More than 99 years after it was scuttled in the First World War, a project to record, preserve and tell the story of the wreck of Australian submarine HMAS AE2, laying at the bottom of Turkey's Sea of Marmara, is underway.
“The AE2 is one of the last untouched Gallipoli battlefield sites and, with the dedicated work of a team of Australian submariners, scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and US Remotely Operated Vehicle designers, SeaBotix, she will be protected and preserved on the sea floor for many years to come,”Minister for Veterans' Affairs Senator Michael Ronaldson said.
Project ‘Silent ANZAC’ is a joint Australian and Turkish initiative, led by a team from the AE2 Commemorative Foundation (AE2CF) and Submarine Institute of Australia.
Assistant Minister for Defence, Stuart Robert MP said the Defence Science and Technology Organisation had contributed significantly to the documenting and protection of the AE2.
“The submarine is in amazingly good condition, original paint, signalman's sand shoes (plimsolls) still stowed in the flag locker in the conning tower along with the flags and what we believe was the battle ensign used by Lieutenant Commander, Henry ‘Dacre’ Stoker, DSO, 99 years ago,” he said.
The AE2 entered the Dardanelles at 2:30 am on the morning of 25 April 1915.
After torpedoing the Ottoman gunboat Peykisevket, the AE2 negotiated through the Narrows, pursued by surface vessels and passing through the perilous minefield she entered the Sea of Marmara on 26 April.
The AE2 was the first Allied warship to make it through the Narrows.
AE2’s mission was to “run amok” and torpedo transports bringing Ottoman reinforcements to the Gallipoli battlefields.
On 30 April 2015 AE2 was attacked by an Ottoman torpedo boat Sultanhisar, hit by gunfire and scuttled by her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Stoker.
All AE2’s crew were rescued by the crew of the Sultanhisar as the submarine slid silently to the sea floor.
The project to record, preserve and tell the story of the wreck of Australian submarine HMAS AE2 is now underway.
