The Submarine Heritage Centre - HMS Upholder

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."

Upholder Technical Facts:

- Builder: Vickers Armstrong Limited - Barrow-in-Furness
- Yard No: 761
- Pennant: P37
- Laid Down: October 30th 1939
- Launched: July 8th 1940
- Completed: October 10th 1940
- Displacement: Surfaced 530 tons, Dived 730 tons.
- Dimensions (in feet and inches): Length 180' x Width 16' x Draught 12'9''.
- 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).
- Compliment: 31
- Total no. of U-Class Submarines built at Barrow: 53.

Historical Facts:

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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