Unterseeboot B-4

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UB-4
Country	German Empire
Branch	Kaiserliche Marine
Type	UB I
Shipyard	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Ordered	November 15, 1914
Laid down	November 3, 1914
Commissioned	March 23, 1915
Career
Patrols	14
Commanders	Karl Gross
Successes
3 ships sunk for a total of 10.883 tons
Fate
Sunk August 15, 1915. 15 dead.

Unterseeboot B-4 (also known as UB-4) was commissioned March 23, 1915 in Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany.

She served in World War I under the command of Leutnant zur See Karl Gross, sinking 3 ships for a total of 10,833 tons on 14 patrols. One of these was the Harpalyce, torpedoed between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. At the time she was engaged in work for Belgian Relief and marked out with a white flag and white patches showing the same and under a pass of safe-conduct from the German authorities. She was torpedoed without warning and sank quickly with the loss of 15 crew.

[edit] Fate

In August 1915, near Great Yarmouth, UB-4 approached a fishing fleet presumably to attack it. One of the unpowered sailing ships was, in fact, a Q-ship. His Majesty's Armed Smack Inverlyon was a fishing vessel equipped with a small 3 pounder (47 mm) gun. The British crew put 9 rounds from the 3-pdr and small arms fire into UB 4 at close range sinking her with the loss of all hands despite the attempt of the Smacks skipper to rescue one German submariner. The submarine was caught in the fishing gear and salvage considered but cut free to sink. The Inverlyon's gunner was awarded the DSO for his action.