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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

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

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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 Survivors were

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

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.
K1 Specification
Length overall  339 ft
Beam  26 ft 6 inch
Draught  20 ft 11 inch
Displacement   1980 tons (surface)
  2566 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  200 ft
Speed  Surface 24 knots (design)
  Surface 24 knots (service)
  Submerged 10 to 10.5 knots (design)
  Submerged 9 knots (service)
No. of shafts  2
Propeller  3 blades, 7 ft 8 inch diameter
Armament  4 x 18 inch bow tubes
  4 x 18 inch beam tubes
  (16 torpedoes carried)
  2 x 4 inch guns
  1 x 3 inch gun
Endurance  Surface: 960 miles at full power (design)
  Surface: 800 miles at full power or 12500 miles at 10 knots (service)
  Submerged: 13.5 miles at 9 knots (design)
  Submerged: 8 miles at 8 knots or 30 miles at 4 knots (service)
Complement  5 Officers and 53 Ratings
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