AE1 and AE2 Passage to Australia - 3
Singapore to Sydney
Image provided by Australian E Class Submarines Foundation
Map prepared by Darren Brown
HMAS AE1 and AE2 were escorted from Singapore to Sydney by HMAS Sydney I
April 1914
AE1, AE2 and Sydney I departed Singapore
15. 0730 Saturday 25 April, the three Australian vessels began their journey to Sydney
April 1914
Arrived Batavia (Djakarta)
16. AE1, AE2 and Sydney I arrived at Batavia on Monday 27 April and anchored overnight.
April 1914
Departed Batavia
17. At 1735 on Tuesday 28 April AE1, AE2, and Sydney I weighed anchor and proceeded to Darwin.
May 1914
Near miss in Lombok Strait
18. At 0130 on Friday morning (1 May) AE1 steering gear failed while the submarine was passing through Lombok Strait.
AE1 was being towed (to conserve fuel) by Sydney I when its electrical steering gear failed, and its rudder jammed hard to starboard. At the same time the towing line parted and fouled Sydney I's rudder so that neither vessel had effective steering. AE2 was nearby, underway with its own power, and also trying to negotiate the tricky tidal streams in the narrow strait. It was only through very good seamanship in all three vessels that a collision was avoided.
May 1914
Arrived Darwin
19. The two submarines and the cruiser Sydney I arrived in Darwin at 0800 on Tuesday 5 May.
May 1914
Depart Darwin
20. At 0615 on Thursday 7 May the submarines and Sydney I departed Darwin for Cairns stopping at Thursday Island to collect mail on Sunday, 10 May.
May 1914
Visit to Cairns
Image provided by Australian E Class Submarines Foundation
HMAS AE1 and AR2 alongside HMAS Sydney I at Cairns 14 May 1914
21. The two submarines and the cruiser had arrived outside Cairns at 2130 on 12 May and anchored overnight. They entered Cairns for a port visit at 1000 on Wednesday 13 May.
May 1914
Depart Cairns
22. The two submarines and Sydney I departed Cairns at 0530 on Monday 18 May and proceeded to Sydney. On Thursday 21 May they entered Moreton Bay to avoid heavy weather and to repair a defect in AE1. The submarines got underway again on Friday 22 May and continued their passage to Sydney.
May 1914
Arrived Sydney
Image provided by Royal Australian Navy
HMAS AE1 and AE2 alongside Garden Island in Sydney
23. AE1 and AE2 entered Sydney Heads at 0600 on Sunday 24 May. They secured alongside Garden Island at 0630.
The submarines had completed the longest journey undertaken by any submarine at that time. This was the beginning of the Australian Submarine Force.