HMS Starling underway, in 1943
| |
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Starling |
Namesake | Starling |
Builder | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan |
Laid down | 21 October 1941 |
Launched | 14 October 1942 |
Completed | 1 April 1943 |
Reclassified | As a frigate in 1947 |
Fate | Broken up July 1965 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Modified Black Swan-class sloop |
Displacement | 1,350 tons |
Length | 299 ft 6 in (91.29 m) |
Beam | 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m) |
Draught | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h) |
Range | 7,500 nmi (13,900 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h) |
Complement | 192 |
Armament |
|
Service record | |
Part of: | 2nd Support Group |
Commanders: | Frederick John Walker |
Operations: | |
Victories: | 15 U-boats (shared) |
HMS Starling, pennant number U66, was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was active in the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War and was the most successful anti-submarine warfare vessel of the Royal Navy, being credited with the destruction of fourteen U-boats.
Starling was ordered on 18 July 1941 under the 1940 Supplementary War Building Programme; she was laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Govan, Scotland, on 21 October 1941. She was launched on 14 October 1942, and commissioned on 1 April 1943, with a build time of 17 months and 10 days. [3]
Starling joined Western Approaches Command in April 1943 under the command of Captain Frederic John Walker, leader of the 2nd Support Group (2SG). This was a flotilla of six sloops not tied down to convoy protection, but free to hunt down U-boats wherever found. The other ships of the group were Cygnet, Kite, Wild Goose, Woodpecker, and Wren.
Starling's first patrol in May 1943 was uneventful; There were several major convoy battles during the month, but none involving 2 SG. Starlings first success came on 1 June 1943, when the group's first U-boat was detected: fortuitously on a fine day and identified by Lt. Earl Howe Pitt. This event was dubbed another " Glorious First of June" by Walker. [4] Over a 15-hour period the group found, tracked and destroyed U-202, in the longest hunt of the Atlantic campaign up to that point.
On their return to Liverpool, Starling and 2SG were assigned to " Operation Musketry", an attempt, in concert with Coastal Command, to interdict the U-boat transit routes across the Bay of Biscay. On 24 June 1943 the group was successful in destroying two U-boats; Starling destroyed U-119, but was damaged when she rammed the U-boat to dispatch it. She was forced to return to Britain for repairs, under the temporary command of Cdr. DEG Wemyss of Wild Goose, Walker having stayed with the group. [5]
In October, on returning to the group, Starling was involved in the battle around convoy ON 207. No successes were recorded, though the convoy battle saw three U-boats destroyed, with no ships lost. [6]
In November 1943, in operations around HX 264, Starling and 2 SG accounted for two more U-boats, U-226 and U-842. [7]
In December, while in support of SL 140/MKS 31, Starling attacked and damaged U-843, forcing it to abandon its attack.
In January 1944, supporting convoy SL 147/MKS 38, Starling shared in the destruction of U-592. [8]
In February she took part in the famous " Six in one trip" episode, where 2 SG destroyed six U-boats over a two-week period. Starling shared in the destruction of four of these; U-592 on 31 January, U-734 and U-238 on 9 February, and U-264 on 19 February. [9]
In March 1944, Starling and 2 SG, accompanied by escort carrier Vindex, sought and destroyed U-653, a U-boat on weather-reporting duty in the North Atlantic. Later that month, while supporting Murmansk convoy JW 58, Starling met and destroyed U-961 in transit to the North Atlantic. [10] She had no other success, though three U-boats were destroyed in attacks on JW 58.
In May the group responded to an attack on USS Donnell by U-473. Though starting from 300 miles away Walker, in an inspired piece of work, divined where to search and after a three-day search gained contact. An 18-hour hunt brought U-473 to the surface, where she was sunk by gunfire. [11] [12]
In June Starling was part of " Operation Neptune" in support of the Normandy landings, and was instrumental in preventing any attacks on the invasion fleet. In all fifteen U-boats were destroyed in attempts to attack the invasion fleet, though Starling herself had no success.
In July Starling suffered her heaviest blow when Capt. FJ Walker died of a cerebral haemorrhage, brought on by overwork and exhaustion.
Under her new captain, Cdr. NW Duck, Starling and 2 SG had another successful patrol in the Bay of Biscay in August when four U-boats were destroyed; Starling took part in three of these actions, against U-333, U-736, and U-385. [13]
In September Starling moved to 22EG, under Cdr. GWE Castens, but the U-boat war had changed character, and Starling saw little further success. The campaign became a hunt for single raiders operating in the shallow coastal waters, where a U-boat could hide among the wrecks on the sea bottom. Hunts for these "lone wolves" was a slow and tedious business, though merchant ship losses were kept to a minimum.
