Top
Share
Home → Boats → Submarines → K Class → K17

K 17

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: K1
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'.
K 17
K 17

Upload An Image Of This Boat

Commanders
1918: Lieutenant Commander   H J Hearn

13th Flotilla: Scapa Flow.
13th Flotilla: Rosyth.

The damaged bow of HMS Fearless after smashing into K17 just forward of the conning tower during the Battle of May Island
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

Roll of Honour
48
 
Adams, Albert Victor  M 632
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Aged: 30
Agnew, William  SS 2844
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 27
Antram, Herbert Wilkins  (RNR)
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Temporary Lieutenant Aged: 25
Berriman, Thomas Henry  213863
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 33
Binnington, Charles Edward  K 18963
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 24
At birth Bishop, Charles Edward, Served as Binnington Charles Edward
Blackman, James  K 13078 Born: 15th Jul, 1894. 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
RN DoB 15/07/1893
Brown, Jack Glanfield  M 8692
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Aged: 29
Caress, Henry Alfred  SS 115673
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 22
Carter, William James Frederick  K 17477
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
Case, Charles  DSM 186086
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Chief Petty Officer Aged: 38
Cook, William James  K 6363
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Stoker Aged: 26
Cooley, William Clark  227154
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Petty Officer Aged: 30
Cooper, William Wilcox  239571
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Signalman Aged: 25
Cunningham, Ernest Semple 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Midshipman Aged: 18
De Bank, Arthur George David  K 22444
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 22
Drake, Arthur Rayment  238786
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 29
Finch, William  J 1069
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Seaman Aged: 25
Gale, William John  K 11623 Born: 13th Jul, 1890. 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Stoker Aged: 27
RN DoB 13/07/1892
Gibbs, John  J 10934
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 25
Gibson, Isaac  270632
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Aged: 38
Gill, Robert  211672
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Seaman Aged: 33
Hammond, Francis  J 9547
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 23
Hearn, Henry John  MID
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Lieutenant Commander Aged: 32
Commanding Officer
Herring, Harold Louis  M 13296 Born: 30th Oct, 1885. 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Aged: 32
RN DoB 30/10/1886
Hosking, Cecil James  J 16056
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Seaman Aged: 21
Jones, Edward  K 20796
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
Knight, George Alexander  J 8438
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Telegraphist Aged: 23
Knowles, James Edward  SS 115292
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 22
Lightbody, Henry George  J 24810
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 22
Lord, Frederick Edwin  J55202
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Telegraphist Aged: 18
McDonald, John  SS 114477
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
Meadmore, Edward James  DSM 223356
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Seaman Aged: 31
Montgomery, Joseph Robert  J 12871
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 23
Morris, Ernest Frank   309458 Born: 26th Jun, 1888. 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker Petty Officer Aged: 29
RN DoB 26/12/1887.
Myott, Dominick  M 7565
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Aged: 29
Nettleton, Harold  J20766
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 22
Nolan, Patrick  284013
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker Petty Officer Aged: 41
Ricketts, Henry Leonard  K 27466
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
Samuel, Frederick  J 10440
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 23
Sangster, Leo Frederick Murray  MID K 22599
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 23
Savage, Charles  311292
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Stoker Petty Officer Aged: 29
At birth Savage, Charles Ketteridge Served as Savage, Charles.
Savage, Charles Henry  L 2005
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Steward Aged: 25
Simpson, Albert Edward  J 1181
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Seaman Aged: 25
At birth Sinfield Albert Edward Served as Simpson Albert Edward.
Tilley, Edmund  K10609
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Leading Stoker Aged: 27
Tyrrell, Hugo William Louis 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Lieutenant Aged: 26
Warde, Cecil 
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Lieutenant Aged: 22
Wheble, Henry Havelock  225581
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 30
White, Alfred  J 6137
Died: 31st Jan, 1918.
Able Seaman Aged: 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.
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.

wSQS    
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.

K 16 K 22