Prior to signs of any war, a commission
Was made for a growing navy of
Australia,
Including an E Class Submarine -
designed
Then built by Vickers Armstrong
England;
Launched 18 June 1913 - ready for
1914.
Along with HMAS AE1, these sister
subs
Took the longest voyage by such
crafts,
Across waters to Australia –
beginning her
War life, AE2 travelled with
expeditionary
Force patrolling Fiji - but
lacking enemies,
AE2 was then taken to a
Mediterranean
Destination of Egypt, for early 1915
- with
Diving depth of 100 feet,
strengthened
By bulkheads, she could submerge
down
To 200 feet - carrying a crew of 34
men.
Ability of surface speed of 10 knots
with
Underwater speed of 5 knots, AE2 had
40 tons of fuel to travel 3000 miles
without
Any fitted guns AE2 had 4 18 in.
torpedo
Tubes – bow, stern and two
broadside.
As AE1 disappeared in the New Guinea
Capture, AE2 became a lone presence.
Without German threats to Australia
she
Left for Europe - then after Cocos
battle
Destroying German activity about Indian
Ocean, AE2 set for a new destination.
Assigned to Second Submarine
Floatila,
AE2 Rested at Port Said by 28
January
1915 for support patrol of
Dardanelles -
Under Lieutenant Henry H.G.D Stoker,
AE2 then became part of British Navy.
In patrol's return on 10 March,
harbour
Navigation lights were extinguished -
Resulting in AE2 being run aground.
After repairs in Malta the Submarine
Returned in April, for her
operations.
With twofold aim to knock Turkey out
Of war and open supply lines to
Russia,
The navel attempts failed; three battle
Ships sunk and three more crippled,
With such losses a move turned to
land.
Cape Helles was the prime target; as
Others failed, Commander Stoker had
A plan approved. AE2 moved, making
6 nautical miles; but unable to
submerge
As a failed coupling caused their retreat.
With a new, next day attempt, Stoker
Gave orders to dive, to avoid shells
from
Shore - at 4.30 tackling first
minefield.
For an hour, AE2 weaved the mooring
Chains of mines tactics of wires defense.
Added in Malta body wires prevented
Mooring cables attaching - then at
6.00
In Chanak waters they torpedoed
Turkish
Gunboat - in need to avoid a
destroyer
Actions led to grounding under a
fort.
The Turks guns could not be lowered
Enough to fire – within minutes AE2
Freed, moved away - with their
raised
Periscope seen a Turkish warship,
Targeting the Allied landings, withdrew.
Stoker moved the AE2 to sea of
Marma -
At 8.30 p.m. he decided to wait
till night
AE2 rested on the seabed for dark hours.
Surfacing at 21.00 to recharge, a radio
report of their success broadcasted to fleet.
The AE2 had been the first allied
craft to
Cross the Dardanelles - new orders
were
For crew and AE2 to ‘run amok’ - then
Currently no enemy about they
entered
Sea of Marmara remaining for 5 days.
AE2's tactics was to make numbers
Of appearances - to suggest a
large
Allied presence and in doing so made
Attacks on Turkish ship - but all
due
to mechanical faults, none succeeded.
While AE2's progress was made known
To land troops, raising morale - on from
29 April saw another success, as
E14
Rendezvoused with AE2 - to meet again
The next morning - but events changed.
The next morning - but events changed.
AE2 surfaced to investigate rising smoke
of torpedo boat Sultanhisar a mile away -
Having gone beyond normal diving depth,
Correction attempts caused stern to rise;
Sultanhiser fired, hitting submarine AE2.
Pressure hull punctured engine damage
was done – Stoker's orders were given
was done – Stoker's orders were given
At 10.40 p.m. to scuttle the AE2 - the
crew
Taken by the Sultanhiser led to a
legend's
Success, giving AE2 name of Silent
Anzac.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File:
HMAS AE2. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_AE2> [Accessed: 23 May 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 23 May 2015).
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