K17
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | K Group 1 |
| Fate: | Submarine K17 was lost on the night of 31st January 1918. The submarine, which had been steaming on the surface in formation during a night exercise, was hit by HMS Fearless. K17 had altered course to avoid a collision with two trawlers that had been sighted. HMS Fearless, which was following K17, hit the submarine at 21 knots. Many of the crew managed to abandon ship before the submarine sank but were run down whilst in the water by escorting Destroyers which were unaware that any accident had taken place. The incident in which K17 was lost came to be referred to as the 'Battle of May Island'. |
K17
The damaged bow of HMS Fearless after smashing into K17 just forward of the conning tower during the Battle of May Island
The Survivors were
- Lieutenant Gerald Edward Armitage Jackson
- L/Sea Anthony Westbrook
- AB (SG) Joseph Clark
- Sig George Thomas William Kimbell
- SPO James Stewart, RAN
- Sto1 Henry Fulcher
- Sto1 Albert Dowding
- Sto1 Kenneth Vass
Roll of Honour
| Name | Rank | Number | Hons | Age |
| Adams, Albert Victor | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | M 632 | 30 | |
| Agnew, William | Able Seaman | SS 2844 | 27 | |
| Antram, Herbert Wilkins | Temporary Lieutenant (RNR) | 25 | ||
| Berriman, Thomas Henry | Able Seaman | 213863 | 33 | |
| Binnington, Charles Edward | Stoker 1st Class | K 18963 | 24 | |
| At birth Bishop, Charles Edward, Served as Binnington Charles Edward | ||||
| Blackman, James | Stoker 1st Class | K 13078 | 24 | |
| RN DoB 15/07/1893. Actual 15/07/1894 | ||||
| Brown, Jack Glanfield | Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | M 8692 | 29 | |
| Caress, Henry Alfred | Stoker 1st Class | SS 115673 | 22 | |
| At birth Creass, Henry Alfred Served as Caress, Henry Alfred | ||||
| Carter, William James Frederick | Stoker 1st Class | K 17477 | 23 | |
| Case, Charles | Chief Petty Officer | 186086 | DSM | 38 |
| Cook, William James | Leading Stoker | K 6363 | 26 | |
| Cooley, William Clark | Petty Officer | 227154 | 30 | |
| Cooper, William Wilcox | Leading Signalman | 239571 | 25 | |
| Cunningham, Ernest Semple | Midshipman | 18 | ||
| De Bank, Arthur George David | Stoker 1st Class | K 22444 | 22 | |
| Drake, Arthur Rayment | Able Seaman | 238786 | 29 | |
| Finch, William | Leading Seaman | J 1069 | 25 | |
| Gale, William John | Leading Stoker | K 11623 | 25 | |
| RN DoB 13/07/1892. Actual 13/07/1890 | ||||
| Gibbs, John | Able Seaman | J 10934 | 25 | |
| Gibson, Isaac | Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | 270632 | 38 | |
| Gill, Robert | Leading Seaman | 211672 | 33 | |
| Hammond, Francis | Able Seaman | J 9547 | 23 | |
| Hearn, Henry John | Lieutenant Commander | MID | 32 | |
| Commanding Officer | ||||
| Herring, Harold Louis | Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | M 13296 | 31 | |
| RN DoB 30/10/1886. Actual 30/10/1885 | ||||
| Hosking, Cecil James | Leading Seaman | J 16056 | 21 | |
| Jones, Edward | Stoker 1st Class | K 20796 | 23 | |
| Knight, George Alexander | Leading Telegraphist | J 8438 | 23 | |
| Knowles, James Edward | Stoker 1st Class | SS 115292 | 22 | |
| Lightbody, Henry George | Able Seaman | J 24810 | 22 | |
| Lord, Frederick Edwin | Telegraphist | J55202 | 18 | |
| McDonald, John | Stoker 1st Class | SS 114477 | 23 | |
| Meadmore, Edward James | Leading Seaman | 223356 | DSM | 31 |
| Montgomery, Joseph Robert | Able Seaman | J 12871 | 23 | |
| Morris, Ernest | Stoker Petty Officer | 309458 | 30 | |
| At birth Morris, Ernest Frank Served as Morris, Ernest. RN DoB 26/12/1887. Actual 26/06/1888 | ||||
| Myott, Dominick | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | M 7565 | 29 | |
| Nettleton, Harold | Able Seaman | J20766 | 22 | |
| Nolan, Patrick | Stoker Petty Officer | 284013 | 41 | |
| Ricketts, Henry Leonard | Stoker 1st Class | K 27466 | 23 | |
| Samuel, Frederick | Able Seaman | J 10440 | 23 | |
| Sangster, Leo Frederick Murray | Stoker 1st Class | K 22599 | MID | 23 |
| Savage, Charles | Stoker Petty Officer | 311292 | 29 | |
| At birth Savage, Charles Ketteridge Served as Savage, Charles. | ||||
| Savage, Charles Henry | Steward | L 2005 | 25 | |
| Simpson, Albert Edward | Leading Seaman | J 1181 | 25 | |
| At birth Sinfield Albert Edward Served as Simpson Albert Edward. | ||||
| Tilley, Edmund | Leading Stoker | K10609 | 27 | |
| Tyrrell, Hugo William Louis | Lieutenant | 26 | ||
| Warde, Cecil | Lieutenant | 22 | ||
| Wheble, Henry Havelock | Able Seaman | 225581 | 30 | |
| White, Alfred | Able Seaman | J 6137 | 23 | |
Events
| 28-08-1914 : | The fearless led the 1st Destroyer Flotilla of the Harwich force, and fought at the Heligoland Bight action on August 28,1914 |
| 01-06-1916 : | Laid Down |
| 10-04-1917 : | Launched |
| 20-09-1917 : | Completed |
| 31-01-1918 : | Whilst taking part in exercises off May Island, K17 was astern of HMS Courageous when the latter changed course to avoid two trawlers, which were spotted ahead. K17 turned but K22 and K14 were involved in a collision. Meanwhile HMS Fearless was steaming at 21 knots towards the area oblivious of the accident. Suddenly the Fearless appeared over the horizon and ploughed into K17, water gushed into the boat through the pierced pressure hull. The order to abandon ship was quickly given. Within 8 minutes K17 had disappeared. The survivors were now in the water and the other submarines attempted to pick them up. Sadly the destroyers were unaware of the location of the accident and ploughed through the survivors. |
Comments
0 comments
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 or otherwise contact the Branch or the Webmaster. Please use the Contact Us page or ask your question on our Facebook Page
Note: All submissions are subject to webmaster approval prior to appearing on the page. As a SPAM prevention measure, any comments containing links to other sites will be automatically discarded
