[4] However, before leaving for Ireland, the First English Civil War broke out in August and Urry helped Sir William Waller capture Portsmouth, held by a Royalist garrison commanded by Lord Goring.

He brought information on a Parliamentarian convoy with £100,000 of cash to pay the troops and joined a force put together by Prince Rupert to capture it.

Urry was rewarded with a knighthood and served under Prince Rupert at Marston Moor in July 1644, where he and Charles Lucas commanded the cavalry on the Royalist left.

As his men moved into position in heavy rain, they fired off their muskets to clear damp powder and the warning allowed the Royalists to launch a devastating counter attack.

Encouraged by minor Royalist revolts in Inverness and Atholl, on 20 February 1649 he appointed Montrose Captain General in Scotland, with Urry as his deputy.

Historian Trevor Royle suggests "he strove to give his best service to whoever was paying him at the time...but could never decide which side to back, and paid for that failing with his life".