HMS K4 was a British K-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 28 June 1915, launched on 13 July 1916, and commissioned on 1 January 1917.
Key characteristics
- Class: K-class submarine
- Length: 339 ft (103 m)
- Complement: 59 officers and ratings
- Surface speed: Up to 24 knots using steam turbines, allowing operation with the battle fleet.
Earlier incidents
Before her loss, K4 had already been involved in accidents:
- Ran aground on Walney Island in January 1917 but was refloated without damage.
- Collided with sister submarine K1 off the Danish coast in November 1917. K1 had to be scuttled, while K4 survived the collision.
Loss in the Battle of May Island
On the night of 31 January 1918, HMS K4 took part in the fleet exercise later known as the Battle of May Island, a series of tragic Royal Navy collisions in poor visibility off Scotland.
While attempting to avoid another submarine, K3, K4 became trapped in a chain of manoeuvres and was struck by both K6 and K7. The collisions cut K4 apart and she sank very quickly.
Casualties
Unlike K17, there were no survivors from K4. The submarine was lost with all 55 crew members aboard.
Wreck
The wreck lies off the east coast of Scotland near the Isle of May and is protected as a military maritime grave. Surveys have found the wreck in approximately 53 metres of water.
Interesting fact
The loss of K4 and K17 during the Battle of May Island contributed significantly to the notorious reputation of the K-class submarines, often nicknamed the "Kalamity Class" because of their accident-prone history.
