HMS K1 was the lead boat of the Royal Navy's controversial K-class, a class of large, steam-turbine-powered submarines designed to operate alongside the battle fleet at high speed during the First World War.
Construction and Characteristics
HMS K1 was launched at Portsmouth on 14 November 1916. She was one of the largest submarines in the world at the time.
Specifications
- Class: K-class submarine
- Length: 339 ft (103 m)
- Displacement: 1,980 tons surfaced, 2,566 tons submerged
- Speed: 24 knots on the surface, 8 knots submerged
- Crew: 59 (6 officers and 53 ratings)
- Armament:
- Eight 18-inch torpedo tubes
- Two 4-inch guns
- One 3-inch gun
The K-class boats used steam turbines on the surface and electric motors underwater. This gave them unprecedented speed but also made them highly complex and accident-prone. They later gained the nickname"Kalamity Class" because of the number of mishaps involving them.
Loss of K1
On 18 November 1917, K1 was operating in the North Sea as part of a submarine flotilla led by the light cruiser HMS Blonde. The formation included K1, K3, K4, and K7.
During a complicated manoeuvre off the Danish coast, confusion developed when other cruisers crossed the flotilla's course. K1 lost speed, and K4 collided with her, badly damaging K1's hull. Seawater entered the submarine, causing severe flooding and the release of chlorine gas from the batteries.
The crew was safely evacuated to HMS Blonde. After determining that the submarine could not be saved, Blonde deliberately sank K1 by gunfire at approximately 19:10 to prevent capture or drifting into enemy hands. Remarkably, all crew members survived.
Interesting Fact
Prior to her loss, K1 had already suffered the sort of mishaps that made the K-class infamous. One incident saw her run aground, leading to a court martial for her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander C. S. Benning. His unusual defence, claiming that rats had eaten part of a chart, was accepted and the charge dismissed.
Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Class | K-class submarine |
| Launched | 14 November 1916 |
| Builder | Portsmouth Dockyard |
| Crew | 59 |
| Surface Speed | 24 knots |
| Fate | Sunk by HMS Blonde after collision with K4 |
| Date Lost | 18 November 1917 |
| Casualties | None |
HMS K1 was the first K-class submarine lost, foreshadowing the troubled reputation that would follow the rest of the class throughout the war.
