K Class Submarines

The 'K' class were developed with the idea of being able to operate with the main battle fleet. The Admiralty had also heard a rumour that the Germans had a submarine capable of high surface speeds, this resulted in falling back to the steam turbine unit which was being installed in the experimental submarine Swordfish. They were the fastest and biggest submarines in the world, with a length of 330 feet and a beam of 26.5 feet, their speed was 24 knots provided by oil-fired steam turbines, driving twin screws. The two 5 foot high funnels were raised and lowered by an electric motor and hinged to fold down into watertight wells.

An unusual feature of this class were the fuel tanks, the underside of which were open to the sea, the oil floated on the water and was drawn by pumps from the top of the tanks.

The class became known as "The Kalamity Kays", for reasons which you will see as you look at each boats individual file, just to give you a taster:

In November of 1917 the 12th Flotilla of 'K's were operating with the Fleet off Denmark. During manoeuvres K4 rammed K1 and damaged her so much that the flotilla leader had to sink her by gunfire. In January of 1918 the 13th Flotilla based in Scotland, sailed with the Rosyth force of 3 battleships, 4 battle-cruisers, 14 light cruisers. Forty warships were to be taken through the narrow and congested waters of the Forth to meet up with Beatty's force from Scapa Flow, in the North Sea.They sailed in darkness, under radio silence and showing only one stern light. K11, 17, 14, 12 and 22 were being led by HMS Ithuriel, K4, 3, 6 and were being led by HMS Fearless. As they approached the Isle of May, just beyond the estuary, they ran into misty conditions which reduced visibility to about a mile.

It appeared K11 reduced speed and moved out of line, K14 reduced speed but maintained her course.K22 lost sight of K12 but rammed K14, both were badly flooded.Four ships of the 2nd Battle-Cruiser Squadron led by HMS Inflexible bore down on the two flooded submarines from astern, and the Inflexible smashed into K22 at 18 knots, both submarines remained afloat.

Whilst all this was going on the Ithuriel had picked up the distress call and turned back to help, followed by K12 and K17. The Fearless suddenly appeared ahead of the Ithuriel with her troop of K boats. The Fearless rammed K17 at 21 knots, the submarine sank.In the confusion which followed, K4 was rammed by K6 which cut the other submarine almost in two and sank her. In just a few hours two of the 'K's had been sunk and two more along with the Fearless badly damaged.

18 Built

Submarine	Builder	Built
K1, K2 and K5	HM Dockyard, Portsmouth	1915 - 1917
K3, K4 and K8 - K10,K17	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness	1916 - 1917
K6 and K7	HM Dockyard Devonport	1915 - 1917
K11 and K12	Armstrong Whitworth Newcastle-on-Tyne	1915 - 1917
K13 and K14	Fairfield, Govan	1915 - 1917
K15	Scotts, Greenock	1916 - 1918
K16	Beardmore, Dalmuir	1916 - 1918

K18, K19, K20 and K21 were not completed

Technical Information

Displacement (tons):	1,883 sf 2,565 sm
Length (ft):	338 (loa)
Breadth (ft)	26.5
Draught/Height (ft):	16
Machinery:	10,500 hp geared turbines 800 hp diesel booster for diving or surfacing. 1,400 hp electric motor. Twin screws.
Speed (kts):	25 kts sf 9 kts sm
Oil Supply (tons):	na
Armament:	8 x 18 inch tubes, 4 bow, 4 beam. 1 or 2 4 inch guns, 1 x 3 inch AA gun.
Range:	960 miles at full speed. 12,500 miles at 10 kts sf. 30 miles at 4 kts sm.
Complement:	50 - 60 officers and ratings.
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

Type:	K Class	Group One
Pennant No.:	K.1
Laid Down:	November 1915.	H.M. Dockyard, Portsmouth.
Commissioned:	April 1917.	Lt. Cdr. Benning.
Commander:	1917.	Lt. Cdr. Benning.
Complement:	58	5 Officers and 53 Ratings.
Service Career:	12th Flotilla.	Scapa Flow.

Fate:	Sank after a collision with K.4 in the North Sea off the Danish coast, November 17th 1917. The whole crew rescued by H.M.S. Blonde.

Type:	K Class	Group One
Pennant No.:	K.13
Laid Down:	October 1915.	Fairfield, Govan.
Commissioned:	Did not complete acceptance trials as K13.	Lt. Cdr. G. Herbert.
Commander:	1917.	Lt. Cdr. G. Herbert.
Complement:	58	5 Officers and 53 Ratings.
Service Career:
	During her final dive on acceptance trials on 29th January 1917, whilst carrying 80 personnel (crew, civilians from the builders and the captain designate of K.14), she ran into problems. At a depth of some 20 feet the boiler room reported that the compartment was flooding. Main ballast tanks were blown and the forward keel was dropped, she continued out of control to the seabed. Although the depth was only some 50 feet more, aft of the torpedo room was completely flooded and 31 men were drowned. It was almost two and a half days later that the remainder of the crew were able to escape. This was achieved by cutting a hole through both hulls with an oxy-acetylene torch. She was raised on 15th March 1917 and returned to Fairfields. After the necessary repair work was completed she was eventually commissioned as K.22. K.14 was the last submarine that Fairfield built and as a result no other submarine carried the number 13. Later at an Admiralty Inquiry, divers reported finding four thirtyseven inch ventilators over the boiler room open, Indicators in the boiler room were set open and the engine-room hatch was undone.
Fate:	See K.22.

K Class

Fleet Submarine

18 Built

Technical Information