Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
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The "Battle" of May Island
On the evening of January 31, 1918, a task force of 40 British warships left the Scottish naval base in Rosyth.
The squadron is to join forces with other Scapa Flow associations the next day. The aim of the top secret operation is a large-scale training mission of the Home Fleet known as "Operation E.C.1".
The fleet leaving Rosyth consists of the 5th Battle Squadron ...
... with three battleships and escorting destroyers, the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron ...
... with four battle cruisers and escort ships, two other cruisers and the 12th and 13th submarine flotillas, each led by a light cruiser.
The squadron forms a nearly 50 km long chain of ships. For fear of German submarine attacks, the ships drove darkened with dimmed position lights and in absolute radio silence. In addition, the association runs at high speed - also to protect against the feared German submarines.
To the HMS "Fearless" ...
... guided 12th submarine flotilla includes the boats K3, K4, K6 and K7, the submarines K11, K12, K14, K17 and K22 form together with their lead ship HMS "Ithuriel" ...
... the 13th submarine flotilla.
Both associations run in the top group of the squadron in front of the "thick ships".
At the island of May ...
... the giant fleet encounters a small association of British minesweepers and evades. During the evasive maneuver, the steering system of the submarine K14 ...
... which is why the submarine leaves the line.
On the following K22 ...
... you don't suspect anything of the accident but follow the weak position lights of the lead boat K14 and unintentionally leave the formation as well.
When the K14 tries to steer the engines and resume the course of the fleet, the two submarines collide, killing two sailors.
The following battle cruiser HMS "Inflexible" ...
... rams the bow of the non-propelled K22 27 minutes later. The two submarines brought up the rear of the 13th submarine flotilla. The three remaining submarines of the flotilla noticed the accident and turned back to help the wrecked boats.
The returning 13th submarine flotilla is thus on a direct collision course with the following 12th submarine flotilla, which was not informed by the radio silence ordered.
HMS "Fearless" ...
... rams at full speed K17 ...:
The submarine is badly damaged, sustains a huge leak in the pressure hull and sinks in 8 minutes.
In the following general confusion, the K6 runs ...
... across the K4 and tearing it in two. The remains of the K4 were shortly afterwards also by K7 ...
... rammed, sink in a few moments and pull the entire crew of the submarine into the depths.
Because of the feeling of radio silence, the following ships were also unaware of the debacle.
The complete 5th battle squadron drives through the disaster area at full speed ...
... and kills many of the K17 survivors who are helplessly floating on the surface.
Only 9 seamen can be rescued alive, but one of them succumbs to his injuries shortly after the rescue.
The British Navy lost - without any enemy influence! - 105 men and two submarines in 75 minutes. Four other submarines and a light cruiser are badly damaged ...:
This chain of several disasters went down in Royal Navy history officially as the "Battle of May Island".
On the evening of January 31, 1918, a task force of 40 British warships left the Scottish naval base in Rosyth.
The squadron is to join forces with other Scapa Flow associations the next day. The aim of the top secret operation is a large-scale training mission of the Home Fleet known as "Operation E.C.1".
The fleet leaving Rosyth consists of the 5th Battle Squadron ...
... with three battleships and escorting destroyers, the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron ...
... with four battle cruisers and escort ships, two other cruisers and the 12th and 13th submarine flotillas, each led by a light cruiser.
The squadron forms a nearly 50 km long chain of ships. For fear of German submarine attacks, the ships drove darkened with dimmed position lights and in absolute radio silence. In addition, the association runs at high speed - also to protect against the feared German submarines.
To the HMS "Fearless" ...
... guided 12th submarine flotilla includes the boats K3, K4, K6 and K7, the submarines K11, K12, K14, K17 and K22 form together with their lead ship HMS "Ithuriel" ...
... the 13th submarine flotilla.
Both associations run in the top group of the squadron in front of the "thick ships".
At the island of May ...
... the giant fleet encounters a small association of British minesweepers and evades. During the evasive maneuver, the steering system of the submarine K14 ...
... which is why the submarine leaves the line.
On the following K22 ...
... you don't suspect anything of the accident but follow the weak position lights of the lead boat K14 and unintentionally leave the formation as well.
When the K14 tries to steer the engines and resume the course of the fleet, the two submarines collide, killing two sailors.
The following battle cruiser HMS "Inflexible" ...
... rams the bow of the non-propelled K22 27 minutes later. The two submarines brought up the rear of the 13th submarine flotilla. The three remaining submarines of the flotilla noticed the accident and turned back to help the wrecked boats.
The returning 13th submarine flotilla is thus on a direct collision course with the following 12th submarine flotilla, which was not informed by the radio silence ordered.
HMS "Fearless" ...
... rams at full speed K17 ...:
The submarine is badly damaged, sustains a huge leak in the pressure hull and sinks in 8 minutes.
In the following general confusion, the K6 runs ...
... across the K4 and tearing it in two. The remains of the K4 were shortly afterwards also by K7 ...
... rammed, sink in a few moments and pull the entire crew of the submarine into the depths.
Because of the feeling of radio silence, the following ships were also unaware of the debacle.
The complete 5th battle squadron drives through the disaster area at full speed ...
... and kills many of the K17 survivors who are helplessly floating on the surface.
Only 9 seamen can be rescued alive, but one of them succumbs to his injuries shortly after the rescue.
The British Navy lost - without any enemy influence! - 105 men and two submarines in 75 minutes. Four other submarines and a light cruiser are badly damaged ...:
This chain of several disasters went down in Royal Navy history officially as the "Battle of May Island".
