Unterseeboot B-4

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Career (German Empire)

Name:	UB-4
Ordered:	November 15, 1914
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Laid down:	November 3, 1914
Commissioned:	March 23, 1915
Fate:	Sunk August 15, 1915. 15 dead.
General characteristics
Type:	UB I

Service record
Part of	Kaiserliche Marine
Commanders	Karl Gross
Operations	14 patrols
Victories	3 ships sunk for a total of 10.883 tons

Unterseeboot B-4 (UB-4) was a German U-boat of the First World War.

She was commissioned March 23, 1915 in Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany.

She served in World War I under the command of Leutnant zur See Karl Gross, sinking 3 ships for a total of 10,833 tons on 14 patrols. One of these was the Harpalyce, torpedoed between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. At the time she was engaged in work for Belgian Relief and marked out with a white flag and white patches showing the same and under a pass of safe-conduct from the German authorities. She was torpedoed without warning and sank quickly with the loss of 15 crew.

In August 1915, off the East Anglian coast near Great Yarmouth, UB-4 approached a fishing fleet - presumably to attack it. One of the unpowered sailing ships was, in fact, a Q-ship. His Majesty's Armed Smack Inverlyon was a fishing vessel equipped with a small 3-pounder (47 mm) gun. The British crew put 9 rounds from the 3-pdr and small arms fire into UB 4 at close range sinking her at 52°46′N, 2°10′E with the loss of all hands despite the attempt of the smack's skipper to rescue one German submariner. The submarine was caught in the fishing gear and salvage considered but cut free to sink. The Inverlyons gunner was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his action.