Launched in 1898 in Selby, North Yorkshire the King Erik was a 228 ton steam trawler, she served in the fishing fleet until called up in 1915 for duty as a minesweeper. She was armed with one 3" gun and survived the war, being returned to her owners in 1919. Twenty-two years later during the next war, on Sept. 6, 1941 the U-141 fired a single torpedo at the King Erik, the small ship exploded and sank with all fifteen men on board, none survived. This was the last ship sunk by U-141, she returned to Kiel later in the month and was used as a training boat for the rest of her career.