Royal Navy personnel yesterday remembered those who lost their lives when the submarine sank in the Gareloch on January 29, 1917.
The memorial service held at Faslane Cemetery on Sunday was attended by Royal Navy, West of Scotland Submariners Association and Helensburgh Sea Cadets.
A small gathering was also held at the K13 memorial in Elder Gardens in Govan the previous day, this being the dockyard where the boat was built and launched in 1916.
Rev Mark Noakes, chaplain of the Submarine Flotilla, led the service at Faslane Cemetery, where Captain Irvine Lindsay, Captain of the Submarine Flotilla, laid one of the wreaths.
In addition, the K13 ship’s bell was rung 32 times – once for each person who lost their lives in 1917.
“Service in those early submarines took great courage and those of us currently serving look to their example of sacrifice and duty with humility and deep respect. They were genuine pioneers,” said Captain Lindsay.
“It’s a simple but moving ceremony and once again it has been my privilege to represent serving submariners at the annual K13 memorial in the company of members of the West of Scotland Submarine Association and local Sea Cadets.”
The steam-propelled submarine K13 sank in the Gareloch during sea trials.
On board at the time were 53 Royal Navy submariners, 14 employees of Govan shipbuilder Fairfield’s, five Admiralty officials, a pilot, and the captain and engineer from sister submarine K14.
Andy Knox, chair of the West of Scotland Submariner Association, said: “Although this was a great tragedy in the history of the Submarine Service, 42 personnel were rescued from the sunken K13 and lots of valuable lessons were learned for the future of submarine escape.”
The crew of K13 were trapped beneath the icy waters of the Gareloch for some 57 hours before help arrived.
Captain of the vessel, Lieutenant Commander Godfrey Herbert, and K14’s captain, Commander Francis Goodhart, made a desperate attempt to escape the stricken submarine in order to get help.
The pair used the space between the inner and outer hatches as an airlock, but only Herbert made it to the surface alive.
An airline was eventually attached to the vessel, allowing the submarine to bring her bow to the surface where a hole was cut allowing the survivors to be rescued.
The submarine was later raised from the Gareloch and returned to service as HMS K22.
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