HMS K17


HMS K17 was a British K class submarine built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness.

Design

Like all British K-class submarines, K17 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. It had a total length of, a beam length of, and a draught length of. The submarine was powered by two oil-fired Yarrow Shipbuilders boilers and one geared Brown-Curtis or Parsons steam turbine; this developed 10,500 ship horsepower to drive two screws. It also contained four electric motors each producing. It was also fitted with a diesel engine providing to be used when steam was being generated.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of. It could operate at depths of at for. K17 was fitted with a anti-aircraft gun, ten torpedo tubes, and two deck guns. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bows, the midship section, and two were mounted on the deck. Its complement was fifty-nine crew members.

Loss

K17 was sunk on 31 January 1918 during the night time fleet exercises later known as the Battle of May Island when she was attached to the 13th Submarine Flotilla. ploughed into K17 at the head of a line of submarines. She sank in about 8 minutes with the loss of all hands. The wreck is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.