In January 1945 Starling, with ships of 22EG, attacked a promising target in the North Channel: They were credited, following examination of German records in the post-war period, with the destruction of U-482. However this assessment was re-evaluated in 1991, and the credit was withdrawn; the attack was deemed to have been on a non-sub target. [14]
With the end of the war in Europe Starling was earmarked for duty in the Pacific, but while re-fitting for this the war there ended. In September 1945 Starling paid off, and in October went into reserve.
In 1946 Starling was re-activated for service with HMS Dryad, the Royal Navy's Navigation Training School. She was modified as a Navigation training ship and remained in service for the next ten years.
In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. [15]
During her last year in commission, she visited the Norwegian fjords and the U-boat base at Kiel. Her final voyage was a call at Bootle Liverpool to attend a farewell celebration provided by the local authority and Captain Walker's widow took passage on the final sailing from Bootle to Portsmouth where she paid off. [16]
Starling participated in the sinking of fourteen U-boats:
Date | U-boat | Type | Location [18] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 June 1943 | U-202 | Type VIIC |
North Atlantic 56°12′N 39°52′W / 56.200°N 39.867°W |
sunk, depth charges and gunfire from Starling. [19] |
24 June 1943 | U-119 | Type XB | N Atlantic, NW of
Cape Ortegal 44°59′N 12°24′W / 44.983°N 12.400°W |
sunk, gunfire, ramming, by Starling. [20] |
6 November 1943 | U-226 | VIIC | N Atlantic, east of
Cape Race 44°49′N 41°13′W / 44.817°N 41.217°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling, Woodcock and Kite. [21] |
6 November 1943 | U-842 | Type IXC/40 |
North Atlantic 43°42′N 42°08′W / 43.700°N 42.133°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling and Wild Goose. [22] |
31 January 1944 | U-592 | VIIC | N Atlantic, south-west of
Cape Clear 50°20′N 17°29′W / 50.333°N 17.483°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling, Wild Goose and Magpie. [23] |
9 February 1944 | U-734 | VIIC | Atlantic 49°43′N 16°23′W / 49.717°N 16.383°W |
sunk, d/c by Wild Goose and Starling. [24] |
9 February 1944 | U-238 | VIIC | Atlantic, south-west of Cape Clear 49°44′N 16°07′W / 49.733°N 16.117°W |
sunk, d/c, hedgehog, by Kite, Magpie and Starling. [25] |
19 February 1944 | U-264 | VIIC | North Atlantic 48°31′N 22°05′W / 48.517°N 22.083°W |
sunk, d/c by Woodpecker and Starling. [26] |
15 March 1944 | U-653 | VIIC | North Atlantic 53°46′N 24°35′W / 53.767°N 24.583°W |
found by Swordfish A/825 from Vindex, d/c by Starling and Wild Goose. [27] |
29 March 1944 | U-961 | VIIC | Atlantic, north of
Faroes 64°31′N 03°19′W / 64.517°N 3.317°W |
sunk, by Starling, Magpie. [28] |
6 May 1944 | U-473 | VIIC | Atlantic, west of Cape Clear 49°29′N 21°22′W / 49.483°N 21.367°W |
sunk, d/c, gunfire by Starling, Wren and Wild Goose. [29] |
31 July 1944 | U-333 | VIIC |
English Channel, west of the
Scilly Isles 49°39′N 07°28′W / 49.650°N 7.467°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling and the frigate Loch Killin. [30] |
6 August 1944 | U-736 | VIIC | Atlantic, west of
St. Nazaire 47°19′N 04°16′W / 47.317°N 4.267°W |
sunk, Squid, d/c by Starling and Loch Killin. [31] |
11 August 1944 | U-385 | VIIC | Bay of Biscay, west of
La Rochelle 46°16′N 02°45′W / 46.267°N 2.750°W |
sunk, d/c, air attack by Starling and Sunderland P/461. [32] |
During the war the Starling was credited, along with the sloops Amethyst, Peacock, Hart, and frigate Loch Craggie, with sinking the U-482 in the North Channel on 16 January 1945. The British Admiralty withdrew this credit in a post-war reassessment. [33]
Burn, Alan (1993). The Fighting Captain. ISBN 0-85052-555-1.
