Finding HMAS AE1
AE1 was the Australia’s first submarine.
The loss of AE1 and the loss of the entire compliment of 35 officers and crew in the first months of World War One was the Royal Australian Navy’s first major tragedy. On 14 September 1914, AE1 disappeared without trace off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Despite numerous searches over many years, its location remained unknown.
On the 104th anniversary of the loss of Australia’s first submarine HMAS AE1, the Australian National Maritime Museum released a report which reveals new evidence which may finally solve the mystery behind its disappearance.
The Report details the findings of a team of experts from the Australian National Maritime Museum, Find AE1 Ltd, Curtin University, independent experts from Australia and the UK who have closely examined high-resolution imagery of the wreck site to piece together what caused the submarine to be lost with all hands. The Defence Science and Technology Group confirmed the resultant hypothesis is consistent with the facts.
The comprehensive stills and footage were taken during a recent survey by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s research vessel Petrel and coordinated by the Find AE1 team in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum, Curtin University, the Western Australian Museum and the Submarine Institute of Australia in April this year.
The team’s analysis of the imagery reveals that a critical ventilation valve in the hull is partially open. The valve should have been closed before diving. When the submarine dived, the partially open valve would have allowed water to flood the engine room which may have resulted in a loss of control causing the submarine to descend below its crush depth of 100m. The resultant implosion would have killed the crew instantly. The reason why the valve is partially open is unknown.
The report also reveals the rudder has broken away and it appears the submarine first landed on it before pitching forward onto its keel, displacing the fin (the vertical structure that contained the submarine’s conning tower) into the wreckage of the control room.
“This report represents the combined efforts of a team of dedicated volunteers made up of retired submariners, maritime archaeologists, naval historians and specialists, who have worked tirelessly for many years to find AE1 and solve the mystery of her disappearance”
Australian National Maritime Museum Director & CEO Kevin Sumption
The still images of the wreck site have now been developed into a detailed photogrammetric 3D model using techniques developed by Curtin University and the WA Museum, revealing extraordinary detail. The report provides an illustrated description of the current state of the wreck of AE1 together with the detailed archaeological analysis of the imagery collected and resulting expert conclusions on the cause of its loss.
The successful search and follow up examination was led by RADM Peter Briggs, who today praised the team of volunteers who worked steadfastly to find the lost submariners.
We followed in the footsteps of Commander John Foster and others who have searched over the years, spurred on by the patient vigil of the descendants in Australia, UK and New Zealand who have never forgotten their menfolk lost in AE1. Australians say ‘we will remember them’; today we have done that for the crew of AE1.
AE1 descendants’ convenor Ms Vera Ryan, grandniece of Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Jack Messenger, expressed the heartfelt feelings of descendant family members.
We felt that our men had been brought home, to be remembered with their ship mates, the men of AE2; to be united with them as the pioneers of the RAN Submarine Service; the men who established the traditions of RAN Submariners. The tradition of care for and of each other even beyond companionship.