K Class Submarines

[Jim Gordon]

Does anyone know if the 'K' Class Submarines ever saw action in The Great War apart from the tragic accident of 'The Battle of May Island' ?

Regards

Jim Gordon

[Glosters]

The only shots fired by a K-boat was 16th June 1917 when K-7 fired torpedos at a U-boat. One torpedo hit the U-boat but failed to explode. Later it was identified as U-95 and she was struck under the conning tower.

I can recommend 'K Boats' by Don Everitt ISBN 1840370572

It tells the full amazing story of these 'steam-powered submarines' (hard to write that phrase without pulling a face)

Her crews called themselves the 'Suicide Club'.

If you want more details let me know.

Steve

[j.r.f]

JIM STEVE

Acording to 'JANES FIGHTING SHIPS OF WW1'. K1,4 AND17 WERE WAR LOSSES.K 13 ALSO FLOUNDERED,BUT WAS SALVED AND RE-NUMBERED K 22. K 7 WAS PUT ON THE SALE LIST IN 1919.

cHEERS.

john.

PS sorry for shouting.

[Glosters]

'War losses' is misleading. These 3 were lost during the war but not to enemy action. The K-Boat was notorious and hated by the men who sailed them. Hence the 'Suicide Club'. To avoid confusion: the 'battle of May Island' was an exercise involving K-boats and surface ships that ended in disaster:

K1 - sunk after collision with K4 off the Danish coast 17 Nov. 1917. All survived.

K2 - scrapped 1926

K3 - scrapped 1920

K4 - sunk after collision with K6 31 Jan. 1918 ('battle of May Island') 59 men lost.

K5 - Lost on exercise 20 Jan. 1921 in the Atlantic. 57 men lost.

K6 - Scapped 1926

K7 - Scapped 1919. At 'May Island' swerved to avoid K6 and hit the sinking K4.

K8 - Scapped 1923

K9 - Scapped 1921

K10 - Scapped 1921

K11 - Scapped 1921

K12 - Scrapped 1926

K13 - Sank during acceptance trials in Firth of Clyde 29 Jan. 1917. 1 man lost. (See K22).

K14 - scrapped 1925. collided with K22 at 'May Island'.

K15 - sank in Portsmouth Harbour 25 June 1921. Raised. Scrapped 1923.

K16 - Scrapped 1923

K17 - Sunk in collision with HMS Fearless 31 Jan. 1918 ('battle of May Island'). 50 men lost. 9 survived.

K18 - Reclassified as M1. Sunk in collision with HMS Vidar, 12 Nov. 1925 in English Channel. 69 men lost.

K19 - Reclassified M2. Sunk on exercise in English Channel 26 Jan. 1932. 60 men lost.

K20 - M3. scrapped 1932.

K21 - cancelled.

K22 - K13 raised and refitted and reclassified as K22. Scrapped 1926.

K23 - cancelled.

K24 -

K25 -

K26 - Scrapped 1931.

K27 - cancelled.

K28 - cancelled.

When there was speculation about the loss M2 (K19), the old Coxsain of K13 Oscar Moth stated "She was a K boat originally . What more do you need to know?"