HMS K4

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HMS K4 was a British K class submarine built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on the 28 June 1915 and commissioned on the 1 January 1917 one year before the end of World War I.

On the 17 November 1917, K4 collided with sister ship HMS K1 during an accident off the Danish coast. The light cruiser Blonde operating with K1 had to make a sharp turn to avoid 3 units from the 4th cruiser squardron. And in the confusion, K4 collided with K1. Luckily, the crew of K1 were rescued and K1 sunk by the light cruiser Blonde.

K4 was sunk on the 31 January 1918 during exercises with the 13th submarine fortilla comprised of K11, K17, K14, K12 AND K22. K4 was part of the 12th submarine fortilla comprised of herself, K3, K6 and K7. The 13th submarine fortilla unexpectedly met some minesweeping trawlers. K14 steering jammed and K11 and K17 took avoiding action. K22 followed and rammmed K14. 27 minutes later, the battle cruiser Inflexible sliced into K22 while she was still dead in the water. K22 fortunately stayed afloat. Then the 12th submarine fortilla arrived at full speed. The light cruiser Fearless rammed K17. K4 heard the warning siren of Fearless and stopped engines and narrowly avoided collision with K3. K6 practically collided with K4 cutting K4 in half and badly damaging herself. K7 finished the job when her bow's ran over the sinking K4.

K4 was lost with all hands in the results of 75 minutes of exercise with the main battle fleet. During this exercise, 2 submarines were lost, 3 badly damged and 105 men killed. This exercise was nicknamed 'battle of May island'.