Current Information:

Age-26

36, Egerton Crescent, Knightsbridge

Not all the lives lost at sea during the First World War were a result of enemy action. Accidents, mishaps and bad weather all accounted for many of the casualties. This was the case on 31st January, 1918 when 104 men lost their lives after submarines collided in the North Sea in an incident that, despite the fact that it involved no fighting, became known as the Battle of May Island.

Some forty Royal Naval vessels had left Rosyth and were steaming north to Scapa Flow to take part in an exercise involving the Grand Fleet. Included in this number were two submarine flotillas each led by a light cruiser. The 12th Submarine Flotilla, made up of K3, K4, K6 and K7, led by HMS Fearless  and the 13th Submarine Flotilla consisting of K11, K12, K14, K17 and K22 led by HMS Ithuriel

As they were passing May Island at the mouth of the Firth of Forth two Royal Naval mine-sweeping trawlers were seen and as the line of ships altered course to avoid them K22 collided with K14 . Fifteen minutes later the Battle cruiser squadron arrived on the scene and and HMS Inflexible hit the stationary K22, causing more damage  Shortly after the 12th Submarine Flotilla reached May Island and unaware of what had occurred, HMS Fearless steamed into K17 and sent her to the bottom although most of the crew were able to jump into the water before this happened. HMS Fearless came to a halt and as the submarines following her swerved, K6 hit K4 practically cutting her in half and sinking her with all her crew. The final chapter in this tragedy came when the last in the line of ships, the 5th Battle Squadron arrived and the destroyers attached to it ploughed into the sailors of K17, still in the water, and killed most of them. Among those who lost their lives was Hugo Tyrrell of K17.