Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from
Fairfield at Govan under the 1940 Build
Programme on
18th July 1941. The ship was laid
down as Job No 11702 (Yard Number 702)
on 21st October 1941 and launched on
26th November 1942 by Lady Way as the
4th RN ship to carry the name. It vas
introduced in 1806 had previously been
used by a Tug renamed JACKAL in
1886. Build was completed on 29th May
1943 and design included radar for
surface warning (Type 272),
aircraft warning (Type 291) and for
fire-control (Type 285). An
antisubmarine
mortar (HEDGEHOG) and 40mm Twin Oerlikon
weapons were also fitted during build.
After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign in February 1942 this
ship was adopted by the civil
community of
Cuckfield,
West
Sussex.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
CHINA 1856-6 - ATLANTIC 1943-45 - ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1944 - OKINAWA 1945
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a field White, a
woodcock proper
D
e t a i
l s o f W a
r S e r v i
c
e
(for
more ship information,
go
to
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1
9 4 3
May
Contractor's
trials and commissioning.
29th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
trials.
June.
4th
Accepted into service with 2nd Escort
Group.
Passage to Tobermory to work-up for
operational duty.
July
Joined Group at Liverpool after completion
of work-up.
Deployed for escort and support of
Atlantic convoys.
August
Atlantic convoy defence deployment with
Group in continuation.
(For details of defence of Atlantic
convoys see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by
D
Maclntyre and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO).)
(Note: The 2nd Escort Group was commanded
by Captain F J Walker who was the most
successful of all commanders
of the Atlantic Groups. See THE FIGHTING
CAPTAIN by Alan
Burns and RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D E C
Weymss).
September
Atlantic convoy escort and support with HM
Sloops STARLING, KITE, WILD GOOSE and
MAGPIE of Group.
October
Supported passage of Convoy HX258 with
Group.
21st
Deployed with ships of Group and HM Escort
Carrier TRACKER in support
«f
passage
of Convoy ON207 under threat from
SIEGFRIED group of U-Boats.
23rd
Transferred to Convoy HX262 which had been
diverted to avoid waiting submarines.
November
5th
Supported passage of Convoy HX264 with
ships of Group and HMS TRACKER.
Took part in anti-submarine search
operations.
(For details of development of new weapons
and tactics used by escorts and also
by U-Boats,
see
SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
6th
Shared credit for sinking U226 of TIRPITZ
U-Boat Group in position 44.49N 41.13W
with H M Sloops STARLING and KITE. There
were no survivors from the submarine.
8th
During passage to Argentia to refuel with
ships of Group and TRACKER came under
attack by U648 which failed.
December
Atlantic convoy defence-in continuation.
Taken in hand for repair at Dundee.
6th
Taken in hand for repair at Dundee.
1
9 4 4
January
21st
On completion joined 7th Escort Group
based at Belfast.
February
Deployed with new Group for Atlantic
convoy escort duty in NW Approaches.
March
Transferred with ships of Group for convoy
escort between UK and Gibraltar.
April
Gibraltar route convoy defence in
continuation.
Under repair at Belfast.
May
On completion deployed for local convoy
escort in North Channel, Clyde and Irish
Sea.
Nominated for service in support of
Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE).
Took passage for anti-submarine operations
in Channel.
(For details of activities prior to and
during Normandy landings see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards).
27th
Sustained serious damage in collision with
HM Destroyer VENUS.
Taken in hand for temporary repair and not
available for NEPTUNE deployment.
June
Permanent repair arranged at Hull.
6th
Passage to Hull under own power for
repair.
July
Under repair.
August
7th
On completion resumed Atlantic convoy
escort duty.
(Note: The availability of the ship was
poor and further repair was required.)
Nominated for service with British Pacific
Fleet).
September
Convoy defence duties restricted by
availability.
16th
Taken in hand for further repair in
Liverpool.
Modified for service with BPF.