HMS Starling underway, in 1943
| |
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Starling |
Namesake | Starling |
Builder | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan |
Laid down | 21 October 1941 |
Launched | 14 October 1942 |
Completed | 1 April 1943 |
Reclassified | As a frigate in 1947 |
Fate | Broken up July 1965 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Modified Black Swan-class sloop |
Displacement | 1,350 tons |
Length | 299 ft 6 in (91.29 m) |
Beam | 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m) |
Draught | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h) |
Range | 7,500 nmi (13,900 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h) |
Complement | 192 |
Armament |
|
Service record | |
Part of: | 2nd Support Group |
Commanders: | Frederick John Walker |
Operations: | |
Victories: | 15 U-boats (shared) |
HMS Starling, pennant number U66, was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was active in the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War and was the most successful anti-submarine warfare vessel of the Royal Navy, being credited with the destruction of fourteen U-boats.
Starling was ordered on 18 July 1941 under the 1940 Supplementary War Building Programme; she was laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Govan, Scotland, on 21 October 1941. She was launched on 14 October 1942, and commissioned on 1 April 1943, with a build time of 17 months and 10 days. [3]
Starling joined Western Approaches Command in April 1943 under the command of Captain Frederic John Walker, leader of the 2nd Support Group (2SG). This was a flotilla of six sloops not tied down to convoy protection, but free to hunt down U-boats wherever found. The other ships of the group were Cygnet, Kite, Wild Goose, Woodpecker, and Wren.
Starling's first patrol in May 1943 was uneventful; There were several major convoy battles during the month, but none involving 2 SG. Starlings first success came on 1 June 1943, when the group's first U-boat was detected: fortuitously on a fine day and identified by Lt. Earl Howe Pitt. This event was dubbed another " Glorious First of June" by Walker. [4] Over a 15-hour period the group found, tracked and destroyed U-202, in the longest hunt of the Atlantic campaign up to that point.
On their return to Liverpool, Starling and 2SG were assigned to " Operation Musketry", an attempt, in concert with Coastal Command, to interdict the U-boat transit routes across the Bay of Biscay. On 24 June 1943 the group was successful in destroying two U-boats; Starling destroyed U-119, but was damaged when she rammed the U-boat to dispatch it. She was forced to return to Britain for repairs, under the temporary command of Cdr. DEG Wemyss of Wild Goose, Walker having stayed with the group. [5]
In October, on returning to the group, Starling was involved in the battle around convoy ON 207. No successes were recorded, though the convoy battle saw three U-boats destroyed, with no ships lost. [6]
In November 1943, in operations around HX 264, Starling and 2 SG accounted for two more U-boats, U-226 and U-842. [7]
In December, while in support of SL 140/MKS 31, Starling attacked and damaged U-843, forcing it to abandon its attack.
In January 1944, supporting convoy SL 147/MKS 38, Starling shared in the destruction of U-592. [8]
In February she took part in the famous " Six in one trip" episode, where 2 SG destroyed six U-boats over a two-week period. Starling shared in the destruction of four of these; U-592 on 31 January, U-734 and U-238 on 9 February, and U-264 on 19 February. [9]
In March 1944, Starling and 2 SG, accompanied by escort carrier Vindex, sought and destroyed U-653, a U-boat on weather-reporting duty in the North Atlantic. Later that month, while supporting Murmansk convoy JW 58, Starling met and destroyed U-961 in transit to the North Atlantic. [10] She had no other success, though three U-boats were destroyed in attacks on JW 58.
In May the group responded to an attack on USS Donnell by U-473. Though starting from 300 miles away Walker, in an inspired piece of work, divined where to search and after a three-day search gained contact. An 18-hour hunt brought U-473 to the surface, where she was sunk by gunfire. [11] [12]
In June Starling was part of " Operation Neptune" in support of the Normandy landings, and was instrumental in preventing any attacks on the invasion fleet. In all fifteen U-boats were destroyed in attempts to attack the invasion fleet, though Starling herself had no success.
In July Starling suffered her heaviest blow when Capt. FJ Walker died of a cerebral haemorrhage, brought on by overwork and exhaustion.
Under her new captain, Cdr. NW Duck, Starling and 2 SG had another successful patrol in the Bay of Biscay in August when four U-boats were destroyed; Starling took part in three of these actions, against U-333, U-736, and U-385. [13]
In September Starling moved to 22EG, under Cdr. GWE Castens, but the U-boat war had changed character, and Starling saw little further success. The campaign became a hunt for single raiders operating in the shallow coastal waters, where a U-boat could hide among the wrecks on the sea bottom. Hunts for these "lone wolves" was a slow and tedious business, though merchant ship losses were kept to a minimum.
