HMS Woodpecker (U08)

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Career (UK)

Name:	HMS Woodpecker
Namesake:	Woodpecker
Builder:	William Denny & Brothers
Launched:	29 June 1942
Commissioned:	14 December 1942
Fate:	Torpedoed by U-256 on 20 February 1944. Sank while under tow February 27, 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Modified Black Swan class sloop
Displacement:	1,350 tons
Length:	299 ft 6 in (91.3 m)
Beam:	38 ft 6 in (11.7 m)
Draught:	11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion:	Geared turbines, 2 shafts 4,300 hp (3.21 MW)
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h)
Range:	7,500 nmi (13,900 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h)
Complement:	192
Armament:	6 × 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (3 × 2) 4 × 2 pdr AA pom-pom 12 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA (6 × 2)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Woodpecker.

HMS Woodpecker (U08) was a modified, 1,300 ton Royal Navy Black Swan-class sloop that fought during World War II. The ship was built by William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton, Scotland. She was launched on June 29, 1942, and commissioned December 14 the same year.

This sloop participated in the sinking of the following German vessels:

U-449, Near Cape Ortegal, Spain, June 24, 1943
U-462, Bay of Biscay, July 30, 1943
U-504, Near Cape Ortegal, Spain, July 30, 1943
U-226, East of Newfoundland, November 6, 1943
U-762, North Atlantic, February 8, 1944
U-424, Southwest of Ireland, February 11, 1944
U-264, North Atlantic, February 11, 1944

In February 1944, the Woodpecker was under the command of Commander H. L. Pryse, RNR, escorting convoy ON 224. On February 20, 1944, she was struck in the stern by an acoustic torpedo launched from the U-boat U-256. While being towed toward home, on February 27, 1944 the Woodpecker foundered and sank in an Atlantic storm. The skeleton crew was rescued before the ship went under.