| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | U |
| Pennant | N 59 |
| Built by | Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 19 Feb 1937 |
| Launched | 16 Feb 1938 |
| Commissioned | 20 Dec 1938 |
| End service | 30 May 1944 |
| Loss position | |
| History | Transferred on loan to the Soviet Union on 30 May 1944. Renamed V-4 by the Soviets. Returned in early 1950 and scrapped at Grangemouth in May 1950. Commanding Officers: Lt. William Alexander Keith Napier Cavaye, RN Lt. Alexander James Mackenzie, RN Lt. Ian Lachlan Mackay McGeoch, RN Lt. Arthur Richard Hezlet, RN Lt. Richard Barklie Lakin, DSC, RN ??? Lt. Albert George Davies, RN |
| Career notes | Became the Soviet submarine V-4 |
Commands listed for HMS Ursula (N 59)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. George Chesterman Philipps, RN | 8 Nov 1937 | 7 Apr 1940 | |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. William Alexander Keith Napier Cavaye, RN | 7 Apr 1940 | 16 Oct 1940 | |
| 3 | Lt. Alexander James Mackenzie, RN | 16 Oct 1940 | 14 May 1941 | |
| 4 | Lt. Ian Lachlan Mackay McGeoch, RN | 14 May 1941 | 6 Sep 1941 | |
| 5 | Lt. Arthur Richard Hezlet, RN | 6 Sep 1941 | 6 Mar 1942 | |
| 6 | Lt. Richard Barklie Lakin, DSC, RN | 6 Mar 1942 | ??? | |
| 7 | Lt. Anthony Robert Profit, DSC, RN | Jan 1943 | ??? | |
| 8 | Lt. Albert George Davies, RN | 21 Jul 1943 | 30 May 1944 | |
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Noteable events involving Ursula include:
9 Sep 1939
The British submarine HMS Ursula (Lt.Cdr. G.C. Philipps, RN) fired the first British submarine torpedoes of the war when attacking the German submarine U-35 about 23 nautical miles north of the island of Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands in position 53º52'N 06º05'E. The U-boat escaped only to be sunk roughly 2 months later. (see map)
14 Dec 1939
Ursula was on patrol off the Elbe estuary and through her periscope her Commanding Officer, Lt.Cdr. G.C. Phillips, RN, sighted the German light cruiser, 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, F 9, 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. (see map)
21 Mar 1940
HMS Ursula (Cdr. G.C. Phillips, DSO, RN) torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Heddernheim (4947 GRT) in the Skaggerak about 10 nautical miles east-north-east of Skagen, Denmark in position 57º48'N, 10º53'E. (see map)
22 Feb 1941
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.J. Mackenzie, RN) torpedoes and damages the Italian merchant Sabbia (5788 GRT) about 20 nautical miles east of Susah, Tunisia in position 35º47'N, 11º13'E. Ursula was damaged by depth charges during a counter-attack by the Italian torpedo boat Generale Carlo Montanari.
6 May 1941
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.J. Mackenzie, RN) attacks the German transport ships Brook (1225 GRT) and Tilly L.M. Russ (1600 GRT) off Tripoli, Libya. However the attack fails.
18 Sep 1941
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.R. Hezlet, RN) fires three torpedoes against the Italian troop transport Vulcania (24469 GRT) off Tripoli, Libya. All torpedoes missed their target.
18 Oct 1941
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.R. Hezlet, RN) torpedoes and damages the Italian tanker Beppe (4859 BRT) some 45 nautical miles west of Lampedusa Island in position 35º25'N, 11º39'E. The damaged Beppe is towed to Tripoli, Libya. (see map)
11 Nov 1942
HMS Ursula (Lt. R.B. Lakin, DSC, RN) attacks but misses the German submarine U-73 off Cabo de Gata, Spain in position 36º42'N, 01º46W. (see map)
1 Dec 1942
HMS Ursula (Lt. R.B. Lakin, DSC, RN) sinks the Italian auxiliary submarine chaser V 135 / Togo (108 GRT) with scuttling charges some 15 miles south of Cape Mele, Corsica, France.
3 Dec 1942
HMS Ursula (Lt. R.B. Lakin, DSC, RN) torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Sainte Marguerite II (1855 GRT) near San Remo, Italy.
28 Dec 1942
HMS Ursula (Lt. R.B. Lakin, DSC, RN) torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Odysseus (4140 GRT, former Norwegian Gran offsite link) about 12 nautical miles north-west of Marettimo Island, Italy in position 38º09'N, 11º54'E.