HMS Starling (U66)

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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.

Construction

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File:HMS Starling, U66 1.jpg
Model of Starling on display in the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

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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.[1]

Service history

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 Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..

StarlingTemplate:'s first patrol in May 1943 was uneventful; There were several major convoy battles during the month, but none involving 2SG. StarlingTemplate:'s first success came on 1 June 1943, when the group's first U-boat was detected: fortuitously on a fine day and identified by Lieutenant Earl Howe Pitt. This event was dubbed another "Glorious First of June" by Walker.[2] Over a 15-hour period the group found, tracked and destroyed Template:GS, 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 Template:GS, 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 Commander D. E. G. Wemyss of Wild Goose, Walker staying with the group.[3]

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.[4]

In November 1943, in operations around HX 264, Starling and 2SG accounted for two more U-boats: Template:GS and Template:GS.[5]

In December, while in support of convoy SL 140/MKS 31, Starling attacked and damaged Template:GS, forcing it to abandon its attack.

File:Out With U-boat Killer Number 1; the Second Escort Group's Success. 26 January To 25 February 1944, on Board HMS Starling. With the 2nd Escort Group, Commanded by Captain F J Walker, Cb, Dso and Two Bars, on His Most Rec A21988.jpg
Captain Walker on board Starling during an anti-submarine operation in January or February 1944

In January 1944, supporting convoy SL 147/MKS 38, Starling shared in the destruction of Template:GS.[6]

In February she took part in the famous "Six in one trip" episode, where 2SG destroyed six U-boats over a two-week period. Starling shared in the destruction of four of these: Template:GS on 31 January, Template:GS and Template:GS on 9 February, and Template:GS on 19 February.[7]

In March 1944, Starling and 2SG, accompanied by the escort carrier Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., sought and destroyed Template:GS, a U-boat on weather-reporting duty in the North Atlantic. Later that month, while supporting Murmansk convoy JW 58, Starling destroyed Template:GS in transit to the North Atlantic.[8] 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 Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". by Template:GS. Though starting from 300 miles away, Walker, in an inspired piece of work, divined where to search and after a three-day search made contact. An 18-hour hunt brought U-473 to the surface, where she was sunk by gunfire.[9][10]

File:Depth charges explode astern of HMS STARLING of the 2nd Escort Group in the Atlantic, January 1944. A21992.jpg
Depth charges detonate astern of Starling

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, 15 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, Commander N. W. Duck, Starling and 2SG 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 Template:GS, Template:GS, and Template:GS.[11]

In September Starling moved to 22EG, under Commander G. W. E. 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 Template:GS. However this assessment was re-evaluated in 1991, and the credit was withdrawn; the attack was deemed to have been on a non-submarine target.[12]

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.

Post-war service

In 1946, Starling was re-activated for service with Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., 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.[13]

In 1956, 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 authorities, and Captain Walker's widow took passage on the final sailing from Bootle to Portsmouth, where Starling paid off.

Battle honours

Successes

Starling participated in the sinking of fourteen U-boats:

Date U-boat Type Location[15] Notes
2 June 1943 Template:GS Type VIIC North Atlantic
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, depth charges and gunfire from Starling.[16]
24 June 1943 Template:GS Type XB N Atlantic, NW of Cape Ortegal
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, gunfire, ramming, by Starling.[17]
6 November 1943 Template:GS VIIC N Atlantic, east of Cape Race
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Starling, Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[18]
6 November 1943 Template:GS Type IXC/40 North Atlantic
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Starling and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[19]
31 January 1944 Template:GS VIIC N Atlantic, south-west of Cape Clear
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Starling, Wild Goose and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[20]
9 February 1944 Template:GS VIIC Atlantic
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Wild Goose and Starling.[21]
9 February 1944 Template:GS VIIC Atlantic, south-west of Cape Clear
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c, hedgehog, by Kite, Magpie and Starling.[22]
19 February 1944 Template:GS VIIC North Atlantic
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Woodpecker and Starling.[23]
15 March 1944 Template:GS VIIC North Atlantic
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 found by Swordfish A/825 from Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., d/c by Starling and Wild Goose.[24]
29 March 1944 Template:GS VIIC Atlantic, north of Faroes
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, by Starling, Magpie.[25]
6 May 1944 Template:GS VIIC Atlantic, west of Cape Clear
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c, gunfire by Starling, Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Wild Goose.[26]
31 July 1944 Template:GS VIIC English Channel, west of the Scilly Isles
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c by Starling and the frigate Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[27]
6 August 1944 Template:GS VIIC Atlantic, west of St. Nazaire
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, Squid, d/c by Starling and Loch Killin.[28]
11 August 1944 Template:GS VIIC Bay of Biscay, west of La Rochelle
Script error: No such module "Coordinates".		 sunk, d/c, air attack by Starling and Sunderland P/461.[29]

During the war the Starling was credited, along with the sloops Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., and frigate Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., with sinking the Template:GS in the North Channel on 16 January 1945. The British Admiralty withdrew this credit in a post-war reassessment.[30]

In popular culture

Notes

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  1. ↑ Elliott p141
  2. ↑ Wemyss p.63
  3. ↑ Wemyss p. 70
  4. ↑ Blair pp. 436-7
  5. ↑ Blair p. 440
  6. ↑ Blair p. 488
  7. ↑ Blair p. 498
  8. ↑ Blair p. 516
  9. ↑ Wemyss p. 101
  10. ↑ Blair p. 511
  11. ↑ Blair p608-13
  12. ↑ Blair p. 631
  13. ↑ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  14. ↑ HMS Starling: Battle Honours at britainsnavy.co.uk; retrieved 8 July 2020
  15. ↑ Locations per Kemp; other sources may differ
  16. ↑ Kemp p122
  17. ↑ Kemp p126
  18. ↑ Kemp p156
  19. ↑ Kemp p156
  20. ↑ Kemp p166
  21. ↑ Kemp p167-8
  22. ↑ Kemp p167-8
  23. ↑ Kemp p171
  24. ↑ Kemp p177
  25. ↑ Kemp p179-80
  26. ↑ Kemp p187-8
  27. ↑ Kemp p207
  28. ↑ Kemp p208
  29. ↑ Kemp p209
  30. ↑ Blair (2000), 630-631.

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Sources

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  • Arnold Hague : The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000). Template:ISBN (Canada); Template:ISBN (UK).
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  • Warlow, B : Battle Honours of the Royal Navy (2004) Template:ISBN
  • Wemyss, DEG : Relentless Pursuit: The Story of Capt. FJ Walker CB.DSO***RN, U-Boat Hunter and Destroyer (2003) Cerberus Publishing Template:ISBN (First published in 1955)

Burn, Alan (1993). The Fighting Captain. Template:ISBN.

Publications

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External links

Template:Sister project

Template:Black Swan class sloop

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