At Anstruther harbour a memorial commemorating the "Battle" of May Island was erected on 31 January 2002. A metal plaque is on top of a stele with the following inscription:
To commemorate those members of the ships' companies of His Majesty's submarines K4 and K17 who gave their lives in the service of their country off the Isle of May on 31st January 1918
Erected in their memory during the submarines centenary year 2001
An information board on another stele explains what had happened:
The "Battle" of May Island
On the night of January 31st 1918, a disaster took place just a few miles off Anstruther when the British Grand Fleet left Rosyth for exercises in the North Sea. With wartime news restrictions in force, few if any people onshore were aware of this. At speed and without navigation lights and in radio silence, the leading column of submarines encountered two minesweepers also operating without lights and completely unaware of the Fleet’s movements.
In the ensuing confusion two submarines, the K4 and K17, were rammed and sunk with the loss of 108 lives. Four other submarines and a cruiser were severely damaged. Relatives were merely informed that their loved ones were lost on active service.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Battle of May Island
"The Battle of May Island is the name given to the series of accidents that occurred during Operation E.C.1 in 1918. Named after the Isle of May, an island in the Firth of Forth, close by, it was a disastrous series of accidents amongst Royal Navy ships on their way from Rosyth in Scotland to fleet exercises in the North Sea. On the misty night of 31 January to 1 February 1918, five collisions occurred between eight vessels. Two submarines were lost and three other submarines and a light cruiser were damaged. 104 men died, all of them Royal Navy."
Source and further information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_May_Island