Our first casuality found

An update on a blog post from 2014 "Our first causality", with news today that the AE1 has been found.

Australia’s first submarine HMAS AE1 has finally been located, ending a 103 year maritime mystery.

The fate of the 800 ton AE1 and her 35 crew members has remained one of the persistent mysteries of Australia’s military history, after it was lost off the Duke of York island group on 14 September 1914 with all personnel aboard.

It was the first casualty for the Royal Australian Navy and the first Allied submarine loss in World War I; a significant tragedy felt by our nation and our allies.

The AE1 at Portsmouth in 1914

The Royal Australian Navy teamed up with a range of search groups in this expedition to locate the submarine, funded by the Commonwealth Government and the Silentworld Foundation, with assistance from the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Fugro Survey and the Papua New Guinea Government. The expedition embarked on the survey ship 'Fugro Equator' equipped with a team of maritime surveyors, marine archaeologists and naval historians who scoured the search area with a multi-beam echo sounder and side-scan technology in an underwater drone flying 40 metres above the sea bed on pre-programmed 20 hour missions.

Survey data showing the AE1 on the sea-bed (cC.of A.)

They located an object of interest in over 300 metres of water. Upon further inspection, confirmed the object to be AE1. The data collected was analysed and a three-dimensional rendering of the underwater environment was produced before dropping a camera to confirm the find.

The first images captured by the expedition show the vessel is remarkably well preserved and apparently in one piece. 

Battery ventilation trunks of the AE1 (cC.of A.)

Following the discovery of the submarine, a small commemorative service was held by those on-board the survey vessel to remember those officers and sailors who lost their lives 103 years ago. Efforts are being made to contact the descendants of the crew.

The Australian Government will work closely with the Papua New Guinean Government to consider a lasting commemoration and recognition of the crew of AE1 and to preserve the site.

The information gained from this expedition and from the research to date will greatly assist in unravelling the mystery of the loss of HMAS AE1, and will be held by the Australian National Maritime Museum for future generations to remember. More underwater images at the Navy.gov.au site.

Helm of the AE1 (cCommonwealth of Australia)

Lest We Forget.

Our first casuality

Great news about a lecture at the Melbourne Museum – “Beneath the waves at Gallipoli”

While the battlefields of Gallipoli are etched in the Australian psyche, the hidden underwater relics of the war are generally overlooked.

Tim Smith, a leading maritime archaeology practitioner and Executive Director of Heritage Victoria, will talk about his work mapping underwater cultural heritage sites associated with key World War One Australian actions, including:

• the AE2 submarine sunk in the Dardanelles Strait, Turkey (1915), and the forthcoming June expedition

• the centenary search for the AE1 submarine sunk off Papua New Guinea (1914)

• battlefield landscape surveys at ANZAC Cove and Suvla Bay

• recent survey work at the wreck of the World War One battle cruiser HMAS Australia I off Sydney

• J-Class submarines in Melbourne and more.

Details: 2014 Heritage Address with Tim Smith: Beneath the Waves at Gallipoli

When: Monday 14th April 2014

Location: Museum Theatre, Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens

Start: 6 pm

Bookings: discoverylectures@museum.vic.gov.au by 11th April

Being fascinated with the fact that AE1 was our first submarine, but its loss before the Gallipoli campaign has meant it has been largely glossed over in favour of the land battles and the loss of the AE2. The AE2 was scuttled in the Dardanelles on 30th April 1915, as part of the Gallipoli campaign.

His Majesty’s Australian Submarine AE1 was launched in the yard of Vickers Ltd at Barrow-in-Furness England on 22nd May 1913. She was commissioned at Portsmouth on 28th February 1914 under the command of Lieutenant Commander T F Besant, RN. She was the first of two E Class submarines built for the fledgling Royal Australian Navy.

HMAS AE1 - Royal Australian Navy's first submarine at Portsmouth in 1914

Both submarines sailed from England and reached Sydney on 24th May 1914. They were, manned by 3 Royal Navy officers and a mixed crew of 32 sailors from the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy.

At the outbreak of World War 1 (4th August 1914), AE1 joined the naval forces assigned to the capture and occupation of the German Pacific colonies. With AE2, she took part in the surrender of Rabaul on 13th September 1914.

The destroyer HMAS Parramatta and AE1 were patrolling in the Bismarck Sea east of the Duke of York Islands on the 14th. The two vessels met, but the weather was hazy and visibility was down to about 5 miles when the Parramatta lost sight of the submarine. Despite a search by 5 Navy ships no trace was ever found. The loss of the AE1 was the first major tragedy for the Royal Australian Navy. (from http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-ae1)

Last known image of AE1, 9 Sep 1914 with Yarra & Australia in the background