|
HMAS AE1:
Australia's first Submarine |
|
|
The AE1, the Royal
Australian Navy’s first submarine, was commissioned in the United
Kingdom on 28 February 1914.
After commissioning, AE1 accompanied
by AE2, sailed to Australia crewed jointly by British and Australian
sailors, arriving at Sydney in May 1914. |
| Following the outbreak of
war in August 1914, both submarines proceeded to New Guinea for
operations against the German colonies. On 14 September, AE1,
accompanied by HMAS Parramatta, left Blanche Bay, New Britain, to patrol
off Cape Gazelle. She was last seen by Parramatta at 3.30 pm that day
and no trace has been found of her, or her company, since. It has been
presumed that AE1 struck an uncharted reef and sank. |
| Class: |
E Class light
submarine |
| Launched: |
22 May 1913 |
| Commissioned: |
28 February 1914 |
| Complement: |
35 |
| Length: |
181 feet [55.16m] |
| Beam: |
22 feet 6 inches
[6.85m] |
| Draught: |
12 feet 6 inches
[3.81m] |
| Displacement: |
660 tons surfaced,
800 tons submerged |
| Speed: |
15 knots surfaced,
10 knots submerged |
| Armament: |
four 18 inch torpedo
tubes |
| Armour: |
not applicable |
|
|
|
|
