Submarine Adoptions

During Warship Week in February 1942, the combined districts of Diss, Depwade, and Harleston participated in a national fundraising campaign to 'adopt' a Royal Navy vessel. The event took place from 14–21 February 1942. The fundraising goal was £175,000, intended to cover the cost of a submarine hull. The campaign fell short of its goal by £42,000, and the committee ended the week with a financial deficit.

Due to the deficit and the missed target, the committee initially decided not to present a ceremonial plaque to the submarine. Instead, they later held a separate function to clear the debt and used the surplus to send monthly books to the crew of HMS Otus. Plaques commemorating the adoption were eventually presented to Diss Urban District and Depwade Rural District.

The joint Municipal and Rural District Warship Week was held from 14–21 March 1942. During this week, the community raised £342,287 in National Savings. Although plaques were exchanged in early February 1943, the likelihood is that the presentation plaque never reached Parthian as she would have been on active service

Parthian was lost later that year. Following the loss of HMS Parthian in 1943, a new campaign was inaugurated to raise £225,000, half the cost of a replacement, in early 1944.

The adoption target was set at £300,000, though the town fell short of this goal, raising £252,355. A plaque marking the adoption was presented to the submarine, which is now held at the Helena Thompson Museum in Workington. The diamond shaped crest differed from the crest of the post war HMS Porpoise. Today's shapes date from 1940 when it was decided to give new ships a round frame.

The Esher Girl Guides adopted the submarine at the start of the war. The Guides, including Rangers, Guides, and Brownies, regularly sent parcels to the crew and maintained correspondence with them and their families. The crew reciprocated by presenting the Guides with photographs of the submarine and a handmade White Ensign, which was embroidered with a submarine and the Shark motto, 'Celer et Audax' (Swift and Bold).

Following the loss of HMS Shark in July 1940, the Girl Guides continued to support the families of the sailors who were lost.

The town set an ambitious goal to raise £175,000 (roughly £7 million today) to fund the vessel's operations, a target they successfully met during their Warship Week from 14-21 February 1942. The Somerset Standard reported the presentation of plaques by Vice Admiral Sir Robert A Hornell, KBE, DSO to the Councils in the Grand Cinema on Friday 12 March 1943 and the presentation of a plaque from the Councils to the Admiralty.

The opportunity to install the plaque in Thunderbolt never arose and non of her officers visited Frome. The presentation plaque was mounted on wood and hung in the Parish Church after the loss of HMS Thunderbolt. It is now in the foyer of Frome Memorial Theatre.

Between 28 February and 7 March 1942, Glossop raised £137,000 in National Savings. By the end of the 1942–43 period, the total contributed by the population for warships reached £175,000

The Borough of Glossop, Derbyshire originally set out to adopt P36 during their Warship Week Feb 28th to March 7th 1942, having raised £137,000 in National Savings. P36 was sunk alongside at Malta on April 1st, 1942 and thereafter HMS Truculent was adopted.

The town aimed to fund a submarine to support the war effort. They successfully raised £300,000, exceeding expectations.

Bridgend first adopted HMS Urge after raising £215,623 during their initial Warship Week held 15-22 November 1941. HMS Urge was lost in April 1942 and thereafter HMS Tudor (P326) was adopted. It is believed that the RN Museum holds the adoption plaque for HMS Tudor.

Pontefract's Warship Week was held from 14–21 February 1942 exceeding its £200,000 target to raise £217,976. HMS Unique was adopted. Seven members of the crew visited Pontefract, where they were hosted at a civic reception by the mayor, visited the local races, and toured Pontefract Castle.

Unique was lost in October 1942 and HMS Upstart was then adopted.

The town aimed to fund a submarine to support the war effort. They successfully raised £300,000, exceeding expectations.

Bridgend first adopted HMS Urge after raising £215,623 during their initial Warship Week held 15-22 November 1941. HMS Urge was lost in April 1942 and thereafter HMS Tudor (P326) was adopted.

Chorley and District held their Warship Week from 31 January to 7 February 1942 when £387,354 was raised in National Savings to adopt HMS Ursula far exceeding their £175,000 target (equivalent to over £20 million today).

In October 1943, 11 members of the HMS Ursula crew visited Chorley Town Hall. They presented a plaque with the submarine’s crest to the Mayor as a thank-you for the town's support.