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K4

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: K Group 1
Fate: Sunk after colliding with HMS Inflexible during a night exercise off May Island on 31st January 1918. The same day as her sister K17.

There were no survivors from Submarine K4
K4
K4
Although embarrassing for the shipbuilder, this rare photograph of K4 gives a good impression of the size, and a seldom seen view of a K Class Submarine

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The Light-cruiser HMS Blonde was leading K1, K3, K4 and K7 in line ahead when she was forced to turn sharply to port to avoid three cruisers, that crossed her bows from starboard to port. The abrupt change of course took the submarines by surprise and K1 and K4 collided. K1 had lost way due to salt-water, instead of fuel, coming through the sprayers and extinguishing the boilers. K3 passed close on the port side. K4, following K3, suddenly observed the red light of K1, and, although taking avoiding action, struck K1 a glancing blow abreast the conning tower. Water poured into the control room. Within minutes, chlorine gas was being released from the batteries. Blonde was signalled that K1 was sinking, and the cruiser closed, lowering two cutters. The rescue boats made five trips and transferred all 56 members of the crew to Blonde. A discussion was then held as to whether K1 could be saved, and it was decided to sink her.

Roll of Honour

Name Rank Number Hons Age
Adams, Leonard  Chief Engine Room Artificer  M 324  DSM  32
Adams, Percy Walter  Stoker Petty Officer  306739  DSM  34
Apps, John Frederick  Engine Room Artificer 1st Class (RNVR)  Clyde 3/18  DSM  26
Armstrong, James  Able Seaman  J 32585    23
Baldwin, George Harold  Petty Officer Telegraphist  J 10360    23
Beer, Frank John  Chief Stoker  298980    35
Blake, Stanley Harold  Able Seaman  211925    32
RN DoB 25/06/1885. Actual 25/06/1886
Bounds, Horace  Stoker 1st Class  K 14491  DSM  24
Brown, Charles Edward  Stoker 1st Class  K 22591    22
Burgess, Albert Charles  Stoker 1st Class  K 9375    26
RN DoB 19/11/1891. Actual 19/11/1892
Burt, Ernest Samuel  Able Seaman  J 9569    23
Carter, Charles  Leading Signalman  236423  DSM  28
Church, William  Leading Stoker  K 9438  DSM  28
RN DoB 20/09/1889. Actual 20/09/1888
Cockerill, Percival  Stoker 1st Class  K 21001    25
Corfield, Alfred Abe Benjamin  Petty Officer  232865    30
Crawforth, Harry Wakelin  Stoker 1st Class  SS 115298    22
At birth Crawforth, Harry Wyklin Served as Crawforth, Harry Wakelin
Dangerfield, William George  Able Seaman  J 17629    20
Duggan, Alan Montgomerie  Able Seaman  J 16974    22
Fenner, Athelstan Alfred Lennox  Lieutenant Commander      31
Goddard, Charles William Henry  Able Seaman  J 2150    25
Goddard, Henry Thorpe  Engine Room Artificer 4th Class  M 11218    25
Goodsall, John Henry  Leading Stoker  K 12209  MID  24
Grant, Patrick  Stoker 1st Class  K 20768    26
RN DoB 29/05/1891. Actual 29/05/1892
Hammond, John William  Gunner      32
Hanks, Frederick Francis  Stoker 1st Class  K 16885    23
Hayes, Joseph Charles  Stoker 1st Class  K 19004    24
Hayman, William Henry  Leading Stoker  305390    33
Hill, Ralph Reuben  Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class  270525    41
Hogg, Albert Edward  Leading Seaman  J 9082    23
Iron, James Thomas  Leading Stoker (RNVR)  K 11011  DSM  33
Jackson, Thomas William  Able Seaman  215195  DSM  31
Leeder, Edward Barber  Able Seaman  SS 5311    21
RN DoB 28/02/1896. Actual 28/02/1897
Martin, Herbert Ernest  Stoker  K 10876    23
Mockford, Fred  Able Seaman  J 9223    23
Pearson, Alfred Edward  Leading Seaman  206490  DSM  34
Puddefoot, Ernest James  Able Seaman  J 46875    23
Rivett, Leonard William  Able Seaman  J 18186    21
Rowley, William  Petty Officer  215872  DSM  34
At birth Rowley, William Thomas Served as Rowley, William. RN DoB 15/09/1883. Actual 15/09/1880
Sellick, Sydney John  Stoker 1st Class  K 12966    26
Sheath, Harry  Stoker Petty Officer  355913  DSM  37
RN DoB 13/03/1880. Actual 13/03/1881
Spice, Albert  Able Seaman  239765    27
RN DoB 06/02/1890. Actual 06/02/1891
Spice, John  Able Seaman  219424    33
Stocks, David De Beauvoir  Commander    DSO  34
Commanding Officer
Tredgett, James Henry  Stoker 1st Class  K 22822    21
RN DoB 18/02/1896. Actual 18/02/1897
Varey, Alan  Engine Room Artificer 4th Class  M 21630    23
CWGC has Alan M. Varey
Walker, Frederick  Leading Telegraphist  J25725    20
Watkins, Malcolm Poynter  Signalman  J19411    22
Watterson, Thomas Arthur  Lieutenant (RNR)    DSC  27
Wellesley, Claud Michael Ashmore  Lieutenant      27
Windibank, Albert Charles  Able Seaman  J 18037    21
Wood, Thomas Stewart  Leading Stoker  K 12229    25
Woods, George Oliver Charles  Leading Stoker  M 2250    30
RN DoB 03/12/1887. Actual 03/12/1886
Wyatt, William Thomas  Petty Officer  308247  DSM  31
Youdale, Harold William  Steward  L 3820    24
Young, Thomas Sidney  Able Seaman  J 16770    21

Events

28-06-1915 : Laid Down
15-07-1916 : Launched
01-01-1917 : Completed
31-01-1918 : HMS K4 left harbour bound for a North Sea exercise. In what became known as the Battle of May Island a number of submarines were lost. Several collisions occurred, including K6 colliding with K4. So great was the collision that K4 was cut almost in two and sank immediately with the loss of all onboard.
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