AE1 Submarine

HMAS
E-Class Submarine

Tons
1,839

Click For Enlargement
1914

 

Captain Lt Cdr Besant
Crew  Cyril Lefroy BAKER, 1268
Crew  Ernest Fleming BLAKE, 7876
Crew  John James BRAY, 1604
Crew  Gordon Clarence CORBOULD, 7297
Crew  James Alexander FETTES, 7290
Crew  Arthur H FISHER, 8191
Crew  Richard B HOLT, 8266
Crew  Jack JARMAN, 1138
Crew  John Joseph MALONEY, 7299
Crew  John MESSENGER, 7291
Crew  John REARDON, 7474
Crew  Robert SMAIL, 1068
Crew  James Benjamin THOMAS, 8111
Crew  William A WADDILOVE, 7300
Crew  Percy L WILSON, 7182
Crew  Charles F WRIGHT, 7395

History
The AE1 was commissioned at Portsmouth, England on February 28, 1914 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Thomas F Besant, RN. Both the AE1 and her sister ship, HMAS AE2, reached Sydney on May 24, 1914 operated by a mixed crew of Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy personnel.

World War I
At the outbreak of the First World War, the AE1 joined Australian naval forces assigned to capture German colonies throughout the Pacific. The AE1, alongside the AE2, took part in operations leading to the occupation of German New Guinea, including the surrender of Rabaul on September 13, 1914.

Sinking History
The following morning, September 14, 1914, the AE1 and HMAS Parramatta departed Blanche Bay to patrol off Cape Gazelle. AE1 did not return to base, last being seen at approximately 3:30pm. Parramatta, Yarra, Encounter and Warrego were all tasked with searching for AE1, but found nothing. To date, this submarine has never been located.

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