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

Design

Like all British K-class submarines, the submarine had a displacement of 1980 LT when at the surface and 2566 LT while submerged. The boat had a total length of 338 ft, a beam of 26 ft, and a draught of 20 ft. 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 (7,800 kW) to drive two 7 ft screws. The hull contained four electric motors each producing 350 to 360 hp. The vessel was also fitted with a diesel engine providing 800 hp to be used when steam was being generated. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 24 kn and a submerged speed of 9 to 9.5 kn. The boat could operate at depths of 150 ft at 2 kn for 80 nmi. The vessels armament comprised a 3 in anti-aircraft gun, ten 18 in torpedo tubes, and two 4 in deck guns. The 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 (Operation E.C.1) when she was attached to the 13th Submarine Flotilla. HMS Fearless (1912) 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.