In January 1945 Starling, with ships of 22EG, attacked a promising target in the North Channel: They were credited, following examination of German records in the post-war period, with the destruction of U-482. However this assessment was re-evaluated in 1991, and the credit was withdrawn; the attack was deemed to have been on a non-sub target. [14]
With the end of the war in Europe Starling was earmarked for duty in the Pacific, but while re-fitting for this the war there ended. In September 1945 Starling paid off, and in October went into reserve.
In 1946 Starling was re-activated for service with HMS Dryad, the Royal Navy's Navigation Training School. She was modified as a Navigation training ship and remained in service for the next ten years.
In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. [15]
During her last year in commission, she visited the Norwegian fjords and the U-boat base at Kiel. Her final voyage was a call at Bootle Liverpool to attend a farewell celebration provided by the local authority and Captain Walker's widow took passage on the final sailing from Bootle to Portsmouth where she paid off. [16]
Starling participated in the sinking of fourteen U-boats:
Date | U-boat | Type | Location [18] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 June 1943 | U-202 | Type VIIC |
North Atlantic 56°12′N 39°52′W / 56.200°N 39.867°W |
sunk, depth charges and gunfire from Starling. [19] |
24 June 1943 | U-119 | Type XB | N Atlantic, NW of
Cape Ortegal 44°59′N 12°24′W / 44.983°N 12.400°W |
sunk, gunfire, ramming, by Starling. [20] |
6 November 1943 | U-226 | VIIC | N Atlantic, east of
Cape Race 44°49′N 41°13′W / 44.817°N 41.217°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling, Woodcock and Kite. [21] |
6 November 1943 | U-842 | Type IXC/40 |
North Atlantic 43°42′N 42°08′W / 43.700°N 42.133°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling and Wild Goose. [22] |
31 January 1944 | U-592 | VIIC | N Atlantic, south-west of
Cape Clear 50°20′N 17°29′W / 50.333°N 17.483°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling, Wild Goose and Magpie. [23] |
9 February 1944 | U-734 | VIIC | Atlantic 49°43′N 16°23′W / 49.717°N 16.383°W |
sunk, d/c by Wild Goose and Starling. [24] |
9 February 1944 | U-238 | VIIC | Atlantic, south-west of Cape Clear 49°44′N 16°07′W / 49.733°N 16.117°W |
sunk, d/c, hedgehog, by Kite, Magpie and Starling. [25] |
19 February 1944 | U-264 | VIIC | North Atlantic 48°31′N 22°05′W / 48.517°N 22.083°W |
sunk, d/c by Woodpecker and Starling. [26] |
15 March 1944 | U-653 | VIIC | North Atlantic 53°46′N 24°35′W / 53.767°N 24.583°W |
found by Swordfish A/825 from Vindex, d/c by Starling and Wild Goose. [27] |
29 March 1944 | U-961 | VIIC | Atlantic, north of
Faroes 64°31′N 03°19′W / 64.517°N 3.317°W |
sunk, by Starling, Magpie. [28] |
6 May 1944 | U-473 | VIIC | Atlantic, west of Cape Clear 49°29′N 21°22′W / 49.483°N 21.367°W |
sunk, d/c, gunfire by Starling, Wren and Wild Goose. [29] |
31 July 1944 | U-333 | VIIC |
English Channel, west of the
Scilly Isles 49°39′N 07°28′W / 49.650°N 7.467°W |
sunk, d/c by Starling and the frigate Loch Killin. [30] |
6 August 1944 | U-736 | VIIC | Atlantic, west of
St. Nazaire 47°19′N 04°16′W / 47.317°N 4.267°W |
sunk, Squid, d/c by Starling and Loch Killin. [31] |
11 August 1944 | U-385 | VIIC | Bay of Biscay, west of
La Rochelle 46°16′N 02°45′W / 46.267°N 2.750°W |
sunk, d/c, air attack by Starling and Sunderland P/461. [32] |
During the war the Starling was credited, along with the sloops Amethyst, Peacock, Hart, and frigate Loch Craggie, with sinking the U-482 in the North Channel on 16 January 1945. The British Admiralty withdrew this credit in a post-war reassessment. [33]
Burn, Alan (1993). The Fighting Captain. ISBN 0-85052-555-1.