October
Under repair and
modification.
to
November
December
Post refit trials and prepared for
foreign service. Took passage for
Pacific
22nd
Took passage to Pacific
1 9 4 5
January
In collision
with HM Corvette BERGAMOT at
Gibraltar
without major damage.
Passage through Mediterranean.
February
Passage to
Darwin
with call at Colombo.
March
Passage from Darwin to British Fleet Base
at Manus, Admiralty Islands.
5th
Arrived at Manus for service with Fleet
Train. Prepared for operations with Task
Force 112.
April
Joined HM Sloops CRANE, PHEASANT and
WHIMBREL for AA defence of British
Pacific Fleet Replenishment Group.
(Note: This Group included HM Escort
Carriers RULER and SPEAKER with tankers.
RAN
Fleet destroyers were also used for escort.)
May
Deployed with Tanker Group of Fleet Train
for AA defence during replenishment of
British
Task Force 57 off the Sakishima Group
during a series of air operations against
Japanese
airfields during US landings on Okinawa
(Operation ICEBERG II).
(Note: For details of Fleet Train ships
and their deployment in support of BPF see
Naval
Staff History and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J
Winton.)
12th
Provided air defence for HMS SPEAKER, HMS
RULER, tankers ARNDALE, AASE
MARSK, SAN AMADO and DINGLEDALE, with HM
Destroyer NEPAL, HM Sloop
PHEASANT and Royal Australian Navy
minesweepers.
June
Fleet Train
defence deployment in continuation.
based at Manus
Prepared for support of BPF Ships during
operations off Japanese mainland.
(Note: Ships of the British Pacific Fleet
which were serving as Task Force 57 of 5th
US
Fleet were transferred to 3rd US
Fleet on 26th May and designated Task
Force 37
Fleet Train under British command remained
Task Force 112 and were deployed
as
a Tanker Support Group and a Logistics
Support Group. AA defence was provided
by destroyers and sloops detached for duty
with
Fleet Train.)
July
Deployed with Logistics Support Group in
support of Task Force 37 ships off
Japanese
mainland.
August
AA defence duties with Logistics Support
Group in continuation.
15th
After VJ-Day remained in operational area
with HMS RULER, HM Sloops PHEASANT,
CRANE, HM Frigate DERG, HM Australian
Minesweepers BALLARAT, CESSNOCK
PIRIE and IPSWICH for support of BPF ships
retained under US Command as Task Group
38.5.
Logistics Support Group comprised tankers
WAVE KING, CARELIA, DINGLEDALE and
HM Victualling Supply Ship FORT WRANGELL.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS
WOODCOCK remained in the Far East after
release from support
of TG38.5.She joined the Pacific Fleet
Escort Force based in Hong Kong and took
part in protection of
mercantiles during passage to and from
Chinese ports. During 1946 the ship
returned to UK to pay off into
Reserve. After reduction to Reserve
status in December 1946 she was laid up
at Harwich but transferred to Chatham in
1948. Her Reserve Category was reduced
after 1953 and she was towed to
Hartlepool the next year. Placed on the
Disposal List in 1955 she was sold to
BISCO for demolition by Shipbreaking
Industries at
Rosyth where she arrived on 28th
November 1955.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
WOODCOCK
by
Don Kindell
This
convoy list has not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/09/43
|
14/09/43
|
XK
011
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
HX
258
|
02/10/43
|
06/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
ON
207
|
25/10/43
|
04/11/43
|
18/10/43
|
28/10/43
|
HX
262
|
29/10/43
|
02/11/43
|
31/10/43
|
05/11/43
|
HX
264
|
08/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
23/11/43
|
SC
147
|
03/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
15/01/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON
220
|
11/02/44
|
04/02/44
|
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
HX
278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
ON
224
|
20/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
MKF
029
|
16/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
ON
228
|
unknown
|
01/04/44
|
24/05/44
|
25/05/44
|
WP
527
|
26/05/44
|
26/05/44
|
05/01/45
|
05/01/45
|
MKS
075G
|
08/01/45
|
14/01/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)