Allied Warships
HMS Woolston (L 49)
Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class
HMS Woolston as seen early in the war. Photograph with thanks to Ian Dayment.
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Class | Admiralty V & W |
| Pennant | L 49 |
| Built by | Thornycroft (Southampton, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 25 Apr 1917 |
| Launched | 27 Jan 1918 |
| Commissioned | 26 Jun 1918 |
| End service | |
| Loss position | |
| History | Reconstruction to Fast Escort at Chatham Dockyard was completed on 9 October 1939. Sold to be broken up for scrap on 18 February 1947. Commanding Officers: Lt.Cdr. Kenneth Walter Michell, RN Lt. Frederick William Hawkins, RN Lt. Jack Broughton Cox, RN Lt. John Valentine Brothers, RN HMS Woolston is not listed in the October 1945 Navy List |
Commands listed for HMS Woolston (L 49)
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| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. Walter John Phipps, RN | Sep 1939 | 24 Apr 1941 |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. Kenneth Walter Michell, RN | 24 Apr 1941 | Sep 1942 |
| 3 | Lt. Frederick William Hawkins, RN | Sep 1942 | Oct 1943 |
| 4 | Lt. Jack Broughton Cox, RN | Oct 1943 | Sep 1945 |
| 5 | Lt. John Valentine Brothers, RN | May 1945 | Jul 1945 ? |
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Noteable events involving Woolston include:
Note the ineffective .5" machine guns later to be replaced by 20mm Oerlikons.
Twin 4" AA gun turret.
Photographs with thanks to Ian Dayment whose granfather Albert Hodder (see last photo) served on board Woolston during the war.
21 Oct 1939
HMS Woolston (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Phipps, RN) picks up 4 survivors from the British merchant Orsa that was sunk after hitting a mine about 15 miles 150° from Flamborough Head. The mine was laid on 5 September 1939 by the German submarine U-15.