Signals Posted 21 May , 2007 Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Hi all, there is allot of mis-information on the submarine E4 on different websites. In 1916 she collided with E41 and sank. She is quite often quoated as not going back into servive again. She was raised and recommisioned in May 1917 and once again operated out of Harwich with the 8th Flotilla. My Great grandfather was her signalman in her second life, he had come home from being on the E18 in the Baltic in January 1917. I looks as though E4 was retired in September 1918 as my great grandfather went to the L15 on the 1-10-1918, i'm not sure as to the exact date as her final log doesn't exsist. Has anyone ever seen a photo of the E4 or her crew from this period as all the photos are from her first life. Darren. cathydarren@optusnet.com.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clio Posted 21 May , 2007 Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Silent Warriors Vol 1 gives chapter and verse on E4/E41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
submarine Posted 21 May , 2007 Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Hi Darren E18 was lost in the Baltic in June 1916. Colin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clio Posted 21 May , 2007 Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Anyone seeking background info on E18 should look at 'Forgotten Flottilla' by Lesley Ashmore (who served on her during the Baltic patrols) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signals Posted 21 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Hi Colin, sorry i worded the E4 entry poorly. Yes E18 was lost in June 1916, my great grandfather missed this last patrol, what he did for the next 6 months i have no idea, more than likely spare crew. He did return with the first draft of ratings to come home in January 1917 and joined E4 when she was recommisioned in May 1917. The only information i received from my grandmother, now 91, was that her father became ill and was sent to Petrograd. When the first draft was leaving from the Baltic they were told to go back and pick him up due to the growing unrest in Petrograd. They had been told to be extremely careful when going through Petrograd to get him. The sub museum has a photo of him on return with this group when they got back to England, all E1 and E9 crew with him including E9's Leading signalman Arthur Burtenshaw. It is still unknown how this group returned to England, later groups returned via train to Murmansk. The Forgotten Flotilla is a good source for E18 info, Ashmore did write this as memoirs and not as a diary at the time and thus many dates are a little out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signals Posted 28 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2007 Hi All, While in Harwich on the 17-6-1917 E4 records in her log that she took hostile aircraft under fire. That morning she expended 34 rounds at them. Does anyone have any information as to what these aircraft were and what they were doing? Darren Brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 28 June , 2007 Share Posted 28 June , 2007 This is spooky, only yesterday I and a friend were looking at some old 'magic lantern slides and an e4 came up, however I seem to recall it was a pencil print from a newspaper or some such, however he had a real nice one of E6, what appeared to be on commission. sorry cant help further. Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spithead Posted 28 June , 2007 Share Posted 28 June , 2007 Darren Not sure if this is any help, but in HM Submarines In Camera by Comm. J.J. Tall & P.Kemp, there is a picture of E4 at Harwich with her number E4 on the conning tower, plus four 6 pounders on her deck. There is another picture which I have that shows her Pendant number 84 and no guns. This could possibly be the difference between her early and later service. Hope this helps Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signals Posted 29 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2007 Hi John, thanks for that. The photo with the pennant number would be circa 1914, the other with the four deck guns was also in her first life. She had been decked out to take on Zeppelins over the North Sea. I read somewhere these guns cause more drag and snagging problems then their worth. I just find it really hard to find anything on her second life after being raised and re-commisioned in May 1917 other than what's in her logs. Darren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lörscher Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 Darren, you know the following files at TNA ? 8th Flotilla, Reports & Orders ADM 137 - 505, 1917 ADM 137 - 506, 1918 and also Comm (S) War Records ADM 137 - 2071, Maidstone, 01. - 06.1917 ADM 137 - 2072, Maidstone, 07. - 12.1917 ADM 137 - 2073, Maidstone, 01. - 06.1918 ADM 137 - 2074, Maidstone, 07. - 12.1918 Here you will find the "report of proceedings" for her 2nd life's CO's Gaines, Tod and Babington, also her orders. All these files are indexed so you can sort out the relevant pages for E 4. As her first patrol from Harwich after re-commissioning commenced on 20.06.1917, you have to start with ADM 137-2071. Hope it helps, but you may know all that Oliver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signals Posted 1 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2007 Hello Oliver, thankyou so much for that information, i will follow this up. Darren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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