| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U1 |
| Fate: | Ursula was transferred under the Lend-Lease to the Soviet Navy in 1944 and renamed V.4. She sailed for Polyarnoe in July of 1944 and was returned 10th February 1949. Scrapped in May 1950 at Grangemouth. |
| 1937: | Lieutenant Commander | George Chesterman Phillips | |
| 1939: | Commander | George Chesterman Phillips | |
| 1940: | Lieutenant Commander | William Alexander Keith Napier Cavaye | |
| 1940: | Lieutenant Commander | Alexander James MacKenzie | |
| 1941: | Lieutenant | Arthur Richard Hezlet | |
| 1941: | Lieutenant Commander | Peter Ronald Ward | |
| 1943: | Acting Lieutenant | Michael Dent Tattersall (RNVR) | |
| 1943: | Lieutenant | Richard Barklie Lakin | DSO DSC MID |
| 1943: | Lieutenant | Albert George Davies | |
| 1943: | Lieutenant | Anthony Robert Profit | DSC MID |
1940: 10th Flotilla, Malta.
Was part of the submarine force which was in the Kattegat and off the coast of Norway during the German invasion of Norway.
Served with Russian Navy as V4 from 1944-49.
Three launches in one day, Triumph, Ursula & Unity
Ursula arrives home after her exploit in the mouth of the River Elbe where she sank a Nazi cruiser.
| 19-02-1937 | Laid Down |
| 16-02-1938 | Launched |
| 20-12-1938 | Completed |
| 09-09-1939 | British HMS Ursula fired the first British submarine torpedoes of the war when attacking German U-35. The U-boat escaped |
| 14-12-1939 | HMS Ursula was on patrol in the estuary of the Elbe and through her periscope her captain, Lt Cdr GC Phillips, sighted a German K?ln-class cruiser, the Leipzig, escorted by six destroyers. Though the waters of the Elbe estuary are shallow and to dive deep is a dangerous undertaking involving the risk of getting stuck on a sandbank, Phillips had either to take the risk or to miss his attack. His decision was instantaneous and he took the Ursula down to dive beneath the destroyer screen and get within range of the cruiser. They were anxious moments, but fortunately the depth of water was just enough. On coming up again to periscope depth, Phillips found himself within point-blank range of the cruiser. He fired a salvo of six torpedoes and the two resulting explosions were so close that the Ursula herself was badly shaken. A quick glance through the periscope showed no sign of the cruiser that had been attacked, but it did reveal four of her escorting destroyers closing in at high speed to attack. One small escort, F9, had been hit and was sinking. Once again, risking the sandbanks, the Ursula went deep and by skillful manipulation of his boat, Phillips managed to evade the inevitable depth charges. Of the cruiser, Leipzig, no further trace was ever seen, but when Phillips brought the Ursula back to look for evidence, two of the destroyers were still in the area and engaged, apparently, in a search for survivors. Phillips was awarded the DSO and promoted |
| 21-03-1940 | HMS Ursula torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Heddernheim in the Skaggerak about 10 nautical miles east-north-east of Skagen, Denmark. |
| 22-02-1941 | HMS Ursula torpedoes and damages the Italian merchant Sabbia about 20 nautical miles east of Susah, Tunisia. Ursula was damaged by depth charges during a counter-attack by the Italian torpedo boat Generale Carlo Montanari. |
| 06-05-1941 | HMS Ursula attacks the German transport ships Brook and Tilly L.M. Russoff Tripoli, Libya but the ships escape. |
| 18-09-1941 | HMS Ursula fires three torpedoes against the Italian troop transport Vulcania off Tripoli, Libya. All torpedoes missed. |
| 18-10-1941 | HMS Ursula torpedoes and damages the Italian tanker Beppe some 45 nautical miles west of Lampedusa Island. |
| 11-11-1942 | HMS Ursula attacks but misses the German submarine U-73 off Cabo de Gata, Spain. |
| 01-12-1942 | HMS Ursula sinks the Italian auxiliary submarine chaser V 135/Togo with scuttling charges some 15 miles south of Cape Mele, Corsica, France. |
| 03-12-1942 | HMS Ursula torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Sainte Marguerite II near San Remo, Italy. |
| 28-12-1942 | HMS Ursula torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Odysseus about 12 nautical miles north-west of Marettimo Island, Italy. |
| 10-02-1949 | Returned to RN having been transferred under the Lend-Lease to the Soviet Navy in 1944 and renamed V.4. Subsequently scrapped in May 1950 at Grangemouth. |
HMS Ursula has been adopted by Chorley, Withnell and Adlington in Lancashire. She has also been 'unofficially adopted' by the staff of a large laundry firm at Rhyl, North Wales, who's war comforts committee of 200 girls, all employed on Government work, have already exchanged greetings with the crew, and supplied them with woollen clothing, sportswear and a darts board.
