| Navy | The Polish Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | U |
| Pennant | N 97 |
| Built by | Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.) |
| Ordered | 4 Sep 1939 |
| Laid down | 9 Dec 1939 |
| Launched | 30 Sep 1940 |
| Commissioned | 28 Jan 1941 |
| End service | 27 Jul 1945 |
| Loss position | |
| History | HMS Urchin was loaned to the Polish Navy on 11 January 1941. She was commissioned as ORP Sokol (Falcon) on 28 January 1941. She was returned to the Royal Navy on 27 July 1945. She was scrapped in 1949. |
| Former name | HMS Urchin |
Commands listed for ORP Sokol (N 97)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Kpt. mar. Borys Karnicki, ORP | 19 Jan 1941 | 23 Feb 1942 |
| 2 | Jerzy Koziolkowski, ORP | 23 Feb 1942 | 17 Mar 1942 |
| 3 | Kpt. mar. Borys Karnicki, ORP | 17 Mar 1942 | 29 Jul 1942 |
| 4 | Kpt. mar. Jerzy Koziolkowski, ORP | 29 Jul 1942 | 12 Dec 1944 |
| 5 | Kmdr ppor. Boleslaw Romanowski, ORP | 12 Dec 1944 | 7 Feb 1945 |
| 6 | Kpt. mar. Tadeusz Bernas, ORP | 7 Feb 1945 | 17 Jun 1945 |
| 7 | Kmdr ppor. Boleslaw Romanowski, ORP | 17 Jun 1945 | 29 Sep 1945 |
| 8 | Kpt. mar. Tadeusz Bernas, ORP | 29 Sep 1945 | 3 Aug 1946 |
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Noteable events involving Sokol include:
28 Oct 1941
ORP Sokol (Kapitan Marynarki Borys Karnicki) fires four torpedoes against the Italian Citta di Palermo (5413 GRT) west of Isola d'Ischia, Italy in position 40º42'N, 13º47'E. The torpedoes missed their target. (see map)
2 Nov 1941
ORP Sokol (Lt.Cdr. B. Karnicki) and HMS Utmost (Lt. J.D. Martin, RN) together sink the Italian merchant Balilla (2469 GRT) about 20 nautical miles north-west of Capo San Vito, Sicily, Italy in position 38º22'N, 12º20'E. (see map)
19 Nov 1941
Torpedoed and damaged the Italian destroyer Aviere (1645 tons) in Navarino harbour.
21 Nov 1941
At 23.38 near Navarino Sokol (Kapitan Marynarki Borys Karnicki) damaged Italian tanker "Berbera" (2093 BRT), which is sunk 8 days later after british air attack.
12 Feb 1942
ORP Sokol (Lt.Cdr. B. Karnicki) sinks the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel Giuseppina (392 GRT) with gunfire about 30 nautical miles south of Sfax, Tunisia in position 34º15'N, 10º55'E. (see map)
12 Sep 1943
Sokol sinks the Italian costoms vessel AS 71 / Meattini (36 GRT) through ramming off Brindisi, Italy.
7 Oct 1943
Around 0710 hours ORP Sokol torpedoes and sinks the Italian passenger vessel (in German service) Eridania (7095 GRT) off Cape Promontore (today Cape Kamenjak in Kroatia).
11 Nov 1943
ORP Sokol sinks the Greek sailing vessel Argentina (64 GRT) with gunfire off Amorgos, Greece.
18 Nov 1943
ORP Sokol sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire of Santorini island, Greece.
19 Nov 1943
ORP Sokol sinks two sailing vessels and the German auxiliary submarine chaser Mowe (60 GRT) with gunfire north of Crete.
12 Dec 1943
ORP Sokol sinks four Greek sailing vessels with gunfire off Lemnos Island, Greece.
16 Dec 1943
ORP Sokol sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire east of Mudros, Lemnos Island, Greece.
17 Dec 1943
Around 0700hours ORP Sokol torpedoes and damaged the Bulgarian troop transport Balkan (3838 GRT) near Mudros, Lemnos Island, Greece.
The Balkan finally was sunk on 23 December by HMS Sportsman.
12 Jan 1944
ORP Sokol sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire about 15 nautical miles south-east of Cape Stili, Milos Island, Greece in position 36º30'N, 24º44'E. (see map)