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Tragic WW2 submarine WW2 HMS Urge remembered in Wales
28 April 2026
Royal Navy submariners and the people of Bridgend gathered on a glorious spring morning to remember the Welsh town’s WW2 submarine.
Eighty-five years ago, townsfolk raised an incredible £300,000 – roughly £35m today – to adopt HMS Urge, a then brand-new U-class submarine which was deployed to the Mediterranean.
She proved to be the scourge of Italian shipping, damaging one of Mussolini’s battleships, sinking a cruiser, attacking merchant vessels vital to supporting Italo-German forces in North Africa, and launching raids by the fledgling Special Boat Service – all under the banner of the Malta-based 10th Submarine Flotilla.
Contemporaries regarded both the boat and her crew highly – some even argued her skipper Lieutenant Commander Edward Philip Tomkinson deserving of the Victoria Cross.
It was not to be and Urge’s luck ran out when she departed Malta for the Royal Navy base at Alexandria in Egypt on 27April 1942. Aboard were not just her crew, but 11 additional naval personnel and a war correspondent.
She never reached her destination and it is believed that she struck a German mine shortly after departure; it wasn’t until a maritime archaeology diving expedition from the University of Malta discovered the wreck of the submarine, in October 2019, was the actual fate of the boat was revealed.
Today, two memorials were subsequently erected to the boat and her crew: one in Malta, the other in Bridgend where submariners, remaining family members and town officials gather annually to pay their respects.
“I knew about the town’s connection with the Royal Navy and when we found out about the memorial service for HMS Urge, we jumped at the opportunity to come and celebrate with Bridgend,” said
Chief Petty Officer Richard Humphreys, who hails from Bridgend and led the small team of submariners paying their respects to the men of Urge.
“This year we commemorate 125 Years of the Submarine Service, that’s a lot of history behind us, it’s important. It’s these core traditions that keep us together and make sure our younger submariners understand how we have a rich and ever-evolving history.”
Bridgend’s Mayor, Councillor Ian Spiller, said the presence of today’s submariners at the service “strengthens the link between past and present, and we thank them for their dedication, duty and service.
“For our town, this is a story of real significance and enduring pride. HMS Urge was proudly adopted and supported by the people of Bridgend during the war. In a time of hardship and uncertainty, our community came together to fund this submarine, forging a lasting bond between the town and all those who served aboard her.
“Today, we honour the courage and sacrifice of her crew. We remember that each of them was more than a sailor, they were sons, brothers, friends, and loved ones. Their service and sacrifice remain part of our town’s shared history and identity.”
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Pictures of the service of remembrance courtesy of Graham Davies/Bridgend Town Council
Pictures of HMS Urge’s wreck courtesy of the University of Malta