Mystery of the missing WWI submarine solved after 103 years
THE wreck of the first allied vessel lost in the First World War has been discovered 103 years after it vanished off the coast of Papua New Guinea following a search that has ended Australia’s oldest naval mystery.
HMAS AE1, Australia’s first submarine, which had 35 British, Australian and New Zealand crew members aboard, disappeared near the Duke of York Islands during a patrol for German warships on Sept 14, 1914. The submarine, which had been in service for just seven months, was captained by Lieut Comm Thomas Besant, a 30-yearold British officer who had been seconded from the Royal Navy. Despite at least 12 search operations over the decades, no trace of the vessel was found.
But the wreck was finally found after an underwater survey captured an image of the vessel at more than 1,000 feet. Searchers aboard the Furgro Equato dropped an underwater camera to the seabed to confirm that the vessel was AE1.
“Australia’s oldest naval mystery has been solved,” said Marise Payne, Australia’s defence minister. “The boat and her crew, who’ve been on eternal patrol since 1914, have now been found. I truly trust that this discovery will bring peace of mind to the descendants of the families of the crew.”
The cause of the sinking has not been confirmed, but it is believed to be related to a technical failure during a practice dive. Peter Briggs, a retired rear admiral who led the search, said the loss was probably due to a sudden “diving accident”, noting that the fin guardrails were stowed and the upper conning tower hatch appeared shut.
He told The Australian newspaper that the submarine appeared to suffer a “high energy event” – possibly due to an explosion involving one of its torpedoes or a high pressure air cylinder. This may have occurred after it began to sink but caused it to flood quickly and accelerate towards the seabed.
“When the end came for the men of AE1 it would have been very fast, they may well have not known what hit them,” said Rear Admiral Briggs, the president of the Submarine Institute of Australia. “The submarine appears to have struck the bottom with sufficient force to dislodge the fin.”
Crew aboard the search vessel held a memorial service for the dead officers and sailors.
The location of the wreck has been kept secret to prevent salvage attempts. Australian and Papua New Guinean officials wish to preserve the site and establish a lasting memorial.