Submarine Heritage Centre - Art Gallery

Submarine Heritage Centre

Registered Address:

53 Red Oak Avenue

Barrow-in-Furness

Cumbria, LA13 OLJ, UK

Tel: 01229 820993

Fax: 01229 772407

| Sponsorship Comments | Technical Data | Historical Data |

Sponsorship Comments

This was the actual first commissioned painting in the collection. When the Barrow Submarine Heritage Collection Chairman requested the Travellers Rest Social Club sponsor a painting the Club Chairman Tommy Snaith stated "We were only to happy to become involved in this project. Many of our members down the years have worked in the shipyard here in Barrow. One of our committee members is also an ex-submariner and this made it all the more fitting. We wish this project every success."

Technical Data

Builder:	Vickers Armstrong Limited - Barrow-in-Furness.
Yard Number:	761
Pennant number:	P37
Laid down:	30.10.1939
Launched:	08.07.1940
Completed:	31.10.1940
Dimensions (in feet and inches):	Length 180' x Width 16' x Draught 12'9''
Displacement:	Surfaced 530 tons, Dived 730 tons.
Propulsion:	Surfaced: Twin diesels 615hp, Dived: twin electric motors 825hp
Speed:	Surfaced 11.75 knots, Dived 9 knots
Armaments:	6 x 21'' torpedo tubes, all forward (4 internal, 2 external).
Complement:	31
Total no. of U-Class Submarines built at Barrow:	53

Historical Data

Decorations Awarded:
Lt.Cdr M.D. Wanklyn - Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order ( two bars).

Upholder had a very short but successful wartime career. Based in Malta, she carried out twenty five patrols in the Central Mediterranean. Not until her sixth patrol during April 1941, did Upholder begin to build her reputation. In her remaining nineteen patrols she sank 3 U-Boats, 1 Cruiser, 1 Destroyer and damaged a further 2 destroyers. More importantly, she sank 119,000 tons of enemy merchant shipping, carrying vital supplies to the Afrika Korps in North Africa.

On her 25th and last patrol before going into refit, Upholder was sunk with the loss of all hands by the Italian MTB Pegaso whilst carrying out an attack on a convoy of Tripoli. For his endeavours in the Mediterranean, Lt.Cdr.Wanklyn was awarded the Victoria Cross to add to his previous DSO and two bars.

Official Admiralty Communiqué

The Board of the Admiralty regrets to announce that HM Submarine Upholder (Lt.Cdr. M.D.Wanklyn V.C. D.S.O. and double bar R.N.) has been lost. Next of kin have been informed. It is seldom proper for their Lordships to draw distinction between different services rendered in the course of Naval duty, but they take this opportunity of singling out those of Upholder under the Command of Lieutenant Commander Wanklyn for special mention.

She was long employed against enemy communications in the Central Mediterranean, and she became known for the uniformly high quality of her services in that arduous and dangerous duty. Such was the standard of skill and cool intrepidity set by Lt.Cdr Wanklyn and the Officers and men under him, they and their ship became an inspiration not only to their own Flotilla, but to the fleet of which it was a part, and to Malta, where for so long it was based.

The ship and her company have gone, but their example and inspiration remain.

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