Top
Home → Boats → Submarines → E Class → E4

E4 (I 84)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: E1
Fate: Lost with all hands in collision with E41 on 15th August 1916.

Salvaged and put back into service.

Sold 21st February 1922.

Upload An Image Of This Boat

Commanders

1914 - 8th Flotilla. HMS Maidstone, Harwich.

Supported the British surface fleet at the 'Battle of Helgoland'.

Lt. E.W. Leir was affectionately known as the 'Arch Thief' who plundered His Majesty's Navy of anything portable and about whom it was said that only his DSO was earned honestly.

Leir carried out the first major rescue by a submarine. After an engagement with the German destroyer V187 which was sunk, HMS Defender had lowered boats to pick up survivors when a German cruiser arrived on the scene.

Though everyone had been ordered to retire, Leir surfaced and took on board an officer and nine ratings from the Defender and one officer and two men from the German destroyer. He provided the rest of the Germans with boats, food and compass to get them back to Heligoland.

Roll of Honour
32
Died: 15-08-1916
Bacon, Cyril  K15163
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Bacon, James  K18571
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Bagwell, Andrew  J9207
Able Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Baker, Henry Thomas  (RNVR) Tyne 5/158
Engine Room Artificer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 23
Baldock, Alfred Henry  J5988
Leading Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 24
Bennett, George Henry  K14986
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 24
Broad, Alfred Henry  J6514
Able Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 24
Carpenter, Henry George  228307
Leading Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Cooley, Frank Henry  J1314
Able Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 23
Denison, John  J44783
Boy Telegraphist Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 17
Dudley, Charles Henry  K 6508
Leading Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 26
Dundee-Hooper, Stewart Briscoe 
Lieutenant Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 23
Fenwick, William Thackray  J3846
Able Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 21
Gadsby, William Wallace  294719
Petty Officer Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 36
Gibson, John William  K 7355
Leading Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Halls, William Charles Edward  K 21878
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 25
Hewlett, Harry  310896
Leading Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 30
Hodgson, Ronald William  M 1500
Engine Room Artificer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Hunter, William  (RNR)
Lieutenant Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Jolliffe, Francis Henry  219416
Leading Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 32
Matthews, Frank Richardson  229890
Leading Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Millard, Jocelyn Alfred  M3565
Engine Room Artificer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 26
Nichols, Frederick Noel  219985
Able Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 31
Preskett, Harry  J1004
Leading Seaman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Repper, Charles  227906
Petty Officer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Salisbury, James Henry  201219
Petty Officer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 34
Smith, Leonard Williams  J9412
Leading Telegraphist Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 22
Snow, Sidney  K 2650
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 30
Tenison, Julian Tenison 
Lieutenant Commander Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 31
Tovey, Maurice William  J1071
Signalman Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 24
Ward, John James  K11010
Stoker Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 29
Warwick, John Coster  M 6325
Engine Room Artificer Died: 15-08-1916 Aged: 28

Events

16-05-1911 Laid Down
05-12-1912 Launched
04-01-1913 Completed
15-08-1916 Whilst carrying out anti submarine exercises in the North Sea, HMS E41 acting as a target, had begun a surface passage of 12 knots when HMS E4s periscope appeared 50 yards off her starboard bow, on a collision course.

E41 stopped her engines but not before E4 collided forward of the bridge. E41 began to take in water through the forward battery compartment and began to sink by the bow. In less than two minutes the conning tower was under the water.

HMS Firdrake, who had been monitoring the exercise, took less than two minutes to reach the scene of the collision to pick up survivors. There were no survivors from E4. Both submarines were eventually located and salvaged for return to service, although E41 never served again.
Add A Comment (click to open)

This form is for you to comment on, or add additional information to this page. Any questions will be deleted. If you wish to ask a question contact the Branch or the Webmaster using the Contact Us page or ask your question on our Facebook Page

Name E-Mail
Your email will not be shown, but is required
Anti Spam: Type the following code exactly as shown into the box below.

ip4D    
Note: All submissions are subject to approval prior to appearing on the page. As a SPAM prevention measure, any comments containing links to other sites will be automatically discarded.

E3 (I 83) E5 (I 85)