HMS Starling (U66)

HMS Starling (U66) was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Govan, Scotland, launched on 14 October 1942, and commissioned on 1 April 1943.

In the Second Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, Starling was the flagship of Captain Frederick John Walker's Second Support Group, 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 participated in the sinking of fifteen U-boats

U-202 was sunk south-east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, by depth charges and gunfire from Starling on 2 June 1943.
U-119 was sunk in the Bay of Biscay by Starling on 24 June 1943.
U-226 was sunk east of Newfoundland by Starling, Woodcock and Kite on 6 November 1943.
U-842 was sunk by Starling and Wild Goose on 6 November 1943.
U-592 was sunk south-west of Ireland by Starling, Wild Goose and Magpie on 31 January 1944.
U-734 was sunk south-west of Ireland by Wild Goose and Starling on 9 February 1944.
U-238 was sunk south-west of Ireland by Kite, Magpie and Starling on 9 February 1944.
U-264 was sunk by Woodpecker and Starling on 19 February 1944.
U-653 was sunk by a Fairey Swordfish from the escort carrier Vindex, Starling and Wild Goose on 15 March 1944.
U-961 was sunk east of Iceland by Starling on 29 March 1944.
U-473 was sunk south-west of Ireland by Starling, Wren and Wild Goose on 6 May 1944.
U-333 was sunk west of the Scilly Isles by Starling and the frigate Loch Killin on 31 July 1944.
U-736 was sunk in Bay of Biscay, w. of St. Nazaire, R. N. sloop STARLING and frigate LOCH KILLIN, 6 August 1944.
U-385 was sunk in the Bay of Biscay by Starling and a Shorts Sunderland plane on 11 August 1944.
U-482 was sunk in the North Channel, R.N. sloops AMETHYST, PEACOCK, HART, STARLING, and frigate LOCH CRAGGIE, 16 January 1945.