This action was fought between a German U-boat (believed to be SM UC-63) and two trawlers, Nelson and Ethel & Millie, off the English coast.

[2] She was built for Frederick Moxey of Lowestoft and was registered there as LT 649, operating in the North Sea fishing grounds.

[4] The U-boat approached G&E, intending to sink her by boarding and placing bombs (the early UB boats had no deck gun, and their commanders would not want to waste a torpedo on such a small target; sinking fishing boats in this way was the usual method used); when she was in range, G&E opened fire with her deck gun, scoring several hits on the conning tower.

The U-boat quickly crash-dived, and G&E's crew assumed they had sunk her, as did the Admiralty, who credited G&E with a successful "kill".

However UB-6 was able to return to base; the damage to the conning tower was not fatal, as it was not part of the pressure hull, but merely a superstructure.

On 1 February 1917, in company with another armed smack, Boy Alfred, commanded by skipper Wharton, the boats were approached by two U-boats closing in on the surface.

Crisp was mortally wounded and gave the order to abandon ship, remaining on board as the crew did so, and going down with her as she sank.