HMS Usk (N65) was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow-in-Furness. Like HMS Undaunted and HMS Union, she served in the Mediterranean during the critical early years of the Second World War and was lost with all hands in 1941.
Construction
- Ordered: 4 September 1939
- Laid down: 6 November 1939
- Launched: 7 June 1940
- Commissioned: 11 October 1940
- Class: Second Group U-class submarine
Main Characteristics
- Length: 58.22 m (191 ft)
- Surface displacement: 540 tons
- Submerged displacement: 730 tons
- Speed:
- 11.25 knots surfaced
- 10 knots submerged
- Crew: 27-31 officers and ratings
- Armament:
- Four internal 21-inch torpedo tubes
- Two external tubes
- Up to ten torpedoes
- One 3-inch deck gun
Commanding Officers
Two officers commanded Usk during her career:
- Lieutenant Commander Peter Ronald Ward, RN (August 1940 to March 1941)
- Lieutenant Godfrey Paul Darling, RN (March 1941 until her loss)
Operational Service
After commissioning, Usk completed training in Scottish waters around Holy Loch before conducting patrols in home waters and the Bay of Biscay. She was later assigned to the Mediterranean, operating from Malta, where British submarines were engaged in disrupting Axis supply lines to North Africa.
One patrol in February 1941 saw Usk attempting to attack an Italian convoy that included the liners Esperia, Marco Polo, and Conte Rosso, though the attack was unsuccessful.
The submarine also suffered persistent mechanical problems, including engine issues that affected her operational availability.
Final Patrol and Loss
On 19 April 1941, Usk sailed from Malta to patrol off the north-west coast of Sicily. During the patrol she was instructed to alter her patrol area because of heavy anti-submarine activity by Axis forces.
The last signal received from Usk was sent on 25 April 1941. After that, all contact was lost. She failed to return to Malta and was reported overdue on 3 May 1941.
The most likely explanation is that she struck a mine near Cape Bon, Tunisia, sometime after 25 April 1941. No confirmed wreck has been identified, and the exact circumstances of her loss remain unknown.
Historical Significance
Usk was among the first British U-class submarines committed to offensive operations from Malta. Her loss came only months after entering service and was part of a heavy toll suffered by the Royal Navy submarine force in the Mediterranean during 1941.