The Mayor of Chorley has sent the following telegram to the Admiralty: On behalf of the inhabitants and district of their adoption, I ask you to please convey to the officers and men of HM submarine Ursula congratulations on a safe return home from their hazardous exploits.
Had their badge changed via official channels, changing from a polar bear affronty to a bear passant.
| Length overall | 190 ft 7 inch |
| Beam | 15 ft 9 inch |
| Depth | 15 ft 9 inch |
| Displacement | 630 tons (surface) |
| 730 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | 200 ft |
| Speed | 11.5 knots (surface) |
| 9 knots (submerged) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 4050 miles at 10 knots (design) |
| Submerged: 23 miles at 8 knots or 170 miles at 2.5 knots (design) | |
| Armament | (i) 4 x 21 inch bow tubes (8 torpedoes carried) |
| (ii) 1 x 3 inch gun | |
| 3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| Complement | (peacetime) 4 Officers, 23 Others, |
| (at war) 4 Officers, 27 Others | |
| Note | (i) The first seven U Class submarines had two additional external bow tubes installed and carried 10 torpedoes |
| (ii) Undine and Unity, which were not fitted with the 3 inch gun, had 27-man complements. |
The first of the five Holland type boats built at Barrow was commanded by D. Arnold-Foster. How he came to Barrow to see his new command, and his first experience of diving her is described in Lt Arnold-Forster's own words.
The true story of loss of His Majesty's Submarine Thetis is still shrouded in mystery. As a result of media coverage at the time, a number of conspiracy theories were spawned, some gaining more credence than others, in light of the inconclusive findings of the official reports. In Thetis: Submarine Disaster,
David Paul, having studied the events surrounding the tragedy of HMS Thetis for many years, examines the issues which led to the disaster, and draws some conclusions.
17 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
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If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Had their badge changed via official channels, changing from a polar bear affronty to a bear passant.
| Length overall | 190 ft 7 inch |
| Beam | 15 ft 9 inch |
| Depth | 15 ft 9 inch |
| Displacement | 630 tons (surface) |
| 730 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | 200 ft |
| Speed | 11.5 knots (surface) |
| 9 knots (submerged) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 4050 miles at 10 knots (design) |
| Submerged: 23 miles at 8 knots or 170 miles at 2.5 knots (design) | |
| Armament | (i) 4 x 21 inch bow tubes (8 torpedoes carried) |
| (ii) 1 x 3 inch gun | |
| 3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| Complement | (peacetime) 4 Officers, 23 Others, |
| (at war) 4 Officers, 27 Others | |
| Note | (i) The first seven U Class submarines had two additional external bow tubes installed and carried 10 torpedoes |
| (ii) Undine and Unity, which were not fitted with the 3 inch gun, had 27-man complements. |
The first of the five Holland type boats built at Barrow was commanded by D. Arnold-Foster. How he came to Barrow to see his new command, and his first experience of diving her is described in Lt Arnold-Forster's own words.
The true story of loss of His Majesty's Submarine Thetis is still shrouded in mystery. As a result of media coverage at the time, a number of conspiracy theories were spawned, some gaining more credence than others, in light of the inconclusive findings of the official reports. In Thetis: Submarine Disaster,
David Paul, having studied the events surrounding the tragedy of HMS Thetis for many years, examines the issues which led to the disaster, and draws some conclusions.
17 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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