 SG, were on support duty in the Atlantic, though they saw little action.

In June they were assigned to the [[Bay of Biscay]], supporting [[Coastal Command]]'s [[Operation Musketry]]. On 24 June ''Woodpecker'', with others, found and destroyed two U-boats, {{GS|U-119|1942|2}} and {{GS|U-449||2}}, off [[Cape Ortegal]].<ref>Blair p357</ref>

On 30 July  the group engaged three U-boats, already under air attack; all three were destroyed, with ''Woodpecker'' sharing credit for {{GS|U-504||2}}.<ref>Blair p392</ref>

Following the end of Musketry ''Woodpecker'' was docked for an extensive refit, remaining there until the end of the year.

In January 1944 ''Woodpecker'', under the command of Commander H. L. Pryse, RNR, rejoined 2SG, which was on support duty in the South-Western Approaches. In February ''Woodpecker'' took part in the famous "Six in one trip" episode, during which she was credited  with sharing the destruction of three U-boats. On 8 February, while supporting convoy SL 147/MKS 38, 2SG destroyed three U-boats; ''Woodpecker'' and {{HMS|Wild Goose|U45|2}} were credited with the destruction of {{GS|U-762||2}}.<ref name="Blair498">Blair p498</ref> Three days later ''Woodpecker'' and others caught and destroyed {{GS|U-424||2}}.<ref name="Blair498"/> On 19 February, while supporting ON 224, ''Woodpecker'' and others destroyed {{GS|U-264||2}} after a seven-hour hunt.<ref name="Blair498"/>

The following day, on 20 February 1944, ''Woodpecker'' was struck in the stern by [[GNAT (torpedo)|an acoustic torpedo]] launched from the {{GS|U-256||2}}. While being towed toward home, on 27 February 1944 ''Woodpecker'' foundered and sank in an Atlantic storm. The skeleton crew was rescued before the ship went under.<ref name="Blair498"/>

''Woodpecker'' was the only ship belonging to 2SG to be sunk. She had shared in six of the groups 23 victories.

==Battle honours==
During her service ''Woodpecker'' was awarded two battle honours:<ref>Warlow p</ref>
*Biscay 1943
*[[Battle of the Atlantic|Atlantic]] 1943–44

==Successes==
During her service ''Woodpecker'' participated in the sinking of six U-boats:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date
! U-boat
! Type
! Location<ref>Locations per Kemp; other sources may differ</ref>
! Notes
|-
| 24 June 1943 || {{GS|U-119|1942|2}} || [[German Type X submarine|XB]] || [[Bay of Biscay]], NW of [[Cape Ortegal]]<br />{{coord|44|59|N|12|24|W}}|| [[depth-charge]], [[ramming]] by {{HMS|Starling|U66|2}}, ''Woodpecker''<ref>Kemp p126</ref>
|-
| 24 June 1943 || {{GS|U-449||2}} || [[German Type VII submarine|VIIC]] || NW of Cape Ortegal<br />{{coord|45|00|N|11|59|W}}
 || d/c attacks by {{HMS|Wren|U28|2}}, ''Woodpecker'', {{HMS|Kite|U87|2}}, {{HMS|Wild Goose |U45|2}}<ref>Kemp p127</ref><ref>Neistle p66</ref>
|-
| 30 July 1943 || {{GS|U-504||2}} || [[German Type IX submarine|IXC]] || NW of Cape Ortegal<br />{{coord|45|33|N|10|56|W}}|| d/c attacks by ''Woodpecker'', ''Wild Goose''<ref>Kemp p137</ref><ref>Neistle p124</ref>
|-
| 8 February 1944 || {{GS|U-762||2}} || VIIC || North Atlantic, W of [[Cape Clear Island|Cape Clear]]<br /> {{coord|49|02|N|16|58|W}} || d/c attacks by ''Woodpecker'', ''Wild Goose''<ref>Kemp p167-8</ref><ref>Neistle p88</ref>
|-
| 11 February 1944 || {{GS|U-424||2}} || VIIC || N Atlantic,  SW of Ireland<br />{{coord|50|00|N|18|14|W}} || d/c attacks by''Wild Goose'', ''Woodpecker'', {{HMS|Magpie|U82|2}}<ref>Kemp p169</ref><ref>Neistle p63</ref>
|-
| 19 February 1944 || {{GS|U-264||2}} ||VIIC || North Atlantic<br /> {{coord|48|31|N|22|05|W}} || d/c, ramming by ''Starling'', ''Wild Goose'', ''Woodpecker''<ref>Kemp p171</ref><ref>Neistle p51</ref>
|-
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last1=Blair |first1=Clay |title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942-1945|year=1998 |publisher=Cassell |isbn=0-304-35261-6|author-link=Clay Blair}}
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Gardiner|editor-first1=Robert|editor-last2=Chesneau|editor-first2=Roger|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year=1980|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*Arnold Hague : ''The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945'' (2000). {{ISBN|1-55125-033-0}} (Canada); {{ISBN|1-86176-147-3}} (UK).
*{{Cite book |last=Kemp |first=Paul |title=U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars |publisher=Arms and Armour |year=1997 |isbn=1-85409-515-3}}
*{{cite book |title=German U-Boat Losses During World War II |first=Axel |last=Niestle |publisher=Greenhill |date=1998 |isbn=1-85367-352-8}}
*Warlow, B : ''Battle Honours of the Royal Navy'' (2004) {{ISBN|1-904459-05-6}}

==Publications==
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Hague|first=Arnold|title=Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-67-3}}

==External links==
*[http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-18SL-HMS_Woodpecker.htm HMS ''Woodpecker'' at navalhistory.net]
*{{cite web
|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3920.html
|title=HMS ''Woodpecker''
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
}}
*[http://www.britainsnavy.co.uk/Ships/HMS%20Woodpecker/HMS%20Woodpecker%20(1942)%20SL%201.htm HMS ''Woodpecker'' at britainsnavy.co.uk]

{{Black Swan class sloop}}
{{February 1944 shipwrecks}}
{{coord|48|49|N|22|11|W|type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodpecker}}
[[Category:Black Swan-class sloops]]
[[Category:World War II sloops of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]]
[[Category:Sloops of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1944